The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) selected August 21-27, 2022, as the dates for this year’s Brake Safety Week. Brake Safety Week is an annual commercial motor vehicle roadside inspection and enforcement blitz conducted by law enforcement jurisdictions across the United States. This event is important to energy marketers because brake-related violations comprise the largest percentage of all out-of-service (OAS) vehicle violations cited during roadside inspections. During last year’s Brake Safety Week, brake systems and brake adjustment violations accounted for 38.9% of all vehicle out-of-service violations, the most of any category of vehicle violations. This year, inspectors will conduct the North American Standard Level I and Level V driver and vehicle inspections. Drivers and/or vehicles failing inspection will be immediately removed from service.
Driver Related Inspection
Inspectors will be looking at all driver related compliance requirements including CDL driver licenses, Medical Examiner Certificates, driver hours of service logs, seat belt usage, driver vehicle inspection reports and compliance with DOT drug and alcohol requirements.
Equipment Related Inspection
Inspectors will be looking at all vehicle related compliance requirements including, brakes, coupling devices; driveline/driveshaft; exhaust systems; frames; fuel systems; lighting devices (headlamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, turn signals and lamps/flags on projecting loads); steering mechanisms; suspensions; tires; wheels, rims and hubs; windshield wipers; electrical cables and systems in engine and battery compartments and specification cargo tank requirements.
Brake Related Inspection
During the brake portion of the vehicle inspection, inspectors will check for missing, non-functioning, loose, contaminated or cracked parts on the brake system; non-manufactured holes caused by rust and friction; broken springs in the parking brake housing. Inspectors will also listen for audible air leaks around brake components and lines and check for proper air pressure in the brake system (between 90-100 psi). Inspectors will check for S-cam flip-over and measure pushrod travel, make certain slack adjusters are the same length (from center of S-cam to center of clevis pin) and the air chambers on each axle are the same size. Brake-system warning devices, such as ABS malfunction lamp(s) and low air-pressure warning devices will also be inspected for proper functioning. In addition, inspectors will ensure the trailer breakaway system is operable, and inspect the tractor protection system, including the bleed-back system on the trailer.
Energy marketers should make certain that cargo tank vehicle equipment is operating as required, inform drivers of the inspection and enforcement blitz so that they will have their required credentials and documents available and in order.