Continental Tire North America Inc. (CTNA) unveiled plans during the recent Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville meant to benefit truck drivers and fleet operators.
Indian Land, S.C.-based Conti introduced its “Continental Revolution” program designed to improve product, service and training offerings to its commercial customers.
“Continental has an amazing opportunity to move to another level and to better serve our customers, moving beyond the public perception that we are the best kept secret in the industry,” said Paul Williams, executive vice president of CTNA's commercial vehicle tire group.
“We are ready to deliver the lowest overall driving cost to our fleet customers and are taking our message of product performance, service and people to the market.”
Under the program, the company launched its Untamed Innovation Tour, created to promote Conti to fleet customers, enhance understanding of tire technology and help with product launches.
Featured during the tour will be an 83-foot mobile information center that includes product samples, a movie theater, rolling resistance demonstrations, driving games and touch-screen descriptions of Conti's tire technology.
“The vehicle will bring not only tire education and cost-saving information, but excitement and fun to the commercial tire customer,” Mr. Williams said.
The tour, which kicked off during the March 19-21 Mid-America show, includes an accompanying Web site that features photos of the vehicle, tour history information and event stories, Conti said. Dealers can request the tour to stop at their location by contacting their sales representative or visiting CTNA's Web site for a request form.
Also featured on the Untamed Innovation Tour will be a display of CTNA's new ContiCostCalculator, a fuel-savings calculator designed for fleet customers. It replaces a calculator the company introduced in 2006.
Enhancements to the calculator allow fleets to evaluate fuel savings through rolling resistance data comparison as well as base price, estimated lifetime mileage and tire casing value. The ContiCostCalculator is available in both desktop and Web-based formats, the company said.
Conti also has launched its “Beat the Best” fuel savings competition, which is running through May 15.
Participating fleets must drive 10,000 miles with each of two trucks: one equipped with Continental HSL2 and HDL Eco Plus truck tires—two of five truck tires Conti rolled out during the show—and one with any other national brand of tires. The fleet that has the lowest fuel consumption in gallons per 100 miles on the truck with Continental tires will win the Fuel Savings Champion award.
Four regional winners also will receive awards, and each winning fleet will be invited to attend a special four-day program.
Conti said small fleets also will benefit from ContiFleet, the tire maker's new single-source nationwide emergency road service program designed for owner-operators and small fleet owners that don't qualify for other national programs. According to Clif Armstrong, director of commercial vehicle tire marketing for Conti, the program will provide guaranteed member pricing for tire and road service, access to towing and mechanical work and tire maintenance best practices.
“It is difficult for small fleets and owner-operators to know who they're dealing with when they need service the most,” Mr. Armstrong said. “With ContiFleet, members only have to call one hotline to know that they will receive the road service they need and still keep costs under control.”
ContiFleet, which launched in April, can dispatch emergency road services 24/7 via a toll-free hotline, Conti said. Membership in the program is free, and members also have access to a Web site that includes tire and repair information, fuel saving information and updates on Continental-brand products and services.