“Tires are a critical piece of safety equipment,” says Greg Sims, President and CEO, OK Tire. “We encourage drivers to talk to a tire technician to ensure they have the right tires to meet their need. All season tires are best for vehicles that are not driven in winter conditions.” According to the Rubber Association of Canada, modern winter tires offer 50 per cent more winter traction than all season tires.

Drivers who don’t switch out their tires when seasons change also have a second alternative to winter tires. The all-in-one tire with the snowflake and mountain symbol meets traction requirements for snow and is recognized by Transport Canada and the Rubber Association of Canada.

“The all-in-one tire is a good alternative for drivers who don’t install winter tires,” says Sims. “Drivers can leave all-in-one tires on their vehicle year-round and, while they’re not as effective on snow as winter tires, they’re still a good option for people who may rely on all season tires in winter conditions.”

While tire options may seem overwhelming to some, a tire service technician can help drivers to determine which options best meet their needs. “Durability and traction are just two considerations, a technician can also help you understand your options in terms of ride comfort, fuel efficiency, and appearance,” says Sims. “In recent years, we’ve seen advances in technology and there are more tire options available than ever before.”

Drivers can also take other simple steps to stay safe in winter months. Checking tires for signs of wear each month is a good habit, and using a gauge to check tire pressure anytime the temperature changes more than 15 °C will reduce the risk of under-inflation. Under-inflation is the most common cause of tire failure and can lead to accidents caused by poor braking, steering and acceleration.

For more information:

Transport Canada, the Automobile Protection Agency and Rubber Association of Canada produced a series of six short videos to demonstrate the importance of winter tires. The videos are available on YouTube and can be found by searching for “Winter Tire Demonstration” (See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P03wqClnq-0&feature=channel for module 1).

Achieving an index score of 902 on a 1,000-point scale, OK Tire performed particularly well in the areas of work quality and customer orientation – two of the most important drivers of customer satisfaction for automotive services.

“Naturally we’re extremely happy with the news. The results of the study are an objective confirmation in regards to the efforts our owners have made over the past year to ensure we earn the trust our customers place in us” said Greg Sims, OK Tire President and CEO.

According to J.D. Power and Associates, satisfaction with the service experience is essential to increasing customer loyalty, which can have considerable impact on the bottom line for a service establishment.

The J.D. Power 2008 Canadian Customer Commitment Index Study is based on responses from 17,114 owners of 2- to 12- year-old vehicles. Vehicle owners were surveyed between December 2007 and May 2008. Overall customer satisfaction with their vehicle service provider is determined by examining five key factors: appointment/check-in, service advisor, work quality, after service and customer orientation. For more information on the survey visit www.jdpower.com.

For more information about OK Tire, please contact:

Greg Sims
President and CEO
O.K. Tire Stores Inc.
T: 604-542-7999
gsims@oktire.com