Bridgestone Americas and truck stop giant Pilot Co. are working on an advanced tire monitoring and service network for commercial fleets at select travel center locations. The two companies announced the collaboration includes Bridgestone Fleet Care mobility solutions and Pilot’s network of travel centers to provide more actionable fleet tire intelligence. The initial trial phase will begin this summer with a rollout of the tire monitoring technology at 200 Pilot and Flying J locations.
Each router installed in the fuel canopies of select Pilot and Flying J truck stops will link to IntelliTire, Bridgestone’s tire pressure monitoring solution. Within two minutes, it transmits real-time tire data from trucks and buses to fleet managers.
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IntelliTire allows fleet operators to proactively address specific tire problems and unplanned maintenance to reduce downtime and improve driver safety, according to the rubber company. Fleets using this technology would see data such as tire inflation pressure and temperature, enabling them to monitor the health of each tire continually.
Fleets can also use Bridgestone’s service event management application, REACH1, to make preventative maintenance, roadside assistance, and other vehicle service requests simpler and more efficient by connecting drivers, fleet dispatch, service centers, and technicians under one digital platform.
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"Physical, on-the-ground touchpoints are critical elements to the success of digital, data-driven fleet solutions, and together they enable synergies to improve mobility," said Chris Ripani, president of Bridgestone’s commercial tire group. "With a robust footprint and strong fleet relationships, Pilot Company is the perfect partner to help us develop a connected network that is designed to allow our shared customers to minimize downtime, save on costs, and improve driver safety now and in the future."
The Bridgestone advanced tire monitoring system at Pilot and Flying J travel centers 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. This program adds to Pilot Company's fleet solutions bundle, providing trucking companies with full-service financial, maintenance, and fuel packages.
"With the safety of our customers in mind, we are leveraging our network of Pilot and Flying J travel centers to help deliver IntelliTire technology to the road—making it easy for fleets and drivers to maintain their trucks and minimize downtime during routine fuel stops," said Shameek Konar, the Pilot CEO. "This project is part of our larger focus to add new technologies and services to make road travel better, safer, and more efficient for our guests."
