Pilot, Bridgestone Create Fleet Tire Monitoring Network

Bridgestone Americas and Pilot will collaborate on an advanced tire monitoring and service network for commercial fleets at select travel center locations.

This collaboration leverages Bridgestone Fleet Care mobility solutions and Pilot Company's network of travel centers to provide more convenient, frequent, and 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 currently being installed in the fuel canopies of select Pilot and Flying J travel centers is linked to the Bridgestone tire pressure monitoring solution, IntelliTire, and transmits real-time tire data in two minutes or less from trucks and buses to fleet managers.

Fleets using this technology will have access to data such as tire inflation pressure and temperature, enabling them to continually monitor the health of each tire throughout its lifecycle.

Fleets can also utilize the Bridgestone service event management application, REACH, 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.

"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 the commercial tire group of Bridgestone Americas, in a press release. "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 use of 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, company officials said. This program adds to Pilot Company's bundle of fleet solutions, which provides trucking companies with full-service financial, maintenance and fuel packages.