A system for use with a wheeled vehicle, comprising: a media reservoir capable of holding a tractive material that includes particulates; a nozzle in fluid communication with the media reservoir; and a media valve in fluid communication with the media reservoir and the nozzle, the media valve being controllable between a first state in which the tractive material flows through the media valve and to the nozzle, and a second state in which the tractive material is prevented from flowing to the nozzle, and in the first state the nozzle receives the tractive material from the media reservoir and directs the tractive material to a contact surface such that the tractive material impacts the contact surface that is spaced from a wheel/surface interface and to thereby modify the adhesion or the traction capability of the contact surface with regard to a subsequently contacting wheel; wherein the system is operable to propel the tractive material in the first state of the media valve so as to impact the contact surface and thereby to modify the morphology of the contact surface, wherein tractive effort increases; the system further comprising an air reservoir capable of holding a volume of pressurized air, the air reservoir being in fluid communication with the nozzle; and an air valve in fluid communication with the air reservoir and the nozzle, the air valve being controllable between a first state in which the pressurized air flows through the air valve and to the nozzle, at which the tractive material is entrained in the pressurized air stream, and a second state in which the pressurized air is prevented from flowing to the nozzle. a media reservoir capable of holding a tractive material that includes particulates; a nozzle in fluid communication with the media reservoir; and a media valve in fluid communication with the media reservoir and the nozzle, the media valve being controllable between a first state in which the tractive material flows through the media valve and to the nozzle, and a second state in which the tractive material is prevented from flowing to the nozzle, and in the first state the nozzle receives the tractive material from the media reservoir and directs the tractive material to a contact surface such that the tractive material impacts the contact surface that is spaced from a wheel/surface interface and to thereby modify the adhesion or the traction capability of the contact surface with regard to a subsequently contacting wheel; wherein the system is operable to propel the tractive material in the first state of the media valve so as to impact the contact surface and thereby to modify the morphology of the contact surface, wherein tractive effort increases; the system further comprising an air reservoir capable of holding a volume of pressurized air, the air reservoir being in fluid communication with the nozzle; and an air valve in fluid communication with the air reservoir and the nozzle, the air valve being controllable between a first state in which the pressurized air flows through the air valve and to the nozzle, at which the tractive material is entrained in the pressurized air stream, and a second state in which the pressurized air is prevented from flowing to the nozzle.