New-generation wide single truck tires, including Michelin X One tires, now are approved for widespread use across Canada, the tire manufacturer announced June 18. The Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety has approved amendments to Canada’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on vehicle weights and dimensions that redefine the weight limits and track width requirements for new-generation wide-base single tires.
The changes, scheduled to become effective July 1, will establish requirements for trucks that are consistent with U.S. regulations and will allow trucks and trailers equipped with Michelin X One tires to operate from coast to coast and move freely between both countries.
The new rules apply to tires utilized on drive axles with a width of 445 mm (17.8 in.) or more. The new weight allowances call for loads not to exceed 7,700 kg (16,940 lb.) for single-axle vehicles and 15,400 kg (33,880 lb.) for tandem-axle groups. To allow trailers to be retrofitted safely with wide single tires, the minimum track width requirement of 2.5 m (8.25 ft.) has been reduced to 2.3 m (7.59 ft.) for trailers built in 2007 or earlier. Michelin X One tires are designed for drive and trailer wheel positions.
“In the wake of soaring fuel costs, this news is welcome relief to truckers and fleets operating between the two countries,” says Marc Laferriere, vice president of marketing for Michelin Americas Truck Tires. “Michelin X One tires can improve fuel efficiency by up to 10 percent and allow for significantly larger payloads. This revised MOU offers a boost to fleet profitability and helps control rising transportation costs for the goods each of us buys each day.”
The official update, issued by the Canadian government, acknowledges “that the new wide-base single tire designs offer improvements in fuel efficiency, vehicle roll stability and reduced tare weight.” The rules will be in effect for all Canadian provinces, with three regional exceptions pertaining to roads in the Northwest Territories, secondary roads in Newfoundland and Labrador, and roads in New Brunswick, depending on their highway classification.
