Goodyear collaborates with transit company for tire testing

CANTON, Ohio—Goodyear has begun collaborating with an Ohio regional transit authority to test intelligent tire sensors and prototype tires on a fleet of diesel and zero emission hydrogen fuel cell-powered (HFC) buses.

The collaboration is with the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) of Canton, which services Stark County, Ohio.

The intelligent tires use Goodyear's TPMS Plus on-vehicle sensors to send real-time data on tire conditions to the Goodyear SightLine mobility cloud. From there, the data is analyzed to provide insights on tire performance and potential vehicle issues, enabling operators to proactively seek maintenance.

Goodyear said the tests will help evaluate the performance of TPMS Plus powered by Goodyear SightLine on HFC buses in daily public transit service, while helping SARTA lower operational costs, reduce fleet downtime and increase environmental benefits.

In addition, Goodyear is testing a prototype tire on SARTA's diesel and HFC buses to measure tread wear, rolling resistance and tire life. Data from these tests will be used in Goodyear's future tire designs for electric vehicles.

SARTA CEO Kirt Conrad said his firm "is committed to the development and deployment of sustainable transportation solutions. We are pleased and proud to provide a real-world testing environment for innovative technology that will increase the MPG performance of our diesel buses and increase the already-impressive range of our HFC-powered vehicles."

"Goodyear's scientists and engineers continuously look for opportunities to experiment with new technology so we can stretch our thinking and advance our capabilities for the tires of tomorrow," said Johnny McIntosh, Goodyear's director of Integrated Solutions and Tire Management.

"This work with SARTA will give us valuable data on ways tires can impact the safety, sustainability and efficiency of public transportation."

The tests are being done on 10 SARTA vehicles in daily service, including five diesel and five HFC buses. Goodyear said preliminary tests show the potential for TPMS Plus powered by Goodyear SightLine to help reduce roadside bus breakdowns and improve fuel efficiency.