The Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB) is urging its members in Georgia to contact their state representatives to protest House Bill 981, which would expressly forbid the use of retread tires on emergency vehicles in the state.
“We believe there is no basis in fact to make such a statement, since the safety of retreaded tires on ALL types of vehicles—including fire engines and other emergency vehicles—has been proven over billions of miles for many years,” wrote Harvey Brodsky, TRIB managing director, in a Feb. 26 letter to Reps. Burke Day, Jill Chambers and Chuck Martin, co-sponsors of the legislation.
Mr. Brodsky included in his letter various written and recorded testimonials to retreads, including two from a major fire department and a school bus fleet.
As written, House Bill 981 is otherwise outwardly friendly to retreads.
It would require state agencies to buy replacement retreads or subscribe to retreading services in the procurement of non-steering-axle tires over 16 inches in rim size and encourages their use in other sizes as agencies find it feasible and economical to do so.
Speaking with Tire Busines, Mr. Brodsky said it was imperative for retreaders to fight this bill in its misconceptions about retreads.
“We're the Rodney Dangerfield of the tire industry anyway,” he said. “If this bill is allowed to pass unchallenged, who knows what would happen next?”
Mr. Brodsky said he sent the letter via priority mail because he couldn't find e-mail addresses for all three representatives.
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