Goodyear targets 'last-mile' delivery sector with Fuel Max RSD

AKRON — Reacting to the growing acceptance and use of online shopping, Goodyear is rolling out a premium "super-regional" medium truck drive-axle tire — the Fuel Max RSD — designed to deliver improved fuel efficiency, mileage and traction for fleets serving the "last-mile" delivery segment.

The Fuel Max RSD (Regional Service Drive), which complements the existing Fuel Max RTD, won't roll out until mid-2021, however, Goodyear told dealers during a virtual business conference Dec. 7.

"Super-regional fleets demand a drive tire that provides long miles and fuel efficiency for highway routes, while also requiring traction for loading and yard maneuverability," Dustin Lancy, commercial product marketing manager, said, noting last-mile delivery is considered the fastest-growing trucking segment.

The RSD will be available initially in one size only, 295/75R22.5 (Load Range G), with additional sizes to be added in 2022.

Goodyear is complementing the Fuel Max RSD launch with a trio of UniCircle retread products, with treads matching the RSD and RTD patterns as well as one matching the UltraGrip RTD all-season regional drive tire.

At the same time, Goodyear is expanding the long-haul portfolio of the Fuel Max line with the LHD 2, a reduced rolling-resistance drive tire, and addressing the mixed-service sector with the Armor Max MSA, which will replace three existing product lines.

The RSD differs from the RTD in the tread pattern in that it has a heavily sipped, closed-shoulder tread designed to meet the harsh conditions, such as high torque, on single-axle day cabs in super-regional applications, whereas the RTD is an open-shoulder tread design that meets the industry's Three Peak Mountain Snowflake winter traction rating.

The RTD, launched in 2019, is designed for traditional regional applications, such as large box trucks in pickup and delivery, and is available in five sizes: 11R22.5 (Load Ranges G and H); 225/70R19.5 (G); 245/70R19.5 (H); 255/70R22.5 (H); and 295/75R22.5.

The LDH 2, which will launch in early 2021 in size 295/75R22.5 (Load Range G), is designed with a "fuel-focused" tread compound combination that helps the tire meet Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards and is SmartWay verified under Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

"We are always looking for ways to ensure our customers get the best value from our tires. For long-haul fleets, that means developing a tire that can offer fuel efficiency and accommodate the extensive miles they travel," Devin Dickerhoof, product marketing manager, said.

The Fuel Max LHD 2 also features Goodyear's TredLock technology, which includes double-corrugated blades in the tread that help ensure the tire wears evenly and maintains traction over time, characteristics that allow Goodyear to mark it with the industry's Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake designation.

The tire's enhanced casing construction allows for "maximum" retreadability, Goodyear said. An 11R22.5 (Load Range G) size is expected to be added later in 2021.

The Armor Max MSA is designed with improved resistance to stone drilling and comes equipped with Goodyear's Duraseal puncture-sealing technology, which the company said can seal punctures up to a quarter-inch in diameter.

The MSA is targeted at service applications like logging, oil fields and cement trucks.

The Armor Max MSA will replace the G296 MSA, G731 MSA and G288 in Goodyear’s existing line-up.  Each line will phase out as the corresponding size(s) become available in the Armor Max MSA lineup.