Bandag named tyre partner for record-breaking Truck Test 2026

Bandag, a world leader in retreading technology and tyre performance solutions, has been named the official tyre partner of Truck Test 2026, the landmark evaluation being organised by FOCUS on Transport & Logistics from 10 to 12 November.

Bandag brings decades of experience in commercial tyre performance, retreading and fleet efficiency to the event. 

The appointment places one of the commercial transport industry’s most experienced tyre performance specialists at the heart of a test that will see 20 extra-heavy trucks from 13 manufacturers put through their paces on the demanding Johannesburg-Durban-Johannesburg route.

With tyres proven to have a measurable impact on fleet performance, Bandag’s involvement is fundamental to the technical integrity of what will be the largest Truck Test ever conducted.

Level playing field

Truck Test 2026 has been designed to produce meaningful, independently comparable operating data for South African fleet owners. Each participating truck will be evaluated using a productivity index that takes into account fuel consumption and average speed over the defined route. Ultimately, the objective is to establish how productively each vehicle performs while completing the same demanding real-world transport task.

To achieve credible results, variables capable of influencing performance must be carefully controlled. Tyres are among the most important of these – tyre construction, tread design, tread depth, rolling resistance, inflation pressure and condition can all influence the amount of energy required to keep a heavily laden truck moving. Even relatively small differences can become significant across the distances and payloads encountered by commercial fleets.

“Tyres are sometimes viewed simply as a consumable, but their influence on the overall efficiency of a vehicle is far greater than that,” says Monal Naik, marketing manager for Bandag Southern Africa. “They affect rolling resistance, fuel consumption, vehicle uptime, safety and, ultimately, cost per kilometre (CPK). When you are comparing the performance of 20 trucks under controlled conditions, the tyre component therefore must be treated with the same seriousness as every other technical variable.”

Retreading delivers more from every tyre

Bandag’s core philosophy is closely aligned with the objectives of Truck Test: improving efficiency, lowering operating costs and helping fleets extract more productive life from the assets they already own.

Retreading allows a suitable commercial tyre casing to be given another working life, rather than being discarded after its original tread has been worn away. For transport operators running substantial fleets and covering high annual mileages, this can contribute to lower tyre costs while reducing demand for new raw materials. “A premium commercial tyre casing is an asset. Retreading is about maximising the productive value of that asset,” says Naik. “For a fleet operator, the question should not only be what a tyre costs on the day it is purchased. The more important measurement is what that tyre delivers throughout its usable life and what the eventual CPK looks like.”

That whole-life approach to fleet economics mirrors the philosophy behind Truck Test itself.

Rather than concentrating purely on headline specifications such as horsepower or torque, the event is intended to reveal how effectively a truck converts fuel, time and carrying capacity into productive transport.

Fuel efficiency matters more than ever

The issue has become particularly important as South African transport operators face continuing pressure on operating margins. Fuel remains one of the largest variable expenses faced by a road transport fleet. As a result, even modest improvements in consumption can translate into substantial savings when multiplied across vehicles covering hundreds of thousands of kilometres.

Tyres form an important part of that efficiency equation. “Fleet efficiency is never determined by one component in isolation,” Naik points out. “It comes from understanding how the entire vehicle and operation work together. Engines, drivetrains, aerodynamics, driving behaviour, load, route conditions and tyres all play their part. Our message has always been that effective tyre management should be treated as part of the fleet’s broader fuel and productivity strategy.”

A test on the road, not in a laboratory

Truck Test 2026 will take participating extra-heavy truck tractors from Johannesburg to Durban and back along the N3, exposing them to the type of conditions experienced every day by long-haul operators.

The test is specifically structured around real-world productivity, combining independently measured fuel consumption with trip times and average speeds. Identical trailers and carefully controlled loads, independent technical analysis, telematics and closely managed operating procedures will further support the integrity of the results. Bandag now adds tyre expertise to that technical framework.

“Truck Test 2026 is an exciting initiative because it is grounded in the realities fleet operators face every day. These are working commercial vehicles being assessed in real operating conditions; the results can help operators better understand the factors affecting productivity,” says Naik.

“Bandag is proud to be the official tyre partner of this record-breaking event and to contribute our expertise to a test that places efficiency, credible data and better fleet decision-making at its heart.”

Truck Test 2026 takes place from 10 to 12 November 2026, with the full results set to provide the transport industry with one of the most comprehensive independent comparisons yet of the latest generation of extra-heavy trucks operating in South African conditions.