Resources
The numbers, with sources.
Plenty of alignment shops throw percentages around. Here's what we can actually back up, with a link to each source.
23%
of what it costs to run a truck is fuel and tires: $0.53 of every $2.34 per mile.
Source: ATRI, An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking: 2026 Update48,000 mi
of steer tire life separated the best and worst camber settings in a 15-truck controlled fleet study.
Source: SAE Technical Paper 922485, Camber and Toe Effect on SBFA Heavy Truck Steering Axle Tire Wear31%
of steer tire life lost when the rear tandem runs half an inch out of parallel. Drives lose 18%.
Source: Bee Line Company alignment training manual1 in 2
new trucks can shift out of alignment before delivery. Align them before the first set of tires pays for it.
Source: Mike Beckett, MD Alignment Services, in Fleet Maintenance80–100k mi
TMC's recommended alignment interval after the first check at 15,000–30,000 miles, or every 12–18 months.
Source: ATA TMC RP 642B, via Fleet MaintenanceFrom the equipment makers
What Bee Line and JOSAM say alignment is worth
These are the manufacturers' own figures, so we label them that way. They sell the machines; take them as their claims, not independent research.
8 ft
of sideways slip per mile from 1/8" of excess toe, which can cut tire life by as much as 25%. Bee Line attributes this to a spokesperson for a major tire manufacturer.
Source: Bee Line, fleet$1,000+
per truck per year in tire and fuel savings, per Bee Line, based on a fleet of 50 tractors at 100,000 miles a year.
Source: Bee Line, fleet1–3%
better fuel mileage and up to 30% more tire life from proper alignment, per Bee Line.
Source: Bee Line, fleetUp to 5%
lower fuel cost for a properly aligned vehicle, per JOSAM, citing a 2013 survey of 500 vehicles from 12 companies by the Dutch research institute TNO.
Source: JOSAM, Wheel Alignment for Economy and Environment (citing a 2013 TNO survey)Getting the most out of your tires
Check air pressure
Center wear means too much air, shoulder wear on both sides means too little. Pressure problems look like alignment problems and cost nothing to fix.
Match your duals
Duals with different tread depth or pressure fight each other and wear both.
Rotate on a schedule
Heel-toe wear on drive tires is normal, and rotation keeps it even.
Watch the steers
Run a hand across the steer tread every inspection. Sharp edges one way means the tire is being dragged sideways.
Align after parts
Kingpins, tie rods, springs, bushings: anything that moves the geometry means the alignment changed.
Align new trucks
Delivery can knock a new truck out. Check it before the first set of tires pays for it.
Get your trucks rolling straight
Tell us what you run and where it is parked. You get a price before anyone picks up a wrench. Fleets and vendors: ask about special fleet and sublet pricing.