Pilot Co. and Bridgestone have announced a partnership that will offer an advanced tire monitoring and service network for commercial fleets at select Pilot and Flying J locations.
This collaboration will provide customers with 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. IntelliTire combines durable hardware with a software application to allow fleet operators to proactively address specific tire issues and mitigate unplanned maintenance, reducing downtime and improving driver safety. Fleets using this technology will have access to critical data such as tire inflation pressure and temperature, enabling them to continually monitor the health of each tire throughout its lifecycle.
With this intelligence in hand, fleets can also utilize the Bridgestone service event management application, REACH1, 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, Commercial Tire Group, Bridgestone Americas. “With a robust footprint and strong fleet relationships, Pilot Co. 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. This program adds to Pilot’s bundle of fleet solutions, which provides trucking companies with full-service financial, maintenance and fuel packages.
“With the safety of our customers in mind, we are leveraging our network of Pilot and Flying J travel centers to help deliver IntelliTire technology to the road, making it easy for fleets and drivers to maintain their trucks and minimize downtime during routine fuel stops,” said Shameek Konar, Pilot Co. CEO. “This project is part of our larger focus to add new technologies and services to make road travel better, safer and more efficient for our guests.”
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., Pilot Co. has grown its network to more than 800 retail and fueling locations and supplies more than 14 billion gallons of fuel per year to the market. Pilot Co. serves 1.3 million guests per day and provides over 70,000 fleet customers with solutions for fuel, credit, factoring, services and rewards.
