Note: The blowout of a recapped tire mounted on the steer axle has been identified as the primary cause of a bus crash in Sherman, Texas, last month that tragically killed 17 people (see story above). Bus & Motorcoach News columnist Dave Millhouser discusses the use of retread tires on buses and motorcoaches.

By Dave Millhouser

It seemed an easy trip: Drive an empty Scenicruiser from Buena Vista, Colo. to Phoenix -- 700 miles of beautiful scenery and no real responsibility. I had three days to make an easy two-day trip.

For the young among you, a Scenicruiser was unusual because it had 10 tires on the ground, plus a spare, two more than todays coaches. I needed them ALL.

By the time I rolled into a Phoenix tire facility, late on Day Three, the coach had six tires on the ground and five in the luggage bay. There was a 700 mile trail of blown tires and chunks of rubber.

There were all sorts of lessons to be learned about tire maintenance, air pressure, heat and speed, but among the many (unpleasant) lessons this trip taught, one regarded retread tires. Analysis of the coachs rubber trail, however, indicated the retreads failed at about the same rate as tires running their original tread.

For years, transportation folks have debated the value of retreads. For many, the jury is still not in. Some carriers swear by them, others swear at them. Several tire leasing companies offer the option of using them at certain axle positions, with a reduced cost per mile. It would seem they believe there are economic benefits.

Retread tires can be bought for 60 to 70 percent of the cost of new, and be rated for the same weights and speed. They cant be used on the steer axle of a bus, but otherwise are not restricted. Tread life is normally between 75 and 100 percent of a new tire.

Recapped tires on small motor vehicles must adhere to standards set by the federal government, but the commercial retread industry is far less regulated. Commercial folks self certify they meet safety standards.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is likely to change this in the future, but there is no current supervision. It is a tribute to the integrity of the manufacturers that theyve avoided it this long. The situation is not much different than the way vehicles (including buses) are certified in the U.S.

Seventy-five percent of large commercial fleets in the U.S. use at least some retread tires (as well as virtually every airline). Tire manufacturers will tell you that throwing away a good carcass, after just one set of tread, wastes a lot of the value theyve built into the tire. They also point to the "green" aspect of re-using good rubber.

Many studies have pointed to the fact that "road alligators" (the large pieces of thrown tread that litter highways) are about equally distributed between new and recapped tires.

On the other hand, a case can be made that coaches are a bit different than trucks with regard to tires. Truck tires are surrounded by ... air, while buses craftily encase them in a certain amount of body, which traps heat.

There also may be the hint (of a suspicion) that buses drive faster than trucks. Not only are speeders tires apt to run hotter, but they are close to suspension parts like bellows and air lines. A failure on a coach is more likely to do collateral damage.

Its an individual decision as to whether retreads will work in your operation. If you decide to give them a whirl (sort of a tire pun), there are several important considerations.

No. 1, its critical you deal with a reputable dealer. There are many counterfeit recaps out there. Theyre dangerous because it is likely shortcuts have been taken in the examination and preparation of the carcass, as well as the retreading process. You want to buy tires from someone who isnt tempted by shortcuts.

You also want to buy a good brand. All the good guys go to extensive lengths to make sure the carcass is good, and the new tread actually sticks. You havent saved much money if an off brand (or counterfeit) slings a chunk of tread through your bellow.

In addition, youll want to make sure any tire, new or capped, is built for the type of service youre performing. Weight and speed ratings do matter.

My personal suspicion is that retreads do fine when well maintained, but they may not hold up as well when mistreated.

Theres a ton to know about this subject, and one source of information is www.retread.org.

I bumped into a guy the other day who said "You write pretty good for a guy who doesnt know much." Good for him for noticing.

This is only meant to be a starting point.

Dave Millhouser is a bus industry marketing consultant and freelance writer. Contact him at: dave_millhouser@hotmail.com.