Brake violations put 1,200 trucks out of service in surprise inspection blitz

There were 1,273 vehicles were put out of service because of brake violations on May 26 during an unannounced inspection blitz.

Commercial motor vehicle inspectors in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. conducted 10,091 inspections during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s unannounced one-day inspection and enforcement initiative focused on brake systems.

Six jurisdictions from Canada, 42 U.S. jurisdictions, and Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and National Guard participated in the effort to root out brake violations.

The brake-related out-of-service rate in North America was 12.6%. The U.S. brake-violation out-of-service rate was 13.3%. In Canada, the rate was 11.4%, and in Mexico the rate was 2.9%.

In Canada, 946 inspections were conducted. In Mexico, inspectors conducted 487 inspections, and in the U.S., 8,658 inspections were conducted.

In Mexico, 14 vehicles were removed from roadways during the inspection blitz. In Canada, 108 vehicles were placed out of service for brake violations, and in the U.S., 1,151 vehicles had to be removed from roadways due to brake violations.

CVSA asked inspectors to submit data on five brake hose/tubing chafing violations:

• Category 1 – brake hose/tubing wear that had extended into the outer protective material – was found in 38% (664) of brake hose chafing violations. This is not an out-of-service condition.
• Category 2 – wear had extended through the brake hose/tubing outer protective material into the outer rubber cover – was found in 30% (509) of brake hose chafing violations. This was not an out-of-service condition.
• Category 3 – when the brake hose/tubing wear makes the reinforcement ply visible, but the ply is still intact – was found in 16% (275) of brake hose chafing violations. This was not an out-of-service condition.
• Category 4 – when the reinforcement ply is visible and the ply is completely frayed, severed or cut through – was found in 10% (169) of brake hose chafing violations. These vehicles were placed out of service.
• Category 5 – brake hose/tubing wear for category 5 violations extended through the reinforcement ply to the inner rubber layer – was found in 6% (108) of brake hose chafing violations. These vehicles were placed out of service.

Percentage of brake hose chafing violations

Number of hose chafing violations

Brake Safety Week on Aug. 22-28.

In addition to its unannounced inspection initiative, CVSA also holds Brake Safety Week each year and announces those dates publicly. This year’s Brake Safety Week is scheduled for Aug. 22-28.

During the 2020 Brake Safety Week, which took place Aug. 23-29, 12% of the 43,565 commercial motor vehicles inspected were placed out of service.

Inspectors from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. removed 5,156 commercial motor vehicles from roadways during the week-long inspection and enforcement event.

Brake Safety Week is part of CVSA’s Operation Airbrake program in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

More than 3.4 million brakes have been inspected since the program’s inception in 1998. LL