Topic: Why *don't* Trucks use Winter Tires?

[Angry Chicken]

Interesting article and a question that I've asked myself often.  Not a winter storm goes by without hearing about trucks jackknifing all of the place, in ditches, and (worse) providing the hammer to the car-as-nail.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/transport-trucks-winter-tires-storms-traffic-1.5387117

There's been a similar debate here in Ottawa about city buses.  Every year articulated buses get stuck, slide off the road or simply can't negotiate snow and ice covered hills.  Of course it might have something to do with having the engine and drive wheels in the trailer.  Who thought that was a good idea for a winter climate ??

[quadzilla]

"They've got bigger vehicles, more at risk, it's more complicated to drive," said Picard. "It's not as simple as people think. So just be patient. They're doing their best."

Shouldn't that be a good reason that all truck have winter tires?

[Angry Chicken]

Yah, I picked up on that too.  I'm pretty sure that all of the fools who slide off the highway in their personal cars are "doing their best" too.  Just think how much better their "best" would be if they had proper tires.

[ChaosphereIX]

winter tires should be mandatory in Ontario, for all vehicles on the road

better for road safety, better for the tire/service industry, better for police services handing out tickets, better for everyone to get onboard so we all dont get sideswiped by an out of control city bus or truck

[johngenx]

Watch “Highway to Hell” and you’ll see truck after truck on the Coq on balding tires stuck on the hill.

They then try chains, but chains are used only on drive tires and don’t help steering so yeah, then we get to see trucks hanging up on the no-posts.

I had a trucker tell me that because of the huge weight of the trucks they don’t need snow tires as the pressure or the tires on the road makes them impervious to slippery roads. I laughed.

[ltruong]

My guess is... This is purely based on $$$$ cost savings.

[tortoise]

And logistics.  That's a lot of tires to sort out. But still, just $$$.

I'm sure there's some truth to the weight helping, but at some point tires have to make a difference.

[tenpenny]

How many places even equip ambulances with winter tires?


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[PJungnitsch]

Had to push for quite a while to get winter tires at the last couple of places I worked at, and these were just regular vehicles. Fleet operators of any kind just seem to see it as an unnecessary expense

A lot easier to make this kind of thing law and then no more excuses

[tenpenny]

I worked one place where, when one sales guy had ordered winter tires for his company car, the manager wrote a two page memo detailing the calculations and how much extra sales they needed to bring in to cover winter tires before they would be authorized.  The next time that employee was on the road in bad weather, when he saw the second car in the ditch, he turned around and went home, and said he would not drive until the roads were safe.


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[ChaosphereIX]

Had to push for quite a while to get winter tires at the last couple of places I worked at, and these were just regular vehicles. Fleet operators of any kind just seem to see it as an unnecessary expense

A lot easier to make this kind of thing law and then no more excuses

I agree. I am just waiting for the 2wd truck, which my work uses for deliveries to small town garages, to spin out and go into a ditch due to the department skimping on tires. Once that happens, i am taking a week off for "stress" and not driving that truck again until the winter tires are on it. It is only a matter of time. Had a few close calls already.

[ltruong]

Want there a Canadian city that made the study? Halifax i think, they would just run winters all gear around.

[johngenx]

I saw a cop suv the other day and noticed it was on winter tires.

[blur911]

I was at a tire shop a few years ago and noticed a Kingston Fire Dept vehicle getting winter tires, on the front only.

[rrocket]

Saw an OPP car here with winters...and it was awd too

[dkaz]

Do they even make winter tires that big?

[rrocket]

Do they even make winter tires that big?

For big rigs?

Yep

[blur911]

It would always be a mish-mash, the trailers wouldn't have winter tires, out of province or out of country wouldn't have winter tires.

[blur911]

Do they even make winter tires that big?

https://www.trucknews.com/equipment/goodyear-rolls-out-new-products/1003089686/
Goodyear UltraGrip RTD

[Fobroader]

It would always be a mish-mash, the trailers wouldn't have winter tires, out of province or out of country wouldn't have winter tires.

This is the issue right here, especially with long haul. I am all for winter tires being mandatory, hell, I would spring for a set for the wifes work truck.