A special long truck with trailer, a so-called giga liner stands in front of a newly built warehouse in the colors blue and orange. You can see it from the side.

Tire Measuring System for More Traffic Safety

Unique Innovation in the Logistics Industry

Anyone driving into the depot of Rüdinger freight forwarder in Krautheim since November 2013 will at first notice a new barrier system. But what looks like an ordinary security measure is the company's latest achievement in terms of safety and is unique in the logistics industry.

A state-of-the-art tire measuring system has been installed that shows the truck or bus driver the tire tread, air pressure and axle load for each individual wheel as he drives over it at walking speed. Tire tread depth and deformation are measured by laser beams, and weight by pressure sensors.

A camera recognizes the license plates of trucks and trailers and compares the measured values with preset values. If the deviation is too great, the traffic light immediately jumps to red. "Without any effort, drivers can now check the roadworthy condition of their tires every time they drive in," Roland Rüdinger explains, one of the resulting advantages. Using detailed measurement logs, the freight forwarder can ensure that all tires are traffic-safe and that the correct air pressure is ensured for the most economical diesel consumption. This results in optimum rolling resistance for minimum diesel consumption.

This new type of innovative measuring system not only offers a further improvement in terms of safety for the company's own drivers, but also in the road traffic in which the drivers are on their way. Failures on the road are avoided, the correct tread depth is ensured, and incorrect load distribution and overloading are prevented.

At the Rüdinger location in Krautheim, the entire fleet is measured daily. This includes 12 buses, 10 minibuses and 220 trucks. CEO Roland Rüdinger invested around EUR 100,000 in this safety benefit and thus in even higher reliability, precision and customer satisfaction.

On the left side, you can just see the tarpaulin of an oncoming truck. In the middle is the tire measuring system. On the right side you can see, schematized, the test results.

Tires in the Freight Forwarder's Everyday

The tire is the main element in the transport business. It transfers the weight and driving dynamics of the vehicle to the road. For it to work, the tire profile and air pressure must be correct and match the axle load. Because this is a requirement for road safety, correct values must be ensured by every driver before beginning the trip, according to the German Road Traffic Act (StVO). Regardless of whether it is a car, truck or bus. The new Rüdinger measuring system considerably simplifies the fulfillment of these requirements for Rüdinger drivers.