Trucking still gets all the bad brakes

Defective or poorly adjusted brakes are the leading reason why trucks get yanked from North American highways, according to reports made public by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators and the Ontario Trucking Association.

The reports contains more than 140 pages of findings and proceedings stemming from the first North American Brake Safety Conference held last September. The conference brought together various manufacturers, regulators, drivers, carriers, engineers and officials, who offered perspective and suggested solutions.

While the report acknowledged that improving brake compliance is not a quick fix, it recommended a call for increased use of visual stroke indicators, increased used of long-stroke brake chambers, uniform penalties for brake defects, improved design of brake systems and components, and more inspections in the vein of CVSA’s Operation Air Brake program

CVSA is preparing to send letters to approximately 60 stakeholder organizations in the U.S. and Canada asking for a response to one or more of the 12 recommendations outlined in the reports.