What to Keep in Mind for Brake Safety Week - Copy

This year’s Brake Safety Week has inspectors taking a closer look at over 30,000 brake systems in trucks from all over North America, and not every vehicle will pass the stringent testing protocol. Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) holds the annual safety week in order to target these specific items on each truck it inspects:

• Driver’s License
• Registration
• Brake Linings/Drums, Leaks/Air Loss Rate, Tractor Protection System
• Low Air Warning Device
• Pushrod Travel (Adjustment)

Year round, drivers should be testing for leaks, measuring the pushrod travel and examining brake shoes to match up with industry standard practices.

Leaks can be tested by applying the brakes and taking a walk-around inspection of the vehicle to listen for any audible leakage.

The pushrod travel can be inspected on each wheel-end by checking the distance from the chamber to the pin when the brakes are not applied, and again once the the brakes have been fully applied.

A vehicle’s brake shoes should be examined for any cracks and also checked to make sure they meet the minimum lining thickness standards.

On top of the high volume of inspections that will be occurring during the week of September 8-14, the CVSA will also be promoting the education of drivers. The primary causes for drivers not adjusting brakes is a lack of education and not having the proper commitment to safety, according to the CVSA.

Fleet management software can also be used to maintain the brakes of vehicles in an entire fleet with vehicle maintenance reporting.

Vehicle Maintenance - Fleet Performance Data in Real-Time

Users can also proactively manage their vehicles through Fleet Director’s integration into OEM systems – allowing direct visibility over major statistics and fault codes.

Fleet performance data is easily viewable, such as idle time, fuel consumption, travel distance, routing detail and service mileage such as when your brakes need replacement.