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"If you're not prepared to pay a premium rate in
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some countries, you'll have to wait longer for assistance" be the case in Germany where there's a lot of pressure over health and safety," says Shedden.
The tyre manufacturer and ultimately its customer-again might have to take the towing fee on the chin.
Then there's the price of the tyre itself, and a surcharge of €30-60 (£20-41) might be imposed if more than one tyre has to be changed.
Ask for a 315/80 R 22.5 tyre to be swapped in Group A Germany and prices are likely to start at about €370 (£253),depending on which tyre manufacturer you're dealing through. Have the same tyre changed in Portugal and be ready to pay more like €440 (£301), or even more. Once again there are some exceptions to this expensive rule. Michelin, for example, charges the same for a tyre no matter where it is fitted, and regardless of the tread pattern. As an exam ple, you'll pay €538 (£368) for a 315/80 R22.5 wherever you buy it.
Michelin-owned ATS Euromaster offers a separate Continental assistance service in 10 countries, but does not publish fixed tariffs.
Manufacturers' discounts
In the UK,you can earn manufacturers' discounts depending on the number of tyres you buy. Don't expect the discount to apply to emergency call-outs unless you've signed a tyremanagement contract with the manufacturer covering Continental breakdowns.
You might also have to pay for valves at €10 (£7) a time, and about the same for the disposal of casings. Some firms, including Continental, don't charge for valves and caps.
Michelin is happy for drivers to take retreadable casings removed from their trucks back to the UK, If there isn't room on the vehicle, the operator should be credited with the casing's value in most circumstances.
The EU is spreading eastwards and rescue services are available in Eastern Europe.
ContiBreakdownService, for example, covers Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, the Baltic states and Ukraine. Bridgestone,which markets its rescue package under the Service Europe banner, is developing a presence in the former Eastern Bloc countries, and now has aTruck Point dealer in Russia, The tariff charged by service providers in these countries isn't always predictable, but things are improving—the tariffs quoted by ContiBreakdownService for Poland, the Baltic states and Ukraine are all standardised.
But Eastern Europe still presents a challenge. Michelin charges an extra €50 (04) for call-outs in Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, or any-wbere in former Yugoslavia.
Not all tyre problems involve immediate and catastrophic failure.A driver may have noticed a slow puncture, a bulge in a sidewall that could turn into something a lot nastier.
To deal with this type of difficulty, Bridgestone offers a service called Stop & Go through its network of Truck Point sites.There are more than 2,000 of these independent tyres specialists in 21 European countries. A €45 (131) fee covers the removal and replacement of a suspect tyre anywhere within Western Europe, plus a €.59 (i40) administration charge, plus the price of the tyre.
Michelin offers a similar package in France, Germany, the Benelux countries, Spain and Italy. And while some manufacturers clearly prefer hauliers using their back-up packages to buy their products regularly, you don't have to be a Michelin customer to use its rescue service.
But if you're going to call on Michelin Euro Assist you have to join the scheme first,says Helen Buckley, the company's UK head of marketing support, truck. And before you can join,your local Michelin distributor has to agree to accept any invoices generated by the scheme on your behalf.
You also have to register to use Bridgestone's service. either directly with the company or via one of its dealers.
It's rare for an annual fee to be levied by service providers, or for operators to be charged for cards carrying the helpline number that drivers can keep in their cabs -We would make a charge if somebody asked for several thousand but didn't put much business our way, but Cc' Intinental hasn't charged a British operator yet," says Shedden.
Two-way communication
Having an account with a tyre manufacturer or dealer means details of the tyres fitted to each truck should be logged.This can be of enormous use if the haulier isn't sure what size of tyre is fitted to a stranded truck and the driver can't make out the details on the sidewall.
In case of a problem, the vehicle's operator and drivers will want to be kept informed of what's happening, and how soon help will arrive. Goodyear Dunlop's ServiceLine 24h sends waiting drivers SMS messages, regularly phones the operator, and allows the latter to see what's happening via a website under the RoadsideAssistanceSolutions banner.
Once, most drivers carried spare wheels. In the UK,the development of rescue services made this precaution obsolete but many Continental drivers still feel under-equipped without a spare. Should UK drivers venturing over the water follow the Continental practice?
The consensus seems to be that while it isn't really necessary in Western Europe,it could make sense in the East where there might be a problem obtaining the right tyre, and where price might be an issue.
If you do carry a spare, all you should be charged is the admin and call-out fee, though it isn't unknown for a fitter to try to fit a tyre he's brought with him;and for the hapless haulier to be invoiced accordingly. In any case, make sure your vulnerable-to-theft spare is transported securely.
"If you've any doubts,ensure a spare is provided," Shedden says "But we've known of circumstances where the driver hadn't realised there was a spare wheel on the vehicle, and where the spare provided was the wrong size."
Even if you carry a spare, Roger Moulding, Bridgestone's UK marketing manager, commercial products, advises drivers not to attempt to change wheels themselves: "It's heavy work, and fraught with difficulties if you're not a professional tyre fitter with the right equipment. And it's likely that you'll end up covered in road dirt."
As well as being an unpleasant, dangerous job,it goes against the clean, professional image most operators want their drivers to project these days,on both sides of the Channel, •