A tire problem can turn a routine service call or delivery into a roadside delay. For a business that depends on its vehicles, tire maintenance deserves a regular place on the schedule, along with oil changes and other preventive maintenance.

Drivers can help spot trouble, but they need clear instructions, the right tools, and a way to report concerns. A quick walkaround is useful. Knowing what to check and what happens next makes it more effective.

Check Pressure With a Gauge

A tire can look fine without being properly inflated. Visual checks help identify obvious damage, but drivers should use a tire pressure gauge to check inflation.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends checking pressure in all tires, including the spare, at least monthly when tires are cold, meaning the vehicle has been parked for at least three hours. Use the pressure specified on the vehicle’s tire information label or in its owner’s manual, rather than the pressure printed on the tire sidewall. Front and rear recommendations may differ.

Make sure you assign responsibility for pressure checks. Whether drivers or maintenance providers perform them, document the readings and establish a process for addressing tires that repeatedly lose air.

Make Tread and Damage Checks Routine

NHTSA recommends checking tire tread at least monthly and replacing passenger vehicle tires when tread reaches 2/32 inch. Built-in wear bars indicate when tread has reached the replacement point.

Give drivers a tread depth gauge and show them how to use it. Pair that measurement with a visual inspection for cuts, bulges, embedded objects, and uneven wear. These checks should support your maintenance provider’s inspections and the replacement criteria appropriate for each vehicle.

Make reporting straightforward. Drivers should know whom to contact about a damaged tire and how to arrange an inspection before continuing to use a potentially unsafe vehicle.

Understand What TPMS Can Tell You

A tire pressure monitoring system, or TPMS, provides a useful warning, but drivers shouldn’t wait for the dashboard light before checking pressure. NHTSA notes that these systems warn when a tire is significantly underinflated and do not replace monthly pressure checks with a gauge.

Include the warning light in driver training. Explain what it means, where drivers can find the vehicle-specific instructions, and how they should report and address an alert.

Give Drivers a Clear Role

“Keep an eye on the tires” leaves too much open to interpretation. Build specific tire checks into your fleet’s inspection process and make the necessary equipment easy to access. For shared vehicles, assign responsibility by vehicle or shift so checks don’t fall into the gap between drivers.

A practical driver checklist can include:

• Looking for visible tire damage before a trip.
• Checking and recording cold tire pressure on the assigned schedule.
• Measuring tread depth during scheduled inspections.
• Reporting warning lights, repeated pressure loss, unusual vibration, or changes in handling.
• Following the fleet’s process for getting a tire concern evaluated.

Follow Through on Maintenance

Driver reports only help when someone acts on them. Assign a person to review tire concerns, coordinate service, and confirm that repairs or replacements are completed.

Keep tire rotation and other tire services aligned with vehicle manufacturer recommendations. NHTSA advises following the owner’s manual for rotation intervals and patterns because requirements vary by vehicle.

You don’t need a complicated program to make tire maintenance more consistent. Start with clear responsibilities, reliable tools, documented checks, and timely follow-up. The goal is to catch a concern while the vehicle is parked, before it interrupts someone’s workday.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in January 2002 and has been updated to replace outdated research and historical references with current NHTSA tire maintenance guidance and practical recommendations for business fleets.