Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS), when used correctly, can help save fuel, extend tire life, and improve safety. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has documented the risks of improperly inflated tires, which include:
These issues don’t just raise your expenses—they can also lead to downtime, cutting into your revenue when trucks are out of service. To get the most value from a TPMS, it’s important to understand the different types available and weigh their pros and cons.
This guide will help you choose the right TPMS for your budget and operation by considering key factors such as:
Let’s break down what you need to know to make the best choice for your fleet.
A tire pressure monitoring system will alert a driver if pressures are outside safety perimeters or pressure set points. The system will work directly or indirectly, by either directly reading the actual tire pressure or indirectly estimating the relative tire pressure. Heavy vehicles like dump trucks typically use TPMS that directly reads tire pressures.
Here's an overview of the 5 types of direct reading tire pressure monitoring systems for heavy vehicles:
While all TPMS options serve the same basic purpose, they include key components like a sensor/transmitter, receiver/gateway, and a driver display. The differences come down to how they’re mounted, battery life, airflow design, durability, and cost.
Rim Mounted systems have antennas installed inside the tire on the rim of the wheel. The Tire Patch system is also mounted inside the tire but with the antenna mounted on the interior of the tire itself.
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Tire Patch systems are mounted inside the tire, with the sensor and antenna attached directly to the interior surface of the tire. This internal placement provides accurate pressure readings while keeping the sensor protected from external elements.
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The Interior Valve Stem system has the sensor mounted on the valve stem inside the tire. Exterior Valve Mounted systems are installed on a modified valve outside of the tire.
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Stem Mounted systems have screw-on sensors that go on the end of existing tire valve stems.
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Monitoring driver behavior and vehicle safety in real time is a key feature of modern vehicle tracking systems. Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) manufacturers like Valor, Continental, Doran, and Pressure Pro work with fleet tracking platforms such as Geotab, a leader in the industry.
These TPMS devices send real-time data directly to the driver’s dashboard and to the home office through the Geotab telematics system. This allows fleet managers to keep an eye on tire pressure and temperature, spotting potential issues early.
With real-time monitoring, there’s no need for manual tire checks. These integrated systems help maintain safety standards, reduce tire replacement costs, manage fuel expenses, and support predictive maintenance for the fleet.
Tire inflation is not just about keeping your tires in good shape. It also affects your fuel costs, safety, and even insurance premiums. Small issues with tire pressure can quickly add up, leading to unnecessary expenses and risks. Here’s how improper tire inflation can hit your bottom line:
For every 10% drop in tire pressure, fuel efficiency drops by about 1%. That might not sound like much, but for a truck running with tires just 10 PSI under the recommended level, it adds up to around $200 per year in wasted fuel.
According to an FMCSA study, only 44% of truck tires were within 5 PSI of their target pressure, and 7% were off by more than 20 PSI. That’s a lot of money lost across an entire fleet.
Underinflated tires don’t just burn more fuel—they wear out faster and unevenly. This can increase tire-related costs by about 12%, which adds up to another $200 per year for a typical dump truck. Uneven wear also shortens the lifespan of the tires, meaning more frequent replacements and added downtime for maintenance.
The FMCSA’s 2006 study found an average of 1 blowout per 18 tires each year. Blowouts aren’t just expensive because of the tire itself. You’ll also face the cost of emergency service calls, lost productivity from downtime, and potential damage to the truck. And blowouts create dangerous roadside debris, increasing the risk of accidents for other drivers.
Underinflated tires affect how a truck handles, increasing stopping distances and making it harder to control, especially in bad weather or emergency situations. This raises the chances of accidents, which can lead to costly repairs, lost income while the truck is out of service, and potential injury claims.
Accidents caused by tire issues can lead to legal problems, especially if someone else is injured. Legal fees, settlements, and rising insurance premiums can quickly spiral out of control. Even if an accident isn’t your fault, having poorly maintained tires could still put your company at legal risk.
Most companies rely on drivers to check tire pressures as part of their daily vehicle inspection reports (DVIR). While manual inspections are effective when done right, they’re time-consuming. Using a pressure gauge to check all ten tires on a triaxle truck can take 10–15 minutes per truck.
If a driver performs this check five times a week, it adds up to around $1563 per year per truck, assuming the driver earns $25 an hour. For a company with 20 trucks, that’s $31,260 annually spent on labor just to meet DOT tire inspection requirements. And that’s only for checking pressures, it does not include the extra time needed to inflate underinflated tires.
Beyond the cost, there’s the question of whether these checks are being done thoroughly. Despite these inspections, an FMCSA study found that only 44% of truck tires were within 5 PSI of their target pressure. This shows that relying solely on manual checks isn’t always effective, leaving room for costly tire issues down the road.
The table below shows system features for 4 top-rated tire pressure monitoring systems for heavy vehicles. This is not meant to endorse the 4 below, nor to suggest that these are your best options. The goal of the below chart is to give you a starting point when evaluating TPMS. You can compare these features and prices to the systems you find to evaluate.
Managing tire pressure helps reduce fuel costs, extend tire life, improve safety, and lower maintenance expenses. TPMS makes it easier to monitor tire health and cut down on manual inspections. However, tire management is only one part of running an efficient fleet. The right tools can help you track performance, schedule maintenance, and manage operations more effectively.
If you're looking for a solution to manage not just tire health but also optimize dispatching, Dump Truck Dispatcher can help. It connects the dots between vehicle performance and operational efficiency, giving you real-time data to make informed decisions across your fleet. Schedule a free demo today to see how it can support your business.
We have included some helpful videos below that cover the tire pressure monitoring systems discussed above.
Paul A. Grygier and Samuel Daniel, J. –N.-T. (2010). Tire Pressure Monitoring Tests for Medium and Heavy Trucks and Buses. Washington D.C.: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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