Fleet Maintenance - 39

puncture, or wheel-end thermal event in one or
more of the trailer's tires.
Another item to note is how long the light stays
illuminated.
"If the light stays on for more than 10 minutes,
[it is] recommended the driver finds a safe place
to stop [to] check the trailer tires for damage or
leaks," says Matt Wilson, controls business unit
director for Hendrickson. Hendrickson is a global manufacturer and supplier of medium duty
and heavy duty mechanical, elastomeric, and
air suspension products; tire pressure control
systems; and other components for the commercial transportation industry.
Letting the air continually flow into the
potentially damaged tire could cause more
damage, meaning greater maintenance costs
and increased downtime. By ignoring the light
and letting the system run for extended periods
of time, the drivers could also be putting themselves and others at risk.
When it comes to TPMS, there are quite a
few options for communication between the
system and driver or fleet. System alerts can
be provided through an in-vehicle display or
on an external device.
As noted earlier, the driver can receive in-vehicle alerts through a dashboard display. This
display can either be integrated into the vehicle's
own dash or through a secondary dash-mounted
TPMS display. Alerts for the TPMS display regarding pressure and temperature can be customized
to each fleet, PSI's Miller notes.
An external device, such as a computer or
smartphone, can receive tire monitoring alerts
as well when set up through a telematics platform. This allows both the driver and the fleet to
receive alerts.
"Both options can be utilized, but many fleets
are wanting to take the driver out of the equation
by managing the interpretation of the
data and any subsequent response in
their back office," Miller adds.
These alerts also get categorized by
level of severity. Issues that can wait to
be fixed are typically sent as an email or
are noted in the reports produced by the
system. Issues that cannot wait are sent
out immediately through a text message
to a mobile device, or pop-up message
on the in-cab display screen and the
fleet's monitoring dashboard. Most
times, these alerts have both a visual
and audible aspect in order to get the
driver's attention, but not distract them
from driving.

» One trend that is becoming more popular
with TPMS and ATIS is using the two
systems together to create an optimized
tire maintenance and monitoring system.
Photo from Dreamtime

properly. Assuming these systems are functioning when they are not can lead to major issues
with tires such as tread separation and eventual
blowouts, inspection citations and fines, reduced
tread life, and roadside service calls.
"It is always a good idea to inspect components
periodically to make sure nothing has been
damaged or come loose from vibrations," says
Michelle Reinhart, head of digital solutions for
commercial vehicle tires in the Americas region
for Continental. Continental is a global manufacturer of passenger and light truck tires.
Regular inspections should be completed as part
of a vehicle's preventive maintenance (PM) schedule.

By utilizing TPMS and ATIS
technology, fleets are able to
extend tire life, increase fuel
economy, reduce maintenance
costs, and improve safety.
Optimize maintenance and costs

Using TPMS or ATIS benefits fleets in a variety
of ways.
Meritor's Fromm provides a list of all that can
be achieved through utilizing tire monitoring or
management systems.
Ü Extended tire life. Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the U.S.

Maintaining TPMS or ATIS

Maintaining a fleet's TPMS or ATIS
doesn't require much effort, but that
doesn't mean it should be overlooked.
"The problem with most [of these]
systems is that no one knows if they stop
working and everyone goes on believing their tires are being monitored when
they are not," says TireStamp's Fisher.
If fleets do not check these systems
periodically, there is no guarantee
the systems will continue operating

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October 2019 | VehicleServicePros.com

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Fleet Maintenance

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fleet Maintenance