About Wheel Monitor
Wheel Monitor Inc. – Technology for Safe Transportation
Wheel Monitor Inc. is dedicated to developing and marketing advanced safety wheel-monitoring and communication systems for class 7 & 8 trucks and trailers. Not limited to the trucking industry, Wheel Monitor Inc. continues to research and develop to ensure continued customer satisfaction.
Where We Began
Wheel Monitor was formed in 1997 when John Mantini decided that he couldn’t bear to hear of another fatal accident caused by the detachment of a transport truck wheel – a phenomenon that then, could occur without warning.
Mr. Mantini knew something had to be done to prevent further accidents. Joining forces with Ken Adams and Sam Chia, he founded Wheel Monitor Inc. Their goal was to become the recognized leader in North America for state-of-the-art technology and systems for two-way data communication. They agreed their products would promote safety and dramatically increase productivity in the truck and trailer industry. Wheel Monitor Inc. is dedicated to putting an end to tragic accidents that result from preventable problems such as wheel separations.
From then to Now
In the early days, Wheel Monitor was focused on creating a system for preventing and warning of potential wheel off events. Through extensive research and development, the team designed and produced the first version of the E.W.S (Early Warning System). The system used a network of sensors to provide early warnings for a variety of issues.
One of the main hurdles in creating an Early Warning System was the communication between the truck and trailer. Wheel Monitor was heavily involved in an industry consortium, formed to design a standard communication system to be used by all members of the industry. The result of the consortium was J2497 communication system (PLC4Trucks) becoming the industry standard.
Wheel Monitor moved quickly to adapt PLC4Trucks into the E.W.S systems. The team also launched the CTC200 system, which uses PLC4Trucks for communicating information to the cab and controlling systems on the trailer. This includes ABS warning lights, lift axle positions, controlling lift axles, and several other signals.
In the following years, SPIF, Ontario’s legislation for weights and dimensions provided Wheel Monitor with a new direction. One of the CTC200’s functions, lift axle control, was being removed from the trucks in favour of automation. With PLC4Trucks being consumed by the larger ABS companies, Wheel Monitor transitioned to lift axle automation. This is when the Reverse-A-Matic™ was created.
In the years since, Wheel Monitor has created and released several systems for automating lift axle control on trucks and trailers, both self-steering and rigid lift axles. These range from system that lift the axle in reverse, to system that control the lift axle based on vehicle weight. Wheel Monitor has become the industry leader in lift axle automation.
Moving Forward
Wheel Monitor understands the importance of staying on the cutting edge of the technology industry. Since its beginnings in 1997, Wheel Monitor has invested several million dollars in researching and developing its patented technologies. As a team, the company has made large improvements to every product line. This includes analysis of every aspect of the systems, right down to the type of wire insulation.
Currently, Wheel Monitor is marketing the Reverse-A-Matic™, the Balancer™, the Proviso™ and Proviso™ Plus lines. Each line helps wheel monitor meet a different section of the lift axle control market.
In coming months and years, look for Wheel Monitor to begin branching out from lift axle controls.
Today
Wheel Monitor is represented at a number of trade associations and policy development forums including: The Maintenance Council of America (T.M.C), the Canadian Council of Motor Truck Administrators (C.C.M.T.A), the Ontario Trucking Association (O.T.A) and Intelligent Transportation Systems Canada (I.T.S Canada).
Through extensive research and remarkable engineering design, Wheel Monitor has built an excellent basis for its business. Several popular products are currently on the market, others are ready for commercialization, and the fundamental features for several major projects have been developed and tested. With the head start that its technological expertise gives, Wheel Monitor is recognized as a leader in truck and trailer safety research and development.
Value for Your Dollar
Wheel Monitor is always working to improve our product line to provide enhanced customer service. For example, the Reverse-A-Matic™ RM-50, which includes reverse alarm control, can be used to activate reverse beepers and lighting systems. Every system developed by Wheel Monitor tries to provide as many functions as possible for the user, while not adding cost to the system.
Other examples of this was the addition of the Tire scrub feature to the P300. The feature required no extra hardware and was added to the systems shortly after being requested by an end user.
Safety is Everything
Air Tank Monitoring has become a serious concern with legislators and so it should! Trailer braking systems cannot function if the reserve air pressure is low, and ABS brake systems depends on air pressure as well. While the ABS system will still function to prevent wheel lockup, low air pressure will prevent the brakes from activating. Wheel Monitor has the necessary equipment to monitor the air tank pressure and alert the driver if dangerously low levels are reached (Air Pressure Monitor).
Safety also drives product development. When the SPIF truck industry noticed issues with the trucks steering in some conditions, Wheel Monitor responded by develoing the P300 system. The system was designed to reduce the lift axles weight until the minimum front axle percentage of gross weight was met.