brake safety week - Tag - Penske Logistics

brake safety week

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has teamed up with roadside inspectors across North America to promote brake health and safety.

The CVSA's annual Brake Safety Week, which began yesterday and continues through Saturday, Aug. 28, also coincides with Brake Safety Awareness month.

Brake Safety Week aims to reduce the number of crashes caused or influenced by faulty brake systems on commercial motor vehicles by conducting roadside inspections and identifying and removing unsafe vehicles from roadways. This year's Brake Safety Week focuses on brake hoses and tubing and features outreach and awareness efforts to educate drivers, motor carriers, mechanics, owner-operators and others on the importance of proper brake maintenance operation and performance.

Throughout the week, commercial motor vehicle inspectors have been emphasizing the importance of brake systems by conducting inspections and removing commercial motor vehicles found to have brake-related out-of-service violations from roadways. Brake-related violations accounted for eight out of the top 20 vehicle violations in 2020, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Motor Carrier Management Information System.

Brake system component checks are part of the regular roadside inspection process, but the extra emphasis on break health reminds drivers of the special role brakes play in the mechanical fitness and safety of commercial vehicles. During last year's Brake Safety Week, 12% of the 43,565 commercial motor vehicles inspected were placed out of service for brake-related violations.

Brake systems on commercial vehicles feature components that work together to slow and stop the vehicle, and brake hoses and tubing are essential for proper operation. Hoses and tubing must be attached properly, be undamaged, without leaks and be appropriately flexible. If and when those components fail, they can cause problems for the rest of the braking system.

During last year's three-day International Roadcheck inspection and enforcement initiative, brake system and brake adjustment violations accounted for 38.6% of all vehicle out-of-service conditions, the most vehicle violations than any other vehicle violation category.

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The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and roadside inspectors are teaming up this week across North America to promote brake health and safety.

The CVSA's annual Brake Safety Week, which began on Sunday and continues through Saturday, Aug. 29, coincides with Brake Safety Awareness month.

The goal of Brake Safety Week is to reduce the number of crashes caused or influenced by faulty brake systems on commercial motor vehicles by conducting roadside inspections and identifying and removing unsafe vehicles from roadways, according to the CVSA.

While brake system component checks are part the regular roadside inspection process, the CVSA's safety initiative is focusing on brake hose and tubing health as a way to remind drivers of the special role brakes play in the mechanical fitness and safety of commercial vehicles.

"Safety is always our top priority, and it's our mission to ensure the vehicles on our roadways have met all safety standards and regulations," said CVSA President Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police.

"This is especially important as we rally behind truck drivers as they transport essential goods during this public health crisis," Samis said.

Brake systems on commercial vehicles feature components that work together to slow and stop the vehicle, and brake hoses and tubing are essential for the proper operation of those systems, according to the CVSA.

Brake hose and tubing must be attached properly, be undamaged, without leaks and be appropriately flexible. When those components do fail, they can cause problems for the rest of the braking system.

In addition to enforcement, Brake Safety Week will also feature outreach and awareness efforts to educate drivers, motor carriers, mechanics, owner-operators and others on the importance of proper brake maintenance operation and performance.

Vehicles with critical brake violations or other critical vehicle inspection item violations will be prevented from traveling until the violations are corrected. For vehicles passing the inspection, the CVSA will provide a special decal.

During last year's Brake Safety Week, 13.5% of the commercial motor vehicles inspected had brake-related vehicle inspection item violations and were placed out of service.

Additionally, brake system and brake adjustment violations accounted for 45.1% of all out-of-service conditions during last year's International Roadcheck, the CVSA's three-day inspection and enforcement initiative.

The CVSA recently announced this year's International Roadcheck will be held Sept. 9-11, after postponing the event earlier this year due to the pandemic.

By "Move Ahead" Staff

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Brake components will be the focus of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Brake Safety Week, Sept. 15-21, with inspectors conducting roadside commercial vehicle safety inspections across North America.

The CVSA is focusing on brake hoses and tubing as a way to remind drivers of the special role brakes play in the overall mechanical fitness and safety of commercial vehicles.

The goal of Brake Safety Week is to reduce the number of crashes caused or influenced by faulty brake systems on commercial motor vehicles by conducting roadside inspections and identifying and removing unsafe commercial motor vehicles from roadways, according to the CVSA.

“We all know how important a properly functioning brake system is to vehicle operation,” said CVSA President Chief Jay Thompson with the Arkansas Highway Patrol. “All components of the brake system must always be in proper operating condition. Brake systems and their parts must be routinely checked and carefully and consistently maintained to ensure the health and safety of the overall vehicle.”

Routine pre- and post-trip inspections – which include brake health – are a key component to Penske Logistics’ safety regimen.

“Even though we have seen a decrease year over year, brakes remain our most common violation at a roadside inspection,” said Jason Herr, vice president of safety. “With vigilance, we complete daily vehicle inspection reports, and we maintain an open line of communication with our world-class maintenance department.”

Brake systems on commercial vehicles feature components that work together to slow and stop the vehicle, and brake hoses and tubing are essential for the proper operation of those systems, according to the CVSA.

Brake hose and tubing must be attached properly, be undamaged, without leaks and be appropriately flexible. When those components do fail, they can cause problems for the rest of the braking system, the CVSA said.

Mike Hasinec, vice president of maintenance support with Penske Truck Leasing, said there are steps drivers can take to minimize the risk of a violation.

For example, with automatic slack adjusters in vehicles, brakes are sometimes cited as being out of adjustment when they are on the verge of adjusting. To prevent that, Hasinec advises drivers to apply the brakes several times at a high PSI level—90 or better—when pulling into a scale.

The chafing of brake lines can result in an out-of-service violation, so the routing and clipping of brake lines should be checked at every preventive maintenance interval.

Hasinec also suggests drivers and technicians regularly inspect their glad hand seals where the tractor and trailer connect to minimize the risk of corrosion within the braking system.

In addition to enforcement, Brake Safety Week will also feature outreach and awareness efforts to educate drivers, motor carriers, mechanics, owner-operators and others on the importance of proper brake maintenance operation and performance.

Vehicles with critical brake violations or other critical vehicle inspection item violations will be prevented from traveling until the violations are corrected. For vehicles passing the inspection, the CVSA will provide a decal.

By Bernie Mixon

 
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