Steve Robinson, director of OEM sales and dealer programs for Pressure Systems International, presented the safety, environmental and cost benefits of the Meritor Tire Inflation System (MTIS) by PSI with ThermAlert technology to the attendees of the annual National Trailer Dealer Association convention in Palm Springs, Calif. Robinson’s presentation was made during the Allied Presentations and New Product Introduction session.
Automatic tire inflations systems have been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Partnership as a technology that “significantly reduces fuel use and emissions.” Robinson’s presentation included documentation showing a 1.8 percent improvement in fuel economy, 10 percent longer tread life, lower tire maintenance costs and reduced or eliminated roadside service calls when fleets outfit their trailers with MTIS.
The Meritor Tire Inflation System being produced and shipped today includes green Thru-T’s and green striped hoses to reflect the environmental benefits of the product. Robinson commented during his presentation that MTIS “is easily retrofitted, giving trailer operators an opportunity to increase the benefits to their fleet by adding automatic tire inflation to existing units as well as specifying on new units. The more trailers in a fleet that have MTIS, the bigger the savings they can realize.”
Robinson’s presentation also showed how PSI’s ThermAlert technology, available as an option with MTIS, can improve fleet safety by warning a driver when excessive heat is building up in the wheel end of a trailer before a catastrophic accident occurs from wheel loss or before a trailer fire results. Today, MTIS with ThermAlert represents 41 percent of PSI’s production.
