Commercial vehicle inspectors conducted a record number of inspections during Operation Air Brake - 20,810 - and found a slightly higher percentage of brake problems resulting in out-of-service orders than last year.


Thirty-six states and provinces across the U.S. and Canada, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and industry partners participated in the 2008 Brake Safety Week program during the week of September 21, 2008. Brake Safety Week was launched as a pilot program in 2005 as a part of the Operation Air Brake Campaign sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

This year's activities included 697 vehicle inspections and 6,154 brakes assessed using performance-based brake testers by five states in six locations across the U.S. The roadside inspections resulted in 2,339 vehicles (11.2 percent) being placed out of service for brake adjustment defects, 1,873 vehicles placed out of service (9 percent) for brake component defects, and a total of 3,835 vehicles placed out of service (18.4 percent) for brake defects.

These numbers represent an increase over most of last year's out of service rates during Brake Safety Week, which were 11.4 percent, 8.6 percent and 17.8 percent respectively.

"We continue to put a heavy emphasis on brakes because they are one of the most critical components in the safe operation of a commercial motor vehicle," said CVSA Executive Director Stephen F. Campbell. "Having defective brakes increases the risk to all travelers on the roads - a problem CVSA is working actively with partners in industry and government to eliminate."

A number of educational outreach activities were also conducted across North America including: free brake inspections at several truckstops in Saskatchewan; safety presentations in Missouri; and classroom learning and other educational activities conducted at inspection shops nationwide by Landstar Carrier Services in Florida. In addition, more than 40,000 pieces of educational literature on brake adjustment were distributed to drivers, technicians and motor carrier safety personnel.

Since the Operation Air Brake Campaign was launched in 1988, roadside inspections has resulted in:
· 271,016 vehicle inspections
· 2,191,366 brakes inspected
· 11.08 percent of vehicles placed out of service for brake adjustment defects
· 7.94 percent of vehicles placed out of service for brake component defects
· 17.1 percent of vehicles placed out of service for brake related defects
· 8.87 percent of brakes equipped with manual brake adjusters placed out of service
· 3.91 percent of brakes equipped with self-adjusting brake adjusters placed out of service
· 5.07 percent of all brakes inspected placed out of service for brake adjustment defects

For more on CVSA visit www.cvsa.org.