Recommended Testing Practices

The Technology and Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations has several Recommended Practices related to product testing:

- RP 230 —Tire Test Procedures for Tread Wear, Serviceability & Fuel Economy: Establishes tire test procedures for fleets evaluating different tire/vehicle combinations for tread wear, serviceability and fuel economy. (Many of the concepts in this RP can be adapted for other components as well.)

- RP 1102 — TMC/SAE In-Service Fuel Consumption Test Procedure — Type II: Provides a standardized test procedure for comparing the in-service fuel consumption of two conditions of a test vehicle or of one test vehicle to another when it is not possible to run two test vehicles simultaneously.

- RP 1103 — TMC/SAE Fuel Consumption In-Service Test Procedure RP — Type III: Provides a one-day standard test procedure for comparing the fuel economy of components or systems that can be switched from one vehicle to another in a short period of time.

- RP 1109 — Type IV Fuel Economy Test Procedure: Provides a test procedure for comparing the fuel consumption of two vehicles of similar capabilities or one unit of a combination vehicle to the same unit of another combination vehicle. This procedure also provides for evaluation of the effects of certain components or systems on fuel economy.

For more information on RPs, go to www.truckline.com/aboutata/councils/tmc/rp or call (703) 838-1923.