In The News
Record number of brake inspections put more trucks out of service
Commercial vehicle inspectors conducted a record number of inspections
during Operation Air Brake - 20,810 - and found a slightly higher
percentage of brake problems resulting in out-of-service orders than
last year.
Thirty-six states and provinces across the U.S. and Canada, the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Administration and industry partners participated
in the 2008 Brake Safety Week program during the week of September 21,
2008. Brake Safety Week was launched as a pilot program in 2005 as a
part of the Operation Air Brake Campaign sponsored by the Commercial
Vehicle Safety Alliance.
This year's activities included 697 vehicle inspections and 6,154
brakes assessed using performance-based brake testers by five states in
six locations across the U.S. The roadside inspections resulted in
2,339 vehicles (11.2 percent) being placed out of service for brake
adjustment defects, 1,873 vehicles placed out of service (9 percent)
for brake component defects, and a total of 3,835 vehicles placed out
of service (18.4 percent) for brake defects.
These numbers represent an increase over most of last year's out of
service rates during Brake Safety Week, which were 11.4 percent, 8.6
percent and 17.8 percent respectively.
"We continue to put a heavy emphasis on brakes because they are one of
the most critical components in the safe operation of a commercial
motor vehicle," said CVSA Executive Director Stephen F. Campbell.
"Having defective brakes increases the risk to all travelers on the
roads - a problem CVSA is working actively with partners in industry
and government to eliminate."
A number of educational outreach activities were also conducted across
North America including: free brake inspections at several truckstops
in Saskatchewan; safety presentations in Missouri; and classroom
learning and other educational activities conducted at inspection shops
nationwide by Landstar Carrier Services in Florida. In addition, more
than 40,000 pieces of educational literature on brake adjustment were
distributed to drivers, technicians and motor carrier safety personnel.
Since the Operation Air Brake Campaign was launched in 1988, roadside inspections has resulted in:
· 271,016 vehicle inspections
· 2,191,366 brakes inspected
· 11.08 percent of vehicles placed out of service for brake adjustment defects
· 7.94 percent of vehicles placed out of service for brake component defects
· 17.1 percent of vehicles placed out of service for brake related defects
· 8.87 percent of brakes equipped with manual brake adjusters placed out of service
· 3.91 percent of brakes equipped with self-adjusting brake adjusters placed out of service
· 5.07 percent of all brakes inspected placed out of service for brake adjustment defects
For more on CVSA visit www.cvsa.org.