Bob Ulrich

Editor

Bob Ulrich was named Modern Tire Dealer editor in August 2000. He joined the magazine in 1985 as assistant editor, and has been responsible for gathering statistical information for MTD's "Facts Issue" since 1993. He has won numerous awards for editorial and feature writing, including five gold medals from the International Automotive Media Association. Bob earned a B.A. in English literature from Ohio Northern University and has a law degree from the University of Akron.

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NHTSA proposal 'labels' the tire industry

By: Bob Ulrich

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, wants to put labels on passenger and light truck tires on behalf of consumers. Specifically, the new tire label would contain information on a tire’s fuel efficiency, tread wear and wet traction characteristics.

Although NHTSA is asking for comments related to its proposal, only a little tweaking is expected at this stage. The label is a done deal.

How does this affect you, the independent tire dealer? It won’t have much of an impact on your business -- unless you fail to comply with the requirements.

According to the government, you will be required to do the following:

1. keep the paper label containing the rating information on a tire until that tire has been sold.

2. display a tire fuel efficiency consumer information program poster (NHTSA will print and provide it to retailers). The poster will communicate the importance of comparing replacement tire ratings as well as the importance of proper tire maintenance.

3. link your Web site (if you maintain one) to NHTSA’s comprehensive tire Web site, which will be developed as part of a national tire maintenance consumer education program.

The label will prominently display the tire’s fuel efficiency rating based on a 100-point scale. It also will rate tread wear and wet weather traction, essentially eliminating the need for UTQG (Uniform Tire Quality Grading) ratings on the sidewall.

To see what the proposed label will look like, click http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/Rulemaking/Rules/Associated%20Files/Label_Examples.pdf.

NHTSA’s rationale behind the label, and the consumer education program as a whole, certainly is reasonable. Proper information would make the tire-buying process more consumer-friendly.

And it will-- as long as tire retailers display one of every tire they stock (or perhaps sell) in their showrooms. However, that isn’t the way all tires are purchased. But since you don’t have to change the way you sell tires, it doesn’t matter.

What does matter is non-compliance. Failure to comply with the government’s mandate makes you liable for a civil penalty, subject to a fine of not more than $50,000 for each violation.

NHTSA’s “hidden” agenda is really very specific. It wants people to buy more fuel efficient tires (generally, winter and spare tires are excluded from the proposal). It hopes to put a calculator on its Web site to “show the amount of money a consumer would save annually or over the estimated lifetime of the tires of varying fuel efficiency ratings.”

If you wish to share your thoughts with NHTSA, visit http://www.regulations.gov. Clicking on "FAQ” will tell you how.

Related Topics: Fuel economy, NHTSA, UTQG