Does OSHA regulate truck tire service?

Yes. 29 CFR 1910.177 covers servicing rim wheels on large vehicles, including training, restraining devices for multi-piece wheels and safe procedures.

What are the federal tread depth minimums?

Under 49 CFR 393.75, steering axle tires on a power unit need at least 4/32 inch, and other tires at least 2/32 inch.

How should road calls be priced?

Typically a service call fee, travel, labor, parts with markup and after-hours rates, quoted before you roll.

How to Start a Mobile Truck Tire Service Business

Why mobile tire service

Commercial trucks and trailers lose time every time a tire fails. A truck on the shoulder with a flat steer tire cannot move until it is fixed. Fleets also need regular tire checks, rotations and replacements, ideally where the truck is parked rather than at a shop. A mobile tire business meets both needs: road calls for breakdowns and scheduled yard work for fleets.

This guide covers commercial trucks, trailers and heavy equipment. It does not cover passenger car tires. For the wider mobile repair picture, see how to start a mobile diesel mechanic business and how to start a mobile truck repair business.

Step 1: Set up the business

The U.S. Small Business Administration lays out the basic steps to launch a business, including choosing a structure, registering, getting tax IDs and getting insurance. An employer identification number from the IRS is needed for many businesses, especially once you hire. Talk to an accountant and a lawyer about structure and local licenses. See mobile mechanic licensing by state overview.

Step 2: Insurance

Mobile tire work carries real risks: road work on busy shoulders, heavy wheels, inflation hazards and customer equipment in your care. The SBA describes common business insurance types. Talk to an agent who knows commercial vehicle service work. See repair shop insurance for mobile mechanics.

Step 3: The service truck

A tire service truck is built around lifting, breaking down and inflating commercial tires on the road. Plan for:

A compressor sized for commercial tires.
Lifting equipment rated for the loads you will handle.
Tire changing tools and impact tools.
A restraining device or cage for inflation.
Storage for spare tires in common sizes.
Lighting and warning equipment for roadside work.

Check whether your service truck needs a USDOT number. FMCSA describes USDOT registration in 49 CFR 390.201. See how to set up a mobile service truck and mobile service truck.

Step 4: Wheel safety rules

Servicing large-vehicle wheels is dangerous. OSHA's rule at 29 CFR 1910.177 covers servicing multi-piece and single piece rim wheels on large vehicles such as trucks, tractors, trailers, buses and off-road machines. Among its requirements:

The employer must provide a program to train all employees who service rim wheels in the hazards and the safety procedures.
The employer must furnish a restraining device for inflating tires on multi-piece wheels.
Multi-piece wheel components must not be interchanged except as provided in the charts or the rim manual.
The employer must set a safe operating procedure for multi-piece and single piece rim wheels and make sure employees follow it.

Read the full rule and build your training around it. Keep records of who was trained and when.

Step 5: Know the tread depth rules

Fleets and drivers will ask whether a tire is legal. Under 49 CFR 393.75, tires on the front steering axle of a power unit must have at least 4/32 inch of tread at any major tread groove, and other tires must have at least 2/32 inch. The same section covers other tire conditions. See tire tread depth. When you record a tire job, note the position, size, tread depth and what was done.

Step 6: Services to offer

Road calls for flats and blowouts.
Yard checks for fleets: pressure, tread depth, damage.
Replacements and mounting.
Rotations and matching where fleets ask for them.
Trailer tire work in drop yards.
Off-road and equipment tires if you have the equipment.

Start with what you can do well and safely, then add services.

Step 7: Pricing

Road calls usually combine several parts:

A service call fee for showing up.
A mileage charge or travel time.
Labor per tire or per hour. See labor rate.
The tire and any valve stems or parts, with markup.
An after-hours rate for nights, weekends and holidays.
Disposal of old tires if your area charges for it.

Write your prices down and tell the caller before you roll. See how to quote emergency roadside repair and how much should I charge as a mobile mechanic.

Step 8: Win fleet accounts

Road calls are uneven. Fleet yard work is steadier. Fleets want fast response, clear records by unit number and tire position, and invoices that match their purchase orders. Many will want terms such as Net 30. See how to get fleet accounts.

Step 9: Get paid

Road call customers you do not know are a payment risk. Take a card hold before rolling, or payment at the truck by link. Fleet customers get invoices on terms and a monthly statement. See truck repair invoice: what to include.

Step 10: Software

From day one you need to capture calls, dispatch, record each tire job and invoice. A notebook works for the first few calls, but fleets will soon ask for records by unit and position. See mobile mechanic business software checklist.

Roadside safety

Much tire work happens on the shoulder, inches from traffic. Before starting a road call, decide with the driver where the truck can be moved, if anywhere, to get further from the lane. Use your lights and warning devices, wear high-visibility clothing, and position the service truck to protect the work area where you safely can. If the location is too dangerous, say so and ask for the truck to be moved or towed. No tire job is worth a technician's life.

Recording a tire job

Fleets track tires closely because they are a large running cost. For every tire you touch, record:

The unit number and the tire position.
Tire size, brand and whether it is new, used or a retread.
Tread depth measured.
What was wrong: puncture, sidewall damage, blowout, low pressure.
What you did: repair, replace, rotate, inflate.
Photos of damage.

Good tire records help fleets spot patterns, such as one position failing often, which may point to an alignment or loading issue. That makes your records valuable and your shop harder to replace.

Working with fleet tire programs

Some fleets have their own tire policies: approved brands, retread rules, minimum tread depths above the federal minimum, and approval limits. Ask for these in writing when you sign a fleet, store them on the customer record, and follow them on every job. A technician who installs the wrong brand can cost you the account.

Growing the business

Most mobile tire businesses start with one truck. Growth usually comes from fleet yard work, which can be scheduled, rather than road calls alone. As you add trucks and technicians, dispatch and records become the hard part. Plan the systems before you need them, not after a missed call costs you a fleet account. Keep training records current as you hire.

Common mistakes

Skipping formal wheel safety training.
Rolling without telling the caller the price.
Not recording tread depth and position.
Running out of common sizes on the truck.
Waiting weeks to invoice.

How MetaFleet helps

MetaFleet runs mobile and in-shop diesel and heavy-equipment work, including road calls. Calls become jobs, dispatch ranks technicians, technicians work in any phone browser and read the VIN and odometer from photos, inspections run on your own forms, and payments include card holds through Stripe. Service truck inventory tracks tires and parts on each truck. Get a walkthrough.