NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bridgestone Americas Inc. and Pilot Co. have implemented a service network with advanced tire monitoring technology at more than 300 Pilot and Flying J travel centers across North America, surpassing their initial goal of 200 locations.
The two companies launched the pilot program in July 2022 to create a tire-monitoring and -service network to provide actionable tire intelligence for commercial fleets. The program "allows the two companies to provide more convenient, frequent and accessible fleet tire intelligence to as many customers as possible," Bridgestone said.
Commercial fleets that have used the network reported more efficiencies and savings as a result of the real-time, data-driven insights, the company said.
Bridgestone said that Watsontown Trucking Co.of Milton, Pa. — which owns and operates a fleet of more than 475 tractors, 1,200 van trailers, 90 open-top vans, 75 flatbed trailers, and five Volvo VNR electric trucks — is using the network and saw multiple benefits, including:
- 867 annual labor hours saved on pre-trip and safety lane inspections;
- Emergency roadside incident rate reduction of 10%, eliminating nearly 1,300 annual breakdown hours;
- Operational and maintenance savings of about $126,000.
"We are excited to see the ongoing success of this partnership with Pilot Company," Josh Holland, vice president, dealer development and mobility solutions deployment (commercial), Bridgestone Americas, said.
"Through our expanded Bridgestone Fleet Care service network at Pilot and Flying J travel centers, fleets across the United States are beginning to experience the benefits of a connected network of tire-monitoring services that are supported by our Bridgestone Commercial Dealer Network (BCDN)."
The routers installed in the fuel canopies of select travel centers are linked to Bridgestone's Fleet Care tire monitoring service. They transmit real-time tire data — including tire inflation pressure and temperature — in two minutes or less from vehicles to fleet managers.
The technology combines durable hardware with software that allows fleet operators to continually monitor the health of each tire through its life cycle, and use data to be proactive in addressing specific tire issues and mitigating unplanned maintenance, helping to reduce downtime and improve driver safety.
The tire-monitoring program allows both companies to expand their service offerings and support the "growing need for evolving technology solutions that make it easier and faster to maintain vehicles." It adds to Pilot's bundle of fleet solutions, which provide trucking companies with financial, maintenance and fuel packages.
