The first day of the 2025 Tire Industry Association OTR Tire Conference put the spotlight squarely on tire technician safety.
More than 500 attendees from 35 states and 12 countries – 20% of them first-time OTR Tire Conference delegates – are participating in the annual event, which is taking place through Feb. 21 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The 2025 OTR Tire Conference, the 70th edition of the event, kicked off with TIA President Debra Hamlin presenting the Marvin Bozarth ETS Technician of the Year Award to Tony Pass of Jim Whitehead’s Best-One Tire & Service in Oakwood, Ga.
TIA created the award last year to recognize OTR tire technicians “who exemplify excellence, dedication and leadership in their field.”
Upon receiving the honor, Pass, a 30-year OTR tire service veteran, thanked his wife and family. “They know the long hours” that come with OTR tire service, he told conference attendees.
Pass also thanked his customers. “They’ve been so faithful and there for me. I feel like I’m in a dream.”
“We had an incredible selection of nominees this year,” added Hamlin.
Next, Charlie Pearson, sales manager of Fleet Equipment Corp., and Tom Formanek, who represents Stellar Industries Inc., discussed some of the “do’s and don’ts” of tire service truck safety and operation.
Among other best practices, Pearson advised attendees to keep trucks clean, check for leaks and let vehicle systems warm up before starting operation.
Formanek told attendees to properly spec their trucks, employ qualified operators, use service trucks as the vehicles were intended, perform preventive maintenance and follow manufacturers’ lubricant guidelines.
“Ask not what your service truck can do for you. Ask what you can do for your service truck,” Pearson quipped.
Lifting and cribbing were the focus of a presentation by Matt White, TIA’s director of off-road tire service, and Jeff Faubion, safety trainer at Southern Tire Mart LLC.
When it comes to OTR tire service, “everything is important, but lifting is the most important,” White told attendees, adding that proper cribbing can mean the difference between life and death in the field.
“I want you to crib (equipment) so you can take a nap underneath it. You don’t want to be quick. You want to be alive. I want technicians to go home at night. Let’s know what we’re lifting and how it works.”
“Some technicians have been trained to think ‘faster is better,’” said Faubion. “We need to slow down.”
Kevin Rohlwing, TIA’s chief technical officer, led a panel discussion that covered the evolution of the association’s Earthmover Tire Service (ETS) training program.
The panel included Russ Devens, director of safety and risk management for Wilkes-Barre, Pa.-based McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc., and Roy Galyer, training manager at Klinge.
TIA’s ETS program has “come a long way, but it’s important to recognize we’re not done,” said Rohlwing, who highlighted modules of TIA’s Basic ETS 2024 program, including tire size, load, speed and applications; service vehicle and crane operation; site assessment and equipment lifting; and more.
He told attendees that Basic ETS 2024 “is completely new, front to back,” with more focus on safety guidelines that OTR tire technicians should follow.
“TIA made the investment to do it right.”
Rohlwing also previewed the association’s Certified ETS 2025 program and discussed ongoing efforts to translate TIA training courses into Spanish. “All of our programs will eventually be (available) in Spanish.”
