The Annual CVSA Brake Inspection Week is now the Annual CVSA Brake Inspection Day. We’re less than two weeks away from the major international inspection blitz.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance runs the “enforcement and compliance campaign” as part of the Operation Airbrake Program. Until this year the inspection blitz has taken place over the course of an entire week. This year however, the announced portion of the inspections will take place on September 7th, with at least one additional surprise Brake Check Day that was conducted in May.
According to the CVSA’s website, “the goal of Brake Safety Day is to reduce the number of crashes caused by poorly maintained braking systems on commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) by conducting roadside mechanical fitness inspections, and identifying and removing vehicles with critical brake violations from our roadways.”
Last year officials conducted 18,385 inspections, but it is unclear how many will be performed this year since the blitz will happen over only one day. May’s unannounced blitz conducted a total of 9,524 inspections and placed 21% of vehicles out of service. While the blitz was focused on brake safety, about half of the OOS orders resulted from non-brake-related violations.
That surprise blitz was conducted in only 33 U.S. states and 10 Canadian provinces, so it’s a fair bet that even more inspections will be carried out on September 7th.
According to the CVSA, the majority of officials will be conducting standard Level I Inspections. In addition, some exam locations will also be doing “performance-based brake testing” using specialty equipment to determine braking efficiency.
During this year’s International Roadcheck, by far the most common reason that a vehicle was placed out of service was for issues with the brake systems. The total OOS rates were the highest they’ve been in recent years – an indication that Brake Check Day could be similarly tough on truckers.
So if you’ve been delaying maintenance, or just haven’t had your brakes checked out in a while, now might be a good time!
Source: cvsa, cvsa, truckinginfo, ccjdigital
Randy says
This is a bunch of crap. It’s all about the money not safety. If one or two brakes are a little out of adjustment you should not be put out of service. To do so looks good for dot but not really a safety issue. Look at all the cars out there that have brake and tire problems but they do nothing. Pick on the working man.
Stefan says
Exactly
Jonny Sponar says
+1
Rick says
I agree, but Can’t compare to cars.
Dave says
According to FMVSS 121, DOT regulated vehicles are allowed 25% of their braking to be inoperative before being placed out of service. That’s quite a bit when you think about it.
Cindy says
25? As in 2 – 3 brakes ? If that’s what you are saying I think someone misled you.
Graydon Henrie says
You might wanna dig into some newr regs
Russell Ewing says
They won’t put you oos for 1 brake out of proper adjustment
Doc says
This is what you guys get. None of you are going to stand up like we did back in the day. The government is going to take over bend over Rover let the government take over. LOL you’re screwed cowards
Anthony says
You know I have to agree with you but not with such harsh words as you’re using but I do agree, I have been calling for a shut down for the last two years With every driver I know personally, and even when I see drivers on the road or at truck stops, but they all rather ride down the road arguing about race, politics, and who has more chrome on their trucks than to stand up to the tyranny this government is imposing on us, so I agree with you that truckers are cowards and don’t understand anything about togetherness, sacrifice nor unity! Sacrifice today for a better tomorrow!!!!!
Jesse Taylor says
Let’s go I’m ready set the date I’ll be there I’m past tired of this over regulated under paid industry my grandad tells me stories of the strikes tht brought deregulation .If we don’t do somethings robots will have our jobs soon.
Russell Ewing says
I’m all for a shut down but we need to organize
Graydon Henrie says
Go ahead quit truckingtthat opens it up to outsourcing drivers from other countries.
Old believer says
I agree av100% now days truckers don’t stand up for each other they are against each other they don’t now what trucking really stands for but that’s ok if they wanna let the dot run there life than they get what they deserve!!!
mike says
what do you mean Stand together like back in the day . If truckers had stuck together back in the late 80’s early 90’s we wouldn’t have the CDL as we do today . Insurance company payoffs got this passed and the truck driver said it will never happen .It supposed to be the same throughout the country but if you are from Texas and move to Pa. lets see how many tests you complete before you start complaining that you took them already . They may even give you a road test too. Time to shut my mouth on this one .
Russell Ewing says
I moved from NY to pa and I didn’t have to take any test. Hmmmm
Buckskin says
I think this has been the grand plan all along and there just about to get it accomplished, Doc is right !!
B A says
Don’t sell the motor carrier program short. These enforcement operations have saved hundreds of lives by taking unsafe trucks off the road. I retired from the enforcement world after 25 years of truck enforcement and I have investigated more fatal crashes and incidents than I want to remember. Remember the life that is saved by taking that unsafe truck off the road could be yours or a family member.
