Bridgestone Americas recently announced the launch of its new Firestone trailer tire—the FT492.

According to the company, this SmartWay-verified tire from the Firestone brand is designed to provide a fuel-efficient solution to fleets. Bridgestone has released the tire for long- and regional-haul service in the 295/75R22.5 size in Canada and the U.S. Sizes 11R22.5, 11R22.4, 285/75R24.5 and 255/70R22.5 will be released in November.

The new tire is not only California Air Resources Board (CARB) compliant but also contains a fuel-efficient tread design to enable low rolling resistance. To aid fleets in achieving the required performance every day, the tire has been designed with tough sidewall protection and a wide tread footprint.

“Long-haul and regional fleets demand a lot from their tires,” says Ben Johnson, Director of Marketing, Truck and Bus radial, U.S. and Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO). “The Firestone FT492 tire is uniquely designed with the latest technological advancements to achieve long-lasting tread wear to help deliver the performance demanded by fleets. This newest offering reinforces our commitment at Bridgestone to help make mobility more efficient for fleets of all sizes and vocations.”

Bridgestone explains that it has designed the FT492 tire for single- and tandem-axel trailer applications. For even wear and retreadability, it features a wide footprint. Additionally, the tire has been developed in a way that it can be paired with a Bandag retread to tap the complete performance potential it can offer by increasing casing life. Bridgestone explains that this can result in a lower total cost of ownership.

As stated by the company, the Firestone FT492 also has the following features:

• The tire is equipped with thick sidewall ribs to prevent curb damage and to safeguard the casing.
• Patented NanoPro-Tech polymer technology has been used to develop the tire in order to decrease energy loss to deliver better rolling resistance.
• For a lower tire weight and better casing durability, it features an optimized belt package.
• Bridgestone has equipped the tire with a tread pattern that enables it to offer secure traction in wet conditions. The pattern also helps reduce edge wear and promote a longer tread life by allowing uniform pressure across the tire.