Operation Air Brake set to kick-off

TORONTO, (Aug. 31, 2004) — Truckers should be diligent before leaving the yard tomorrow as the annual Operation Air Brake campaign is launched at roadside locations across North America.

The annual Operation Air Brake blitz — sponsored by Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and Transport Canada — traditionally has two components: first a unannounced inspection campaign in May, and the second scheduled event the first week of September.

Last year, CVSA reported 11 per-cent of vehicles inspected during the scheduled Operation Air Brake campaign were out-of-service for brake adjustment, 7.5 per cent for brake components, and 16.5 per-cent total out-of-service for brakes. Those numbers were quite lower than a surprise blitz in May 2003 which resulted in 13.2, 8.1, and 18 per cent out-of-service rates for the same categories.

Braking system-related defects are consistently the most significant and frequent violations that safety inspectors discover during a roadside inspection.

This year, the campaign will include for the first time Brake Safety Inspection/Awareness events at participating truck stops. Saskatchewan is the only Canadian jurisdiction that will hold such events this inaugural year, but locations will be expanded here in the future, Steve Keppler, spokesperson for the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance told Today’s Trucking.

The demonstrations and the educational material drivers will receive on proper brake operation, how to recognize potential brake problems and the need for properly maintained brakes, are intended to provide them with a learning experience that will enhance safety on the highways.