REGINA, Sask. – The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) held an unannounced Operation Air Brake check last month, and officials say the gentle decline in out-of-service brake components and the number of vehicles in need of brake adjustment are positive signs.

This year’s preliminary results for Canadian jurisdictions reported a 6.6 per cent out-of-service rate for adjustment, which means 6.6 per cent of the 2,044 vehicles checked across Canada were taken off the road for brake adjustment. Last year’s results showed a seven per cent out of service rate for brake adjustments. There were three Canadian jurisdictions yet to report 2003 numbers at the date of publication.

Brake adjustment is one focus of the blitz, but there are many other components to the brake systems, like the linings, the air liner and the compressors, that account for the out-of-service brake component rate, said John Meed, program manager for the Transport Compliance Branch of Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation. The out-of-service rate for brake components this year was 6.7 per cent, up slightly from last year’s 6.2 per cent.

“There were no surprises in numbers, and the gentle decline in out-of-service rates is good,” Meed said.

In the U.S., the CVSA checked 11,193 vehicles in May, and experienced a 15.2 per cent out-of-service rate for brake adjustment and a nine per cent rate for brake components. This year’s Operation Air Brake fall blitz will be held on Sept. 4. For more information visit, www.cvsa.org