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Every month or so, Dustin Stricker, the maintenance manager at R.E. West Transportation in Ashland City, Tenn., sits down with representatives from South Carolina-based Michelin North America and the local Tire Centers in Nashville to do autopsies on truck tires.

Michelin North America announced a C$73 million expansion to its truck tire plant in Waterville, Nova Scotia.

Despite challenges accompanying the use of wide-base tires on Class 8 trucks, experts, carriers and manufacturers said they expect to see substantial growth in their use in 2013.

A few weeks ago, I received a call from the staff of U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.). My family operates a business with more than 750 pieces of equipment constantly on the road in America.

Last summer’s record heat scorched much of the United States, with evidence of the high temperatures visible on the nation’s highways in the form of chunks of broken tires and separated treads, so-called “road gators.”

It’s no secret that underinflated tires consume more fuel. Given that the price of diesel is rising more often than falling these days, today’s fleet maintenance managers must check tire pressure more regularly — and then actually do something about the results.

The price of the service call to replace a blown truck tire on the road can run about $500, industry experts and fleet managers said, adding that the total costs can be much higher.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established a verification program for tire retreads used by linehaul Class 8 trucks.