DOT Violation

Looks like 4 points according to 393.53, which is weighted times 3 for the first year. Essentially it gives your company 12 points, and will affect your psp score equally for 12 points, dropping to 8 points next year and 4 points the third year. Understand that 20 percent,or just two slacks out on a five axle combination puts you OOS, good for an additional 2 points, so it can add up quickly.

 

Nope. Good = 0.

 

For a carrier more clean inspections helps to offset bad ones in regards to the OOS percentages and when compared to other companies of a similar size in regards to intervention thresholds and such. For drivers, since the FMCSA technically doesn't track driver "scores" or do much in the way of intervention for drivers, except for declaring certain extremely bad drivers public health and safety hazards and declaring them to be OOS, we also don't get much benefit from clean inspections other than the fact that our record isn't dinged up more.

 

It is not uncommon for a self adjusting slack adjuster to stop adjusting, I check them twice a week and manually adjust if I find one is not keeping up. Sometimes a good over greasing will revive a stubborn one but I never just trust that they are working and drive.

 

Besides keeping 1/8 1/4 1/2 back to front is a good thing and the guy on the rack don't care much kitty power

 

Cannot you back up and apply the brakes to adjust the self adjusting ones like a car?

 

Mark, no, other then realizing the adjuster didnt adjust by it's lonesome,supposed to be able to apply the brakes a few times-get good air back there for a couple of seconds n that should take the slck out.I was taught moons ago to chek em every morning.I dont.I do check em all on my 34 tho.

 

An automatic slack adjuster works like a ratchet in your tool box, when it moves a certain distance it takes up a click so when you release the brake it does not return as far as before; the brakes never need to be slammed hard and backing up is no different than going forward in a trucks brake system.