Buckeye Reporter

Senator Jon Husted has introduced the Resilient Tire Supply and Jobs Act, a bill aimed at lowering tire costs for consumers while supporting American industry. The legislation would provide tax credits to encourage the use of domestically retreaded tires.

“Encouraging Americans to use tires retreaded in America leaves consumers with more cash and the U.S. tire industry with more jobs. I’m proud to lead this bill and help keep more money in Ohioans’ pockets with tires we make right here in America,” said Husted.

The initiative has drawn support from lawmakers representing states where tire manufacturing is significant. “Kansas relies on strong logistics networks and sound transportation—and for the trucking industry, quality tires are critical to keeping our goods moving. I am proud to support the Resilient Tire Supply and Jobs Act, which will incentivize the adoption of American-made, domestically retreaded tires, many of which are manufactured in Kansas, cutting down on waste and reducing the reliance on low-quality imported tires,” said Senator Marshall.

Industry leaders also expressed their approval for the proposed legislation. Joe Burke, vice president of North America commercial and global aviation at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, said: “The Resilient Tire Supply and Jobs Act provides a critical incentive to support local jobs, help commercial truck fleets operate more efficiently and reinforces our leadership in domestic manufacturing. Tire retreading is essential to keeping America’s trucking fleets moving and supports thousands of U.S. jobs, delivering real cost savings and operational benefits for the commercial trucks that move our nation’s economy. We thank Senator Husted for his leadership in strengthening America’s retread industry and securing this vital domestic supply chain today and into the future.”

According to Henry Hanscom, senior vice president of legislative affairs at American Trucking Associations: “Trucks travel hundreds of billions of miles every year to make essential deliveries to every community in America, which is why sustainability is a top priority for our industry. The millions of retreads that are manufactured and installed domestically each year enable tires to last three times longer and provide significant environmental and cost benefits. We commend Senator Husted for introducing this bill in the Senate to incentivize safely extending the life of high-quality American tires, which will directly support tens of thousands of jobs, protect our national security, and keep our economy rolling.”

Scott Damon, chief executive officer of Bridgestone West and group president of Bridgestone Americas added: “We thank Senator Husted for introducing this bill in the Senate, and we are pleased to see the issue gaining support in Congress. Tire retreading in the U.S. is a critical industry supporting manufacturing jobs and transportation resiliency. This legislation will help reduce costs for our customers and save on energy and material costs.”

Anne Forristall Luke, president and CEO of the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association stated: “This legislation is about more than just tires—it’s about investing in American workers and promoting a sustainable and innovative manufacturing sector. Approximately 15 million tires are retreaded annually in the U.S., including nearly 44% of commercial truck tires in the U.S. and Canada. By providing tax credits to fleet purchasers who buy American-made retreaded commercial tires, we have a critical opportunity to support domestic manufacturing and strengthen our national economy.”

Penske Truck Leasing’s senior vice president Paul Rosa highlighted how important reliable tires are for their large fleet operations: “Penske Truck Leasing operates and maintains a fleet of more than 440,000 vehicles in North America, with 780 associates working in Ohio across 43 locations. Safe, reliable tires are essential to keeping the trucking supply chain moving forward. Retread tires play a significant role in our operations by providing our fleet customers with continued reliability, on-road performance, affordability, and enhanced sustainability. We thank Senator Husted for his leadership on this issue.”

Waste Management also cited operational advantages from using retreaded tires as explained by Torrey Andrews: “The use of retreaded tires is an integral component of WM’s Fleet maintenance and repair strategy...Retreading also allows us to buy locally...creating more secure and sustainable supply chains.”

BD Transportation’s Christina Douglas noted both economic savings as well as environmental impact from tire reuse: “By retreading...our cost on replacement tires are a third of what a new tire would cost if we would purchase new tires as replacements...Retreading provides us a cost-effective option...and preventing it from ending up in a landfill somewhere.”

Freight Service Inc.’s Dennis Ankrum emphasized decades-long experience with retreads: “Obviously…the biggest reason we continue to use retreads is cost savings…retreads are about 35% [of] the cost of new tires…and still have a tire that will last until the tread is worn out…Reusing our tire/casings as long as possible…has helped [the] environment…”

Eligibility requirements specify that only U.S.-retreaded commercial vehicle or bus radial pneumatic rubber replacement or spare drive or trailer position medium-duty truck or bus radial pneumatic rubber replacement or spare drive or trailer position medium-duty truck/bus radial pneumatic rubber replacement/spare drive/trailer position medium-duty vehicle/bus radial pneumatic rubber replacement/spare drive/trailer position must be purchased within United States borders.

Tire retreading replaces worn tread so that existing casings can be reused instead of discarded; this helps extend product lifespan while lowering overall waste production—an approach meant to counteract market pressures created by low-cost imports.

Full text of the bill can be accessed online.