Commercial vehicle drivers who ferry Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders from Indian Oil bottling plants located at Gurgaon and Karnal districts in Haryana were trained in Tyre Care & Safety. Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) and its technical arm Indian Tyre Technical Advisory Committee (ITTAC) collaborated with Indian Oil for tyre safety training of commercial drivers and logistics providers. These drivers supply Indane cooking gas of Indian Oil.
Over 80 commercial drivers, cleaners and fleet managers received an in-depth training on Tyre safety in a two-day training programme held at Bottling plants of Indian Oil.
“Transporting LPG cylinders is a matter of huge responsibility. As such commercial vehicle drivers who are the mainstay of transport sector need to be conversant with all the safety measures. The need for safety is heightened in case of drivers who ferry cooking gas. ATMA and ITTAC have developed a special training module for these drivers. We compliment Indian Oil for coming forward and partnering with us for spread of safety measures for smoother transport ”, said Mr Tom Thomas, Chairman ITTAC.
Commercial drivers were especially trained about Tread Wear Indicators (TWI) present on the tyres which help drivers understand the tread depth of a tyre and replace tyres well within the statutory limit prescribed in Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR)..
New commercial vehicle tyres have a tread depth of around 16 – 18 mm. Tread Wear Indicators (TWI) are the projections within the tread grooves with a depth of 1.6 mm, the legal minimum tread depth. Tyres need to be replaced when the tread is worn to the level of TWI. There are marks on the shoulder region of tyres which point to the location of TWIs.
“Drivers are largely unaware of the degree of wear of the tyre tread. Worn out tyres require longer distance to stop and hence can be a safety hazard. Through practical demonstration, drivers were trained about location of TWI, markings on tyres & their significance and the steps taken for well maintained tyres”, said Mr Rajiv Budhraja, Director General ATMA.
