When it comes to managing fleet vehicles, finding ways to save a few dollars here and there can go a long way. Case in point: Aperia Technologies, a San Francisco start-up, offers the Halo Automatic Tire Inflator, which, by offering a number of incremental improvements to a tire’s air pressure, can add up to serious cost savings.

The inflator, which attaches to a truck or van’s hubcap, uses the wheel’s rotational motion to pump air back into the tires, keeping them at an optimal air-pressure. According to Aperia’s website, 10 percent of truck tires on the road are under-inflated by at least 20 psi, and 55 percent are under-inflated by at least 5 psi, robbing vehicles of fuel economy and shortening the tire’s lifecycle.

By keeping tires properly inflated, the company says its device can stretch a lot of cost savings out of a pretty small tool. By improving fuel efficiency by between 0.5 and 1 percent, extending the life of a tire by 10 percent, reducing the number of hours spent on maintenance, and avoiding roadside blowouts, Aperia claims it can save fleet managers over $1,000 a year per vehicle.

See also: More SmartVan articles on fuel efficiency.

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