Arriva North West says certainty of supply together with Michelin’s high-quality product and in-house expertise were behind its decision to switch back to the tyre manufacturer. After a period of time with another supplier, the bus operator – which runs services in North West England and North Wales – has signed a five-year contract with Michelin’s Services & Solutions division.
The agreement will see Michelin supply and fit predominantly Michelin X InCity EV Z tyres – which are designed specifically for electric vehicles, but which are also suitable for traditional buses – to its 880-strong fleet. Vehicles on 19.5” wheels are to be fitted with Michelin’s X Multi Z2 tyres, which the manufacturer says offer robustness and damage resistance in an urban environment.
With Arriva UK Bus’ six other regional operators already on Michelin contracts, the deal means that all the company’s 4,000-plus vehicles are now running on Michelin tyres. Head Of Procurement at Arriva UK Bus Ian Jones commented: “With pressure on the supply chain in a challenging market, we wanted to ensure certainty of branded rubber for our Arriva North West buses, and we’ve made a successful move back to Michelin.
“Michelin has managed the transition from our previous supplier very smoothly and delivered on its promises. They have provided new tyre fitting equipment at our 15 depots across the North West and North Wales, as well as new tyre inflation cages which has enhanced health and safety.
“Having Michelin’s tyre technicians providing the services creates greater control and inspires confidence that our tyre strategy is in safe hands.”
Under the new contract, Arriva North West will use Michelin’s multi-life policy. Once the tyres are worn, the fitments are regrooved and retreaded as Michelin Remix tyres and fitted to the rear wheels of the company’s buses to maximise the performance from each new Michelin casing. With the low rolling resistance of the Michelin tyres, Arriva North West says it is making fuel consumption savings as well as reducing its environmental impact.
Commenting on Michelin’s service, Ian added: “We’re very happy with the added value they offer. The technical support is excellent and we are looking at some other continuous improvements we can make to help the efficiency of our fleet as we continue to transition from diesel to electric.”
