Brake Safety Week 2015

Brake Safety Week is fast approaching. Beginning this Sunday, between September 6 and September 12, Commercial Vehicle Inspectors will make a concerted push to check as many brake systems on commercial vehicles as possible. Most of these will be Level IV inspections, although there will be some Level I inspections and, in some places, tests of vehicle braking efficiency using performance-based brake testing (PBBT) equipment.

Any vehicle found with defective or out-of-alignment brakes will be placed out-of-service.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) hold the event every year to raise awareness about vehicle brake safety, as well as to enforce rules and regulations throughout North America. Last year, Brake Safety Week saw over thirteen thousand brake inspections. And since its inception in 1998, the program has conducted over 3.4 million inspections, making a conscious effort towards education and enforcement.

And brake problems are disturbingly common. During Roadcheck 2014, almost half of all out-of-service violations involved brakes. The annual unannounced brake inspection event of the same year placed one in six of all trucks inspected out-of-service for brake violations.

For fleet managers, keeping track of maintenance and brake repairs in a large fleet of vehicles can be a challenge. By incorporating a GPS fleet management system, fleet managers can maintain an automated and organized operation. Teletrac offers fleet management software that can help carriers stay ahead of the game, particularly during Brake Safety Week, with two tools:

Maintenance

Teletrac’s Vehicle Maintenance feature empowers fleet managers to proactively plan and track vehicle service. All of the necessary maintenance tasks, from tire rotations and brakes, to oil changes, are easily tracked to plan for future vehicle maintenance, as well as record past services. Particular maintenance due dates per vehicle can be scheduled based on miles, hours and days within service to further organize the users’ experience.   

And paper records have become a thing of the past. With automatic vehicle service reports, fleet managers can view engine data that enables them to know when a vehicle is overdue for service.

Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIR)

Drivers can be proactive about their vehicle’s repairs, maintenance, and reduction of violations by performing electronic vehicle inspection reports. These reports are federally-mandated, paperless vehicle inspection reports completed on a daily basis. Teletrac’s portable tablet allows drivers the flexibility to walk around their vehicle and complete their inspection. Reports are automatically submitted to fleet managers, right from the in-cab display.

No more forgetting that a vehicle is due for a brake check, or losing inspection records, or incorrectly filling out paperwork. With a GPS fleet management system, vehicle tasks and record keeping is made easy. Carriers can stay compliant and succeed all year round with automated reports and driver inspections.

September 6^th is coming up. Are your brakes ready?

For more information, check out Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Programs.

*About the author: Oswaldo Flores is a member of Teletrac's marketing team. He is an expert in product management in the transportation sector for the United States and Mexico.