Tyre manufacturer Continental has launched a new hub for advice, guidance, data and training at this year’s Road Transport Expo (RTX), which is taking place this week at NAEC Stoneleigh from 4-6 June.
Tyre IQ brings together Continental’s library of educational resources for commercial vehicle operators, drivers and technicians, as well as regularly updated information on sector-specific legislation and regulations.
Also sitting under the Tyre IQ umbrella is Continental’s own in-house training school, the Lutterworth-based ContiAcademy, and the recently updated TireTech app.
Continental has, for many years, been proactive in publishing informative commercial vehicle-specific content directly to consumers and through media relationships.
A significant proportion of the information is manufacturer agnostic, allowing any truck or bus driver, operator or technician to benefit, regardless of their chosen tyre brand.
Steve Howat, Continental Tyres technical services general manager, said: “Continental has, and will continue to, position itself as a lead provider of tyre know-how for stakeholders in and around the transport and logistics sectors.
“It’s a service we’re passionate about providing, especially as there is still more that the industry can be doing to educate and guide fleet operators and their drivers.
“The coming years will undoubtedly bring further changes to the way fleets are required to use their tyres.
“By staying up to date with the latest developments in tyre maintenance and legislation, businesses can be in a prime position to maximise the benefits and efficiently prepare for any new regulations.”
Speaking of the launch, Stefan Hay, National Tyre Distributor Association chief executive, said: “Continental has been at the forefront of tyre technician training and development for decades and is a major supporter of both the NTDA REACT and NTDA Tyre Technician Professional Development schemes.
“More recently we have seen increased support from Continental for our technical service bulletins to members, but I have to say the Tyre IQ website is taking it to another level as this is a truly phenomenal resource for the entire tyre trade.”
Earlier this year, Continental added four new tyre awareness videos to its nine-strong series. The episodes take an in-depth look at key tyre maintenance topics, including roadside and workshop tyre fitting, the reasons behind irregular wear in truck tyres and the background to truck tyre construction.
Most recently, updates to Continental’s TireTech maintenance and advice support app has seen the introduction of guidance for van and campervan tyres.
For truck and bus users, a new tyre diagnosis module helps technicians to identify changes and anomalies in Continental-family tyres, while the addition of regrooving information helps to make the TireTech app a one-stop shop for maintenance teams.