I know, my cousin just passed away as a result of a tractor trailer that ran off the road and impacted her vehicle causing a fiery crash.
It’s not about the money!
Itsa Nunnabiz says
Well Mr. Po Po, the point they’re making is that there are more janky cars on the roads than trucks, but you guys won’t put as much effort to get them off as you do to stalk the guys who are pro’s. What are you guy’s afraid of? If you spent half as much time getting the clowns off the roads that do all the crazy shit around us, you wouldn’t have as many accidents. But like the others fellas said, it’s more about generating revenue than actually making our roads safer.
Jesse Taylor says
There are more fatal car accident than trk so by tht logic cars should stopped at the same rate or more than trks the public wants to make it seem like where dangerous trks are more safer now than they have ever been Google the stats its about money.
Carl Hollis says
You are 100 percent correct sir. It’s not about the money. This is about safety and dangerous trucks that travel our highways.
Adam amatti says
I agree brother but reality is that alot of us that dabble with logs so that we can drive safe get screwed along with those that dabble with logs so they can make money.
Graydon Henrie says
So true. My boss had a friend with a trsiler that all 4 wheel seals were out brakes totaly soaked and my boss trying to be a nice guy offered up my services, i thought no big deal cause my fleet the ones that did get level one inspections all passed. Truck and trailer so im kinda ahead of the game ad of now. When i saw the trailer i noticed right away big holes in the wooden deck. No big deal he was going to haul rounds of hay. When i got under it holy smokes most of the brake lines were rubbing on anything within reach, I literaly pulled a cente section of one of the rusted through crossmembers out. He had one round tire that wasnt to cord out of 8. I refused to work on it and he called me every name in the book. I wish my boss would have let me call Dot but he diddnt. I saw him two days later on the road. He runs on the weekends to idaho and the scale at the top of lost trail pass isnt open most of the time. But his rime is limited hopefully before the cracked spring shackles let loose.
William P McKechnie says
It depends on who you are. I was at an On Route in Ontario last July with another LCV driver from our company. We watched as this really old Freightliner came sputtering into the stop. Three “new Canadians” jumped out. My buddy asked them how that truck could pass inspection. They laughed and said they don’t get inspected because they cty racism. The MTO is politically correct.
Robert Bethel says
Pretty simple ,
Keep your equipment maintained
Most of the day trucks are the same guys spending their money at the casinos down on I 10,but won’t buy a creeper and slide under the truck every other week and turn a wrench.
Half the so called drivers now are flip floppin snowflakes that dont have clue.
daquill says
Bingo…Nail on the head
Clay says
Shakedowns from the most powerful mob in America, the pos dot/police/government.
Troglodyte says
I don’t care if starts! Just as long as it stops.
It’s not all about taking your money… it’s about gathering statistics for more Regs.
Charlie says
Spray your truck down with diesel, make sure to get the back of the cab really good. Now drive on a gravel road to get a good covering of dust and dirt. Don’t wash it off. You won’t get checked.
Shoe says
That’s right lazy pos won’t dare get there hands dirty
Snow Walker says
How about the company or the freight you are hauling. Dirty truck or trailer, you either get a fine or lose the load.
Carl Hollis says
Wanna bet?
Mike Stewart says
Nothing short of an illegal shakedown! This is NOT about safety! This is about making big brother looking good and stealing money from honest, hard working drivers. The last time I got herded into an inspection, the DOT couldn’t find anything wrong so he unplugged the anti lock brake sensor line on the trailer and gave me a warning after I caught him at it. Every year when they pull this crap, I take a re start at home. Screw them!
Bill S says
Yes it is one sided. However what would the truck be like if DOT didn’t push. You would be scared to drive.
Rubber Ducky says
I know the guy calling, “Is the scale open?” Is most likely the reason there’s a need to have these types of inspections. Just drive through if it’s open like you’re supposed to. Why would you need to avoid it unless….
Rich says
Let’s find the bad apples. If your a bad apple then maybe that’s why your crying. You want to talk “back in the day” how many so called drivers do you think know how to adjust brakes? Yes, that includes o/o. Todays drivers, including some o/o don’t have a clue about their brakes or even how they truly work. The ones that have the least worry are the big companies. They check their trucks out everytime they hit a terminal. But their not out of the woods either. They have drivers that will avoid terminals so they slip through the cracks. If you keep up on your maintenance, whether you do it yourself or not, you don’t have anything to worry about. If you don’t then you should start or get out of the business. Otherwise keep crying and help keep gov’t in our business.
