xcel
06-07-2009, 11:27 AM
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpg Filling tires of the average every day consumer takes fuel savings and emissions reduction in an entirely new direction. (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=213091)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/507/PYR_-_Walmart_Employee_Joy_Cony.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) - June 6, 2009
Walmart’s Green Team Community Coordinator Joy Cony expresses excitement while watching her own vehicles tires pressed up to spec :)
Pewaukee, WI. -- Coinciding with the Rubber Manufacturers Association's (RMA) annual National Tire Safety Week, the Milwaukee Hybrid Group (MiHG) held an event of significance that not only promoted fuel efficient driving but helped everyday consumers achieve lower fuel consumption in a manner most simply overlook.
Background
Research shows that motorists rank tires as the second-most important safety feature in vehicles next to brakes, yet only a third of consumers properly check their tire inflation pressure. Similarly, improper air pressure can lead to a multitude of problems including uneven and accelerated tire wear, and actual structural damage. An underinflated tire also has the potential to affect tire performance, including making a vehicle less fuel-efficient. With temperatures rising and vacation travel commencing, the attention given to the care and maintenance of automobile tires should be a top priority.
The MiHG promotes fuel savings and emissions reduction mainly through hybrid ownership but supports drivers of all vehicles with timely and knowledgeable recommendations along with “Clinic’s” which teach automobile owners to drive their vehicles in a far more fuel efficient and safe manner.
During a previous Group Meet, a member came up with a simple idea. What if “we” were to setup an event at a public venue to check and fill everyday consumer’s automobile tires as needed? This would take the fuel consumption and emissions reduction message to the public, well beyond the MiHG’s membership normal reach where an even bigger difference can made.
With that single suggestion, a plan was born.
Working with a local Walmart, Bradlee Fons (owner of the MiHG) began work on the “Pump Your Ride to Savings” program taking the message on the road. Months of planning culminated in a gathering of members to help the general public not only drive safer and conserve fuel through the proper inflation of their tires but also learn Smarter Driving practices at the same time.
MiHG members manned an information booth at the front of the Pewaukee, WI Walmart and offered to every consumer leaving the store a tire pressure check and if needed, a fill to the manufacturers recommended levels free of charge. With initial pressures checked, the consumer could if they chose, pull up to the next station in order to have their tires pressed up or adjusted to the manufacturers specifications.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/507/Information_Team.jpghttp://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/507/The_Fill_Team.jpg
“Information” and “Fill” teams taking time out for pics :)
For the groups above and beyond efforts, a multitude of average everyday consumers had their tires checked for not only pressure but uneven or severe wear and recommended replacement.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/507/Fill_Team_at_Work.jpg
The Fill Teams NASCAR like precision shown above offered over 100 drivers a safer and more fuel efficient ride.
Of the 103 vehicles checked, 69 vehicles or 67% had at least one, if not more under inflated tires. That is well above the previously sited Bridgestone figure of 38% of all vehicles having under inflated tires.
The breakdown of vehicles checked were: 59 autos, 24 SUVs, 11 vans, 4 pickups, 4 hybrids and even 1 Hummer.
“What we did yesterday was pretty historic for the MiHG, for Walmart and for the drivers we worked with,” said Bradlee Fons, owner of the MiHG. “I believe that the “Pump Your Ride for Savings” was not only very successful in the numbers of vehicle checked but as an outreach concept in general.”
Tire Safety Tips
Check Tire Pressure - Proper inflation is essential for the performance and longevity of the tire. Under-inflated tires will make your tire wear unevenly and negatively impact performance. In addition, keeping your tire pressure at the recommended level can boost fuel efficiency by one mile per gallon. Before any long trip and once a month, properly check the pressure of each tire with a tire gauge. The car maker's recommended tire pressure is on the tire placard and can be found near the driver's door jamb, on the glove compartment door or in the owner's manual.
Rotate Tires Regularly - Regular rotation helps extend the life of your tires, saving time and money in the long run. For rotation, each tire and wheel is removed from your vehicle and moved to a different position. This ensures that all of the tires wear evenly and last longer. If no period is specified in your vehicle owners manual, tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. If you have a full-size spare, it should be included in the rotation process.
Keep Proper Vehicle Alignment - Alignment generally refers to the adjustment of a vehicle's front and rear suspension parts. Proper alignment helps ensure that your vehicle handles correctly and will help increase the life and performance of your tires.
Keep Tires Balanced - Balancing compensates for the weight of the tire and wheel assembly after the tire is mounted. A wheel is out of balance when one area is heavier or lighter than the rest. This can cause uneven tread wear and vibration, plus increase the stress on the front-end system, causing them to wear prematurely.
Check Tire Tread Depth and Replace Worn Tires - In most states, the minimum legal tread depth is 2/32 of an inch. If you place a penny with the top of the head facing down into your tires' shallowest groove and you can see the top of Abraham Lincoln's head, it's time to replace your tires.
