The annual Meritor-Pressure Systems International Fleet Technology Event was held Wednesday in San Antonio, Texas, where Meritor talked about the benefits of its automatic tire inflation system
The Meritor Tire Inflation System (MTIS) by PSI increases tire life, fuel economy and safety, Meritor says, by helping to compensate for pressure losses resulting from typical tire punctures and other slow leaks.
Unlike equalization systems that distribute air from tire one tire to another, or monitoring systems that tell when a tire has lost air pressure, the MTIS uses compressed air from the trailer’s air system to inflate any tire below a preset pressure whenever the vehicle is in operation.
Frank Sonzala, executive vice president of sales and marketing for PSI, said his company invented their automatic tire pressure system 22 years ago, and it is the ATIS of choice on 70 percent of the top 200 for-hire and private fleets in North America.
“Nearly 90 percent of fleets using ATIS are using MTIS by PSI in North America,” he said.
Al Cohn, director of new market development and engineering support for PSI, said tire inflation is the No. 1 issue fleets face in tire care, and tires are the No. 1 cause of roadside breakdowns.
“Ninety percent of alligators on the road are due to underinflation,” he said. “It’s not necessarily a bad retread.”
