UK-based retreader Bandvulc has announced that Go-Coach Hire, a 55 strong bus fleet based in Kent is shifting its entire fleet to Bandvulc BDE1 Citymaster retreaded tyres combined with Uniroyal new tyres. According to the company, Bandvulc products will be fitted to drive axles with Uniroyal going onto steer axles. Bandvulc and Uniroyal are both part of Continental Tyres operations in the UK.
Fleet Success for Bandvulc
Go-Coach Hire Managing Director, Austin Blackburn, commented, “The decision to switch to a contracted Bandvulc/Uniroyal programme was a relatively simple one for me. The big challenge for any bus operator is always going to be sidewall damage. Our vehicles are constantly pulling into and away from kerbs as part of their service duties, and, in often-congested areas, repeated contact between kerbs and tyres is inevitable.
“What shouldn’t have been inevitable, at least as far as I was concerned, was the high level of attrition. We were losing tyres on a regular basis, and what made it worse was that I wasn’t happy with the general service life, even when not damaged! We shifted almost overnight from poorly performing economy tyres to premium Bandvulc retread products, with another Continental brand, Uniroyal, available through Bandvulc for critical steer axle use.
“In fairness,” he continued, “I am anticipating a higher spend in Year One with this new strategy. We have to wash out those old economy tyres and some odd ones that have come on buses recently bought in for the fleet, but I am confident Year Two will see us getting pay-back from our investment with longer wear performance and much reduced sidewall damage. Although it’s still early stages for the new approach, I am already seeing massively reduced sidewall damage reports, and that is very significant.”
Perry Buckley, Regional Sales Director at Bandvulc, explained: “To reduce sidewall damage, we recommended that Go-Coach use tyres equipped with Armorband, our sidewall strengthening system. This offers additional protection around the tyre by providing an extra safety barrier against curbing. A coloured internal strip on one side provides operators with early warning should the barrier be compromised.”