Charles Hargrave says
Sounds like sept 7 would be a good day for everyone to take a sick day.
MrNA says
I agree with R. Bethel and Rich. You’re responsible for your equipment…SO KEEP IT MAINTAINED !!
Your brakes are to be inspected every day. Its called the pre-trip inspection. The author, S. Barradas, doesn’t have a clue…. . ” So if you’ve been delaying maintenance, or just haven’t had your brakes checked out in a while, now might be a good time!” That “comment” is ignorant, un-researched, pussy whipped snowflake reporting that makes today’s media 99 and 44/100th percent B.S.
Diesel Life says
No matter how good the brakes are, still can’t prevent 4 wheelers from cutting us off..smh
Dan says
I see it like this: you know the guys who park at on/off ramps for their 8-10 hour sleeps, even though there’s plenty of room at the nearby travel center?
95% of the time it’s because they can’t back up worth a damn.
Those same idiots haven’t done a proper pre trip since they got their license. Youre damn right that 1/5 of inspections resulted in OOS.
Snow Walker says
As an old time OTR driver, I have no objections about these brake check blitzes. I have been forced to pull loads in trailers that had less than 10% braking power. Down shifting and the jakes were the brakes. I pulled a load through Colorado in 1968 with -one- wheel on the trailer having a working brake pot (a job change shortly after). Many drivers fail to realize that those brakes save their lives as well.
Brakes on a remote site trailer up???? Another problem all together.
Sam Mitchell says
I Agree 100%, been driving since 1977
Sam Mitchell says
The DOT needs it done more often, sit in a truckstop in the morning and watch how many drivers get out of their trucks and check their equipment, maybe 5 out of 100!!! They don’t bump their tires, check their oil, they come out of the sleeper and crank up and leave! I bump my tires probably 3-4 times a day. Check my load several times , but then again, I’m Old School…..
Silverspur says
Get rid of the HOS, logbooks, and do more safety inspections and traffic enforcement and the accidents will decrease.
Just finished a 34 hour break at 0230, had 70 hours and was forced to start the day sleepy when I could have picked up the load yesterday afternoon when I was wide awake, but oh no according to the governments twisted logic I had no hours.
Robin says
Good on ya Sam! I notice that most drivers don’t inspect their truck pre trip OR post trip. I can see not doing the post…but skipping the pre trip is just asking for trouble! Even if you don’t care about your own safety..care about other people out there!
Graydon Henrie says
When i service a truck and its obvious they havent been doing there pre trip i will leave a note call the shop when you find this i diddnt get a call for four days so i called them.
Kathryn says
I’d rather have this happen then innocent people lose their lives because someone didn’t do proper maintenance. Gee I sure want to feel safe out there so should all of you………If you do maintenance why would you worry about an inspection unless there’s something to hide…….
william bell says
Stop complaining and do whats right. Safty first.
Craig says
Has any one else noticed that these “blitz inspection” are now called “international” where as just year or so ago they where called ‘national’. I’m I missing some application of applicable law here??
Ed says
Doc, well said sir and for the ones that say your words are to HARSH, Grow a Thicker Skin ,
Mack. says
Been driving 20 years. The highway equipment we drive today has never been safer than it is now and for the past 10 or so years. What the DOT should concentrate on is the equipment used locally for road building and construction. The dump trucks, the cement mixers etc. Due to the nature of their job they never have to leave town and go through government inspection scales. I never saw one pulled over on the side for inspection. And yet that is according to my observations, the worst maintained, the oldest, the most dangerous equipment, driven by unprofessional yahoos. At least around here, around the Greater Toronto Area. I see them drive like idiots, fast, heavy, with all back wheels wobbly and sometimes while impaired, or stoned.
John D says
In 33 years of driving I have never been put out of service and I actually choose to drive an older truck well its a 2005 and I can guarantee that there is no leaks every thing works and I actually adjust my brakes twice a day depending on how heavy the load is and what route in running I never trust auto adjust anything it is always a laugh when in upstate new York or Florida or out west. The dot always challenge me and I always say check it out and than I ask them would you like to see my service records now my truck only has 1892694 miles on it but I get comments like driver what year did you say the truck is? She is not the prettiest rig but most dot figure its a 2011 or 2012 but I have 4 binders filled with all I have or any shop has done to the truck or trailer I believe my truck has to be safe and yes I’ve been 5 million miles safe or accident free I still run paper logs till Dec 18 so yes I run hard as necessary etc but if you keep the truck and the Driver in good shape you will always win in the end