Fleet manager Neil McPhillips (pictured) was introduced to the system by local tyre dealer Cumbria Tyre Specialists. He met with the dealer and Continental Tyre representatives before deciding to test the system on one vehicle: “It went extremely well and we recovered the entire cost of the system within the first two weeks.”
He adds: “We spotted tyres that had very low-grade pressure losses and so were able to remove and repair them before they got any worse. Before the arrival of ContiPressureCheck, these would have simply deteriorated further and may have resulted in blow-outs and complete loss of the tyres.”
The system is now being rolled out across the fleet, with the operator reporting that it has already saved 15 tyres.
Brampton Skips buys the sensors for each tyre from the dealer, together with the accompanying electronics for the drivers’ in-cab monitor. It then fits the equipment in its own workshops. Continental Tyres and the dealer carried out training on site to help the operator reach the required level of competence.
The sensors have a lifespan of around six years: they can be removed and refitted into new tyres whenever required, while the in-cab monitor for drivers can be used for much longer.
McPhillips concludes: “It’s not a very hard sum to do, especially in the tough environments our skips often find themselves operating in.”