Three trucks. Three sets of tires from three tire manufacturers. Two tests. One battle for fuel efficiency.

The Pit Group is an independent testing and research organization that conducts evaluations to help fleets find products and tools to operate efficiently. During a 2018 test, the group, a division of FPInnovations, compared tires from Continental Tire the Americas, Michelin North America, and Double Coin, marketed in the U.S. by China Manufacturers Alliance.

Pit Group conducted two tests on sets of steer, drive and trailer tires provided by each of the companies. One test was a line haul test, the other was a regional haul test. The tests were conducted according to TMC Fuel Consumption Test Procedure — Type III, RP 1103A.

Here's a look at the tires tested in the line haul comparison:

The tires were tested through a series of runs on the track, and then tires, tractors, trailers and drivers were switched to eliminate any detectible differences in the vehicles or drivers.

The line haul results:

The regional test was conducted the same way, but with tires designed for regional applications.

The regional results:

Double Coin provided the results of the tests.

“We are pleased with the results of this independent study,” said Tim Phillips, vice president of marketing and operations for Double Coin. “We wanted to go head-to-head with top-tier brands in order to prove that Double Coin tires are quality-engineered tire products that also deliver superior performance and exceptional value — more than is sometimes perceived in the marketplace.

"The fact that our steer, drive and trailer tires are as fuel efficient as more well-known brands and are backed by a seven-year, three-retread warranty means that our customers can be confident in quality tires that deliver an ongoing lower cost per mile throughout the life of the tire. These results validate what we have known for some time and what the rest of the transportation industry now knows as well.”