Abbey Travel of Erith is another coach operator to adopt Wheely-Safe technology across its fleet. The product will be used to maximise compliance and efficiency while ensuring that the business obtains the maximum life from every tyre.
Wheely-Safe will be fitted to 20 Mercedes-Benz Tourismo large coaches and five Yutong TC9 mid-sized models. That step comes after a successful trial, with Abbey Travel having been drawn to Wheely-Safe after a series of mysterious punctures.
Transport Manager Steve Woodall says that the operator lost three inner rear tyres in quick succession. “It turned out that the wheel nut covers had loosened and fallen between the tyres, causing slow punctures over time,” he explains.
“I had never encountered this problem in all my years in the business. To have something fitted now that alerts us to any issue with both the wheel nut and the tyre pressure as early as possible is a real benefit.”
Wheely-Safe combines intelligent tyre pressure monitoring with wheel loss detection, as well as brake and hub temperature monitoring.
Its latest version enables data to be transmitted not just to the driver, but also to the depot management team. That real-time information allows quicker identification of problems, improving fleet management, reducing downtime, and enhancing vehicle safety.
Mr Woodall adds that fitment of Wheely-Safe is simple and takes around 90 minutes per coach.
“It is a no-brainer when you consider the potential savings. We use premium tyres that cost around £500 each, and the cost of losing three in a month can be devastating for the business. We average about 150,000 kilometres per casing, so we need them running at their optimal condition.
“The system is working brilliantly. I get alerts directly to my office and drivers are informed instantly,” he continues.
“With the connected system, I can identify which wheel is experiencing an issue, making it easy for the driver to check and resolve the problem promptly. It is a real peace of mind, especially given our fleet’s heavy usage and the school work we do.”
