{"id":8361,"date":"2020-11-12T17:45:32","date_gmt":"2020-11-12T16:45:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/?p=8361"},"modified":"2020-11-12T17:45:32","modified_gmt":"2020-11-12T16:45:32","slug":"right-tires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2020\/11\/12\/right-tires\/","title":{"rendered":"The Right Tires for Last-Mile Delivery Fleets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Photo: Southeastern Freight Lines<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Fleets like Southeastern Freight Lines are looking for final-mile tires as they serve a booming last-mile delivery demand..<\/span><\/p>\n

Southeastern Freight Lines recently launched its Final Mile Service system-wide, with a fleet of more than 350 trucks across all 89 service centers. The less-than-truckload carrier spec\u2019ed tires for those vehicles that cost more up front but provide better value over the life of the tire.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe choose tires based on durability, ease of doing business with the vendor and warranty availability,\u201d says Kerry Stritt, vice president of fleet services at the South Carolina-based less-than-truckload carrier.<\/span><\/p>\n

SEFL joins a growing number of companies adding smaller last-mile trucks to their fleets, as already rapid growth in online and omnichannel shopping has only been accelerated by the pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe growth of e-commerce has leaped 10 years in just a few short months,\u201d says Chris Novak, business model leader for urban mobility at Michelin North America.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, since March and its government lockdown restrictions, Amazon has hired 175,000 seasonal workers to meet the surging demands and plans to keep 75% of them permanently, notes Tom Fanning, Continental vice president of sales and marketing for truck tires in North America. \u201cLast-mile delivery and regionalized business has seen continual rise throughout the last decade, with no signs of slowing down.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

These operations place special demands on the tires used on light- and medium-duty delivery vehicles.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLast-mile delivery driving is mostly local in nature, so [customers] should choose a regional tire that is built for city driving conditions,\u201d says Robert Williams, vice president of truck and bus radial sales for Hankook Tire America. \u201cThey should also ensure that vehicles have tires with load capacity to meet the weight demands.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Demands on Last-Mile Tires<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cAs is true for any fleet, last-mile delivery fleets need to consider the specific application when choosing tires \u00ad\u2014 even the best tire in the wrong application will not deliver on full performance potential,\u201d says Ben Johnson,\u00a0director of truck and bus radial brand and channel marketing,\u00a0U.S. and Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. \u201cLast-mile delivery fleets encounter high-scrub, urban environments and demand a highly durable tire solution to keep up with the frequent starts and stops along their route.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Walt Weller, senior vice president, CMA, maker of Double Coin tires, also notes that tires for this market are smaller, \u201cand due to the local delivery aspect of the vehicles that use them, the demands placed on them are severe. Lots of turning, starts and stops, etc., make original tire life a challenge for fleets.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDurability in this high-stress, high-scrub application will be paramount,\u201d says Bob Klimm, director of truck and bus radials for Falken Tires. \u201cLook for features that address the key conditions of high torque and increased braking.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Standing up to these high-scrub environments, with lots of twisting and turning on city streets, requires a cut- and chip-resistant tread compound in order to deliver the expected mileage. In addition, safety is important, so the ability to handle frequent stops on wet or snowy pavement is another factor. And city driving means curbs, so a reinforced sidewall is a necessity.<\/span><\/p>\n

The growth of last-mile delivery and grocery delivery \u201cis increasing demand for regional products that can sustain curbing damage,\u201d agrees Dan Funkhouser, Yokohama Tire vice president of commercial sales.<\/span><\/p>\n

Michelin\u2019s Novak says urban delivery fleets are very focused on tire durability, including:<\/span><\/p>\n