OTTAWA, Ont. — Tomorrow marks the return of Operation Air Brake, a one-day blitz to inspect the mechanical fitness of brakes on commercial vehicles.

Canadian transportation enforcement officers will again participate in the one day crackdown coordinated by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators.

“The government is pleased to work with some of our road user safety partners in this important initiative, especially since brake related defects continue to be the most common reason our officers take trucks off the road,” says Ontario Transport Minister Brad Clark.

Each year, unannounced one-day blitzes are held in May and October, and a publicized inspection is held in September. Results of the three are compiled, analyzed and compared with the previous year’s statistics to measure the commercial vehicle industry’s compliance with air brake requirements.

Last year during the three Operation Air Brake blitzes, Ontario inspected a total of 1,976 out of 7,989 commercial vehicles checked nationwide — more than any other Canadian jurisdiction. The total number of commercial vehicles taken out of service in Ontario for air brake violations over the three inspections in 2000 was 98, or 4.9 per cent, the lowest rate in North America for jurisdictions with similar vehicle inspection volumes.

“Ontario now ranks first in Canada and second in North America for having the safest roads,” says Clark. “I am committed to maintaining my ministry’s excellent safety record.”