Fleets Stick With Low-Rolling-Resistance Tires as Total Cost Leads Specs

Fleets continue to specify low-rolling-resistance (LRR) tires based on total cost of ownership, even after the Trump administration rolled back heavy-duty greenhouse gas regulations earlier this year, according to a Transport Topics report.

Those federal rules applied to equipment manufacturers rather than fleets. Manufacturers had used LRR tires among other tools to improve fuel efficiency and meet the now-repealed standards. With that regulatory push eased, Transport Topics reports that the business case for LRR tires still rests on whether fuel savings offset purchase price, how long the tread lasts and how well the tire fits the application.

Robert Braswell, executive director of American Trucking Associations' Technology & Maintenance Council, told Transport Topics that elevated diesel prices are keeping fleets on LRR specs. "With $6- to $7-a-gallon diesel, I don't think a whole lot of people are thinking about changing their specs away from LRR tires because of any changes in greenhouse gas rules," he said. Braswell added that fuel savings will more than cover the higher costs of LRR tires when a fleet runs a strong maintenance program, and that the service-life gap versus other tires is narrowing as compounds and designs improve.

Daryl Bear, chief operating officer of MVT Solutions, a fuel-economy testing subsidiary of Mesilla Valley Transportation, told Transport Topics a fleet can save $3,000 to $5,000 in fuel over the life of a set of LRR tires. "If you're not running tires that qualify as LRR, then you're throwing money down the drain, without question," he said. Bear said LRR tires can also deliver strong tread life and traction, and that management should own the purchasing decision because shop leaders often favor tires that need the least maintenance.

Mesilla Valley Transportation CEO Royal Jones told Transport Topics his over-the-road company drivers average 9.28 miles per gallon and that LRR tires are a major part of the fleet's fuel strategy. He estimated the tires could improve fuel economy by half a mile per gallon, and said a tenth-of-a-mile-per-gallon gain equals about 26,000 to 28,000 gallons saved per month for his fleet. "It's only more expensive to purchase," he said. "It's not more expensive to run." Jones also described retreading tires five times, matching duals carefully and measuring size so mismatched tires do not drag each other.

Other fleets cited by Transport Topics make similar total-cost calls. Nussbaum averages 9.2 mpg and has used LRR wide-base singles for about 15 years; James Grier, director of fleet services, said testing showed a three- to four-tenths mpg difference between singles and duals. ABF Freight president Matt Godfrey said total cost of ownership, including driver acceptance, drives tire decisions and that regulatory changes are not rewriting the carrier's specs. Charles Musgrove, NFI's vice president of fleet services, said fuel efficiency remains the strategic focus, with sharp diesel spikes accelerating high-efficiency tire adoption. Mike Roeth, executive director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, told Transport Topics that total cost of ownership, including downtime, will outweigh other factors.

Application still drives the spec

Tire makers told Transport Topics that fleets and manufacturers have been moving toward LRR products for years and that the business case holds even while the long-term path of greenhouse gas rules is unclear. Drew Wall, a developmental engineer at Yokohama Tire, said longhaul fleets often prioritize fuel efficiency and tread life, while regional, urban and on/off-road fleets weigh traction and durability more heavily. "Upfront price remains a factor, but fleets are increasingly evaluating tires based on total cost of ownership rather than purchase price alone," he said.

Yong Jin, Hankook Tire's corporate sales senior manager for truck and bus marketing, said priorities likewise depend on duty cycle: longhaul operations may chase fuel economy, high-scrub regional fleets may want tread life and even wear, and retread-focused fleets need durable casings. Manufacturers are refining compounds, tread designs and casing construction by application and wheel position. "Ultimately, the key measure is a lower total cost per mile, as a larger fuel-economy gain does not necessarily mean a better return," Jin said.

Read the full report at Transport Topics.