One in three vans that are regularly checked by the ATS Euromaster Mastercare inspection service require remedial actions.
The tyre and maintenance provider said it inspects 5,800 vehicles each month – including dotcom fleets such as Tesco – and found that on average 32% of vans needed actionable maintenance.
The company added that pressure on fleets for greater 24/7 runtime is creating additional tyre wear.
“It could be general wear, a puncture or, particularly with dotcom vans, damage to the tyre wall,” explained Gordon Robertson, mobile area operations manager – north, ATS Euromaster.
“But what we will always try and do is prolong the life of the tyre where possible. For example, this might involve spinning the tyres – where we switch the outside of the tyre wall to the inside – which is becoming common practice as many of these vans spend their time bouncing up and down kerbs while making their home deliveries.”
With the average cost of a typical 235/65 size replacement tyre coming out at £200, techniques such as turning tyres on the rim can prove significant cost savers for fleets.
And while the ATS Mastercare scheme originally focused on heavier commercial vehicles, more vans are coming onto the tyre maintenance programme, in particular as the chip shortage and lack of replacement vehicles extends operating cycles beyond originally planned SMR parameters.
“As the age of the fleet has grown with the chip crisis, the need for inspection is high on the agenda for fleet managers,” added Robertson.
“Mastercare provides duty of care for the customer – while fleets also benefit from getting the maximum life out of tyres. It’s all about managing tyre life and ensuring vehicle downtime is minimised.”