National Tire Safety Week
National Tire Safety Week is an initiative backed by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and its members that aims to educate consumers nationwide about essential tire safety maintenance practices. In its eighth year, the annual event is part of the "Be Tire Smart - Play Your PART" program, a year-round effort designed to help drivers learn the simple steps they can take to ensure that their tires are in good working condition.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/507/PYR_-_Walmart_Employee_Joy_Cony.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) - June 6, 2009
Walmart’s Green Team Community Coordinator Joy Cony expresses excitement while watching her own vehicles tires pressed up to spec :)
Pewaukee, WI. -- Coinciding with the Rubber Manufacturers Association's (RMA) annual National Tire Safety Week, the Milwaukee Hybrid Group (MiHG) held an event of significance that not only promoted fuel efficient driving but helped everyday consumers achieve lower fuel consumption in a manner most simply overlook.
Background
Research shows that motorists rank tires as the second-most important safety feature in vehicles next to brakes, yet only a third of consumers properly check their tire inflation pressure. Similarly, improper air pressure can lead to a multitude of problems including uneven and accelerated tire wear, and actual structural damage. An underinflated tire also has the potential to affect tire performance, including making a vehicle less fuel-efficient. With temperatures rising and vacation travel commencing, the attention given to the care and maintenance of automobile tires should be a top priority.
The MiHG promotes fuel savings and emissions reduction mainly through hybrid ownership but supports drivers of all vehicles with timely and knowledgeable recommendations along with “Clinic’s” which teach automobile owners to drive their vehicles in a far more fuel efficient and safe manner.
During a previous Group Meet, a member came up with a simple idea. What if “we” were to setup an event at a public venue to check and fill everyday consumer’s automobile tires as needed? This would take the fuel consumption and emissions reduction message to the public, well beyond the MiHG’s membership normal reach where an even bigger difference can made.
With that single suggestion, a plan was born.
Working with a local Walmart, Bradlee Fons (owner of the MiHG) began work on the “Pump Your Ride to Savings” program taking the message on the road. Months of planning culminated in a gathering of members to help the general public not only drive safer and conserve fuel through the proper inflation of their tires but also learn Smarter Driving practices at the same time.
MiHG members manned an information booth at the front of the Pewaukee, WI Walmart and offered to every consumer leaving the store a tire pressure check and if needed, a fill to the manufacturers recommended levels free of charge. With initial pressures checked, the consumer could if they chose, pull up to the next station in order to have their tires pressed up or adjusted to the manufacturers specifications.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/507/Information_Team.jpghttp://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/507/The_Fill_Team.jpg
“Information” and “Fill” teams taking time out for pics :)
For the groups above and beyond efforts, a multitude of average everyday consumers had their tires checked for not only pressure but uneven or severe wear and recommended replacement.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/507/Fill_Team_at_Work.jpg
The Fill Teams NASCAR like precision shown above offered over 100 drivers a safer and more fuel efficient ride.
Of the 103 vehicles checked, 69 vehicles or 67% had at least one, if not more under inflated tires. That is well above the previously sited Bridgestone figure of 38% of all vehicles having under inflated tires.
The breakdown of vehicles checked were: 59 autos, 24 SUVs, 11 vans, 4 pickups, 4 hybrids and even 1 Hummer.
“What we did yesterday was pretty historic for the MiHG, for Walmart and for the drivers we worked with,” said Bradlee Fons, owner of the MiHG. “I believe that the “Pump Your Ride for Savings” was not only very successful in the numbers of vehicle checked but as an outreach concept in general.”
Tire Safety Tips
Check Tire Pressure - Proper inflation is essential for the performance and longevity of the tire. Under-inflated tires will make your tire wear unevenly and negatively impact performance. In addition, keeping your tire pressure at the recommended level can boost fuel efficiency by one mile per gallon. Before any long trip and once a month, properly check the pressure of each tire with a tire gauge. The car maker's recommended tire pressure is on the tire placard and can be found near the driver's door jamb, on the glove compartment door or in the owner's manual.
Rotate Tires Regularly - Regular rotation helps extend the life of your tires, saving time and money in the long run. For rotation, each tire and wheel is removed from your vehicle and moved to a different position. This ensures that all of the tires wear evenly and last longer. If no period is specified in your vehicle owners manual, tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. If you have a full-size spare, it should be included in the rotation process.
Keep Proper Vehicle Alignment - Alignment generally refers to the adjustment of a vehicle's front and rear suspension parts. Proper alignment helps ensure that your vehicle handles correctly and will help increase the life and performance of your tires.
Keep Tires Balanced - Balancing compensates for the weight of the tire and wheel assembly after the tire is mounted. A wheel is out of balance when one area is heavier or lighter than the rest. This can cause uneven tread wear and vibration, plus increase the stress on the front-end system, causing them to wear prematurely.
Check Tire Tread Depth and Replace Worn Tires - In most states, the minimum legal tread depth is 2/32 of an inch. If you place a penny with the top of the head facing down into your tires' shallowest groove and you can see the top of Abraham Lincoln's head, it's time to replace your tires.
National Tire Safety Week
National Tire Safety Week is an initiative backed by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and its members that aims to educate consumers nationwide about essential tire safety maintenance practices. In its eighth year, the annual event is part of the "Be Tire Smart - Play Your PART" program, a year-round effort designed to help drivers learn the simple steps they can take to ensure that their tires are in good working condition.