Are Cheap Truck Tires Actually Costing Fleets More?

Matt Gibbons is the Sales Director at Ozarko Tire Centers, one of the largest commercial tire distributors in Missouri and Arkansas, operating 12 locations and multiple retread facilities. With more than a decade of experience in the commercial tire industry and previous roles working with Michelin North America, Gibbons has built his reputation helping fleets improve operational performance through smarter tire strategies and disciplined maintenance programs. His work focuses on helping operators reduce fleet tire costs by shifting the conversation away from purchase price and toward long-term performance metrics.At Ozarko Tire Centers, Gibbons leads teams that consult with trucking fleets across the region on tire programs, cost-per-mile analysis, and preventative maintenance systems designed to reduce fleet tire costs while improving uptime and operational reliability.EPISODE SPONSORThis episode of the Gain Traction Podcast is sponsored by Cosmo Tires. Cosmo Tires offers a wide range of tire solutions designed for durability, reliability, and performance across multiple vehicle segments. Learn more at https://www.cosmotires.comIn this episode…Cheap tires feel like a smart business decision on the surface. The invoice is lower. The purchase looks efficient. The problem appears later on the highway.One fleet spent $2.8 million on roadside tire failures in a single year, driven entirely by preventable tire issues. That reality exposes a hidden operational blind spot across the trucking industry: most fleets measure tire cost by purchase price instead of cost per mile.Matt Gibbons explains why that single mistake quietly drains profit from fleets across the country. Tires that fail early create emergency road calls, driver downtime, missed deliveries, and operational disruption that rarely gets tied back to the original purchase decision.Shop owners and tire dealers who understand this shift hold a strategic advantage. Operators looking to reduce fleet tire costs stop thinking like buyers and start thinking like fleet managers. The difference shows up in uptime, service revenue, and long-term customer relationships.Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [01:02] Mike Edge introduces Matt Gibbons and Ozarko Tire Centers[02:16] Matt Gibbons’ unexpected path into the commercial tire industry[08:17] How Ozarko Tire Centers expanded into a multi-location commercial operation[11:20] The scale of Ozarko’s sales force, service operations, and retread facilities[12:04] Tariffs, inflation, and pricing pressure across the commercial tire market[13:01] The biggest operational mistakes fleet managers make with tire programs[16:24] Why premium tires often deliver stronger ROI than cheaper alternatives[17:10] Understanding cost-per-mile and why most fleets calculate it incorrectly[19:09] The hidden risks of buying cheap tires without performance tracking[20:27] How roadside service calls impact fleet profitability and uptime[21:58] A real-world example of millions spent on preventable tire failures[23:56] How proactive tire programs dramatically reduce roadside breakdowns[28:28] Challenging industry habits and the danger of “the way we’ve always done it”Resources mentioned in this episode:Matt Gibbons LinkedInOzarko Tire Centers WebsiteOzarko Tire Centers LinkedInTread PartnersGain Traction Podcast on YouTubeGain Traction Podcast WebsiteMike Edge on LinkedInQuotable Moments:“You can’t buy cheap and get ahead in the tire business.”“Most people think cost-per-mile is what they paid for the tire, but that isn’t the real cost.”“The longer a tire stays on the truck, the more money that fleet saves.”“If we can prevent those tire failures before they leave the yard, we’ve just saved the customer hundreds of dollars per road call.”“Since when did the status quo become the standard by which we operate?”Action Steps:Start tracking tire cost per mile immediately.Audit fleet tire failures and roadside service calls.Build preventative lot checks into your service workflow.Shift customer conversations toward long-term tire strategy.Challenge the “cheap tire” buying mindset.