To evaluate the issue of tire wear in motorcoaches, provide data for industry guidance, and establish regulators on minimum acceptable condition, preventative maintenance (PM) practices, and safe tire performance.

Tire issues contribute significantly to motor carrier bus crashes. Rollover crashes result in serious injuries and fatalities, and roadside restrictions result in a lack of inspections. Insufficient law enforcement inspections create a need for increased tire safety performance standards and monitoring of motor carriers' PM programs.

This study will evaluate the issue of tire wear in motorcoaches and explore possible technologies for monitoring tire conditions (e.g., inflation sensors, tools for inspection, temperature sensors). Reductions in tire-related motor carrier crashes will reduce serious bus crashes and associated fatalities. Due to the general lack of inspection data on buses, and the very few operational inspections being conducted on buses, there is a need for greater emphasis on minimum acceptable bus PM and repair standards.

Final report.

 

FY17 Funding: $200,000

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)