As the world continues to combat new daily challenges during the global coronavirus pandemic, it has become clear that the transport and logistics sectors are more important than ever. They are responsible for the delivery of medical supplies, food and perishable goods, and daily necessities to millions of people.
E-commerce platforms were already growing at a rapid pace, and now due to lockdown restrictions and curbs on public gatherings (which could last for several months), people’s demands for deliveries will continue to increase and put even more pressure on the freight and logistics sector.
At Celerity DRS, we’ve been an advocate for safe and sustainable transport for quite some time, but it is in situations like the current pandemic that these two topics become even more important.
Making sure your vehicle can travel from A to B safely and efficiently are important for any time-critical distribution business, but with closures of maintenance facilities and limited roadside support options available across Europe, this isn’t as easy as it once was. A tyre blowout which results in a driver being stranded at the side of the road is now more of a challenge than it ever was.
So how can freight businesses still achieve the same level of customer satisfaction and meet those all-important delivery schedules?
One solution would be the addition of an Automatic Tyre Inflation System (ATIS) – which can be installed on a range of different trailer manufacturer platforms. The ATIS continually monitors the status of the tyre and automatically maintains each tyre at the optimum inflation level/tyre pressure. A key feature of this system is the reduction of tyre blowouts – 74% of which are caused by underinflation or punctured tyres every year on UK roads*.
In addition to reducing the chance of a tyre blow out, an ATIS would also enable a vehicle to continue its journey even if the tyre has sustained a puncture. This means less downtime at the side of the road which results in expensive roadside assistance call outs and missed delivery deadlines.
These are all important factors to consider when finalising the specification for your next fleet of commercial vehicles. It is impossible to say if or when we may see situations like the Covid-19 pandemic in the future but making sure that you mitigate the risk and futureproof your business as much as possible is something that can be undertaken today.
*Key stats taken from Bridgestone UK / Highways England Independent Tyre Debris Study
An 18-month study into tyre-related punctures on motorways by Bridgestone has been officially endorsed by Highways England which says commuters, commercial drivers and other road users can do a lot more to help reduce accidents through regular checking.