When you think of Yellowstone National Park, you probably don't think of cars and trucks trudging through the wilderness, but in order to maintain the park, hundreds of employees need to drive throughout its nearly 3,500 square miles regularly.


As part of an effort to reduce the impact of all that driving, the Yellowstone Park Foundation has named Michelin its official tire, and the park's vehicle fleet will roll exclusively on tires donated by Michelin that the company says will help improve the fleet's fuel efficiency and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 8-10 percent.

Michelin says its tires provide lower impacts due to reductions in rolling resistance, which leads to less fuel being consumed. Over a year ago the company began a $6.8 million research initiative on how to lower rolling resistance.

But having the right equipment is only one part of efficient driving, and Michelin plans to run programs for Yellowstone employees to teach how drivers can improve fuel efficiency and extend tire life through steps like proper tire inflation.

Michelin man - CC license by hyku