Bridgestone Americas, Inc., announced a new, industry-wide campaign focused on educating small- to medium-sized fleets on the advantages of retreads. The campaign will launch at the 2019 Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition in Atlanta.

The Fleets We Depend On campaign spotlights the fleets we all depend on most – from fire departments to first responders to school districts – and their daily reliance on retreads to get the job done. The campaign serves as a reminder that retreads are a reliable solution for our everyday heroes and fleets in any field. As a business of Bridgestone dedicated to the research, development, and manufacturing of premium retreads, Bandag recognizes that retreads play a critical role in everyday operations of these fleets and is dedicated to engineering a product that delivers safe and reliable performance to keep our communities moving.

“Bridgestone is committed to making mobility more efficient,” said Eric Higgs, president, truck, bus and retread tires, U.S. & Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO). “While most large fleets already use retreads, we recognized a real opportunity to better inform small- and mid-sized fleets on the benefits that choosing Bandag can bring to their businesses. We are on a mission to showcase how retreads add value to a comprehensive tire management program.”

The Fleets We Depend On campaign includes:

• Fleets We Depend On Roadshow –Inclusive of 27 industry, dealer and Bridgestone location stops across North America, the roadshow will run through July 2019. Cities on the tour include Atlanta; Nashville; Phoenix; Indianapolis; Akron, Ohio; Orlando, Fla.; and Elizabeth, N.J., among others. Within the roadshow display and activation, fleets from across the country will have an inside look at the retreading process, participate in retread trivia and hear from experts on optimal Bridgestone tire casing and Bandag retread combinations that are designed to work together to maximize performance. The roadshow will also feature the opportunity for fleets to tell their unique stories in a testimonial booth and nominate themselves for the Fleets We Depend On Award.

• Fleets We Depend On Award, presented by Bandag – A platform to recognize fleets we depend on most in the U.S. This inaugural award will spotlight the reliable individuals and fleets who keep the country moving and make an impact in their local communities. Extraordinary fleets and individuals can be nominated through the Bandag website or at different roadshow stops in North America. The winner will be announced in September and will receive a cash prize of $5,000 and a matching donation to a 501(c)(3) organization of their choice.

“The fleets that we depend on every day are the ones who keep our communities up and running safely and efficiently,” said LaTres Jarrett, director of marketing, Bandag, U.S. and Canada, BATO. “Without them, our children wouldn’t get to school, and our communities wouldn’t be protected. We created the Fleets We Depend On award to shine a spotlight on those who make our communities better, safer places to live, work and play – all while relying on retreads to get the job done.”