The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), “a nonprofit association comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial and federal commercial motor vehicle safety officials and industry representatives,” according to its website, released the results of the International Brake Week held between 23 and 29 August 2020. They have about 13,000 active inspectors in the US, Mexico, and Canada. 

What is particularly noteworthy is that out of the 43,565 commercial vehicles inspected, the CVSA removed 5,156 from their delivery routes until someone made brake repairs and adjustments. That’s a removal rate of about 12 percent of vehicles checked. And an additional 6,697 vehicles had violations for brake hose chafing. 

An Out-of-Service (OOS) order prolongs deliveries and possibly annoys those awaiting the shipment. Besides, the driver and carrier receive ten severity points under the Compliance, Safety, & Accountability (CSA) portion of the DOT FMCSA Safety Measurement System (SMS), which is a significant factor for your fleet insurance premium. 

Additionally, it stays on the driver’s Pre-Employment Screening (PSP) record for up to three years. Therefore, if a driver gets terminated from their current driving job, it could be challenging to get another high-paying job.

The Importance of Brake Adjustments During Preventive Maintenance  

The drivers can perform most checks necessary on their vehicle inspection report (DVIR). However, it isn’t easy to check the brakes and brake adjustments by yourself.

Properly working brakes are crucial on an 80,000-pound truck. The appropriate brake maintenance will keep your vehicles safer and help you avoid lawsuits. 

It is vital to replace the drums and pads and the pins, springs, and bushings. Although the S-cam bushings do not need to be changed every time you change the shoes, the attentive driver will grease them. Likewise, whether your truck uses a manual or automatic slack adjustor, it is crucial to lubricate these during scheduled preventive maintenance, as well.

Reference: The Transport Topics article, 12% of Vehicles Inspected Placed Out-of-Service, dated 28 October 2020.    

Ultimate Fleet Can Schedule Your Truck Brake Maintenance   

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