Brake Safety Week is one of the largest annual inspection and enforcement events across North America, taking place Aug. 24-30.

The weeklong yearly inspection and enforcement event run by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) examines vehicles across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Brake Safety Week is part of CVSA's Operation Airbrake initiative — an outreach and enforcement campaign that aims to reduce the number of highway crashes caused by faulty brake systems on commercial motor vehicles.

While the program applies to all commercial motor vehicles, school buses are very much part of the focus. In past years, thousands of vehicles were placed out of service due to brake-related violations, which can just as easily impact school buses if fleets aren't vigilant.

"During last year's CVSA Brake Safety Week, nearly 13% of the 16,725 vehicles inspected — a total of 2,149 — were placed out of service for brake-related issues," said Brian Screeton, manager of technical training and service at Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems.

This year, the team at Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC offers practical tips for being prepared, staying safe, and passing inspection.

"Proper maintenance practices and regular equipment inspection can help prevent many violations. What goes on in the wheel-ends and braking system directly impacts multiple aspects of safe vehicle operation — there's no overstating the importance of keeping up with maintenance and inspection of those areas," Screeton said.

Drums and Rotors Key Focus Areas for 2025

CVSA-certified inspectors will conduct routine commercial motor vehicle inspections throughout the week, focusing on brake systems and components. They'll be checking for:

• Air leaks around brake components and lines.

• Air pressure in the target range of 90-100 psi when checking for air leaks.

• Broken springs in the spring brake housing section of the parking brake.

• Holes in tubing caused by rubbing.

• Mismatched air brake chamber sizes across axles.

• Missing, nonfunctioning, loose, or cracked parts.

• Proper operation of the tractor protection system.

• Proper brake chamber pushrod travel.

• Drum brake S-cam has "cammed over".

• Slack adjusters on the same axle are not at the same length.

• Warning device functionality (such as antilock braking system, MIL – Malfunction Indicator Light).

For this year’s Brake Safety Week, inspectors will keep a special eye on drums and rotors.

Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Checks for School Bus Fleets

"Inspections – pre-, post-trip, and regular – can make an important difference toward catching brake-related issues before they become problems, everything from damaged components like air brake chambers or pushrods to loose hoses," Screeton said. He recommends the following:

• Daily: Inspect air brake chambers, pushrods, and slack adjusters. Confirm even extension on each axle. Check tubing and hose condition.

• Weekly: Apply brakes at 90-100 psi with the parking brake released and listen for leaks. Check rotors and drum linings for cracks.

• Monthly: Check for moisture in the air system to prevent contamination that leads to component deterioration and system leaks.

Plus, Bendix recommends that anytime a vehicle goes to the shop, it's worth greasing the drum brake S-cam tubes and automatic slack adjusters. According to Bendix, this quick process helps prevent rust and corrosion, purges out water and contaminants from the components, and also helps keep the slack functioning properly.

Screeton added, "And remember: How well the brakes and wheel-ends perform when they're needed is tied to proper operation of many other vehicle systems, including stopping power and helping support the performance of higher-level technologies like collision mitigation."

Why Proper Parts and Training Matter

Using non-OEM or low-quality replacement friction can jeopardize compliance and safety. For school bus operators, that could mean unexpected out-of-service violations during inspections. Choosing components designed to work together ensures better protection and performance.

Outside of parts, Bendix suggests training drivers and technicians, which can provide another layer of prevention and proactive maintenance:

• Drivers are often the first to notice brake performance issues on the road.

• Technicians should ask detailed questions about when, where, and how the issue appeared to diagnose effectively.

• Fleets should leverage training resources to keep technicians up-to-date.

"Regular brake inspections are key to keeping school buses operating safely, and proper training is the cornerstone that will enable technicians to identify and correct deficiencies found during the inspection and repair process," Screeton said. "It's critical for the school bus industry to seek training for technicians to keep them up to date on the braking system, as well as on the ever-evolving electronic safety systems that are present on school buses today and will be in the future."

With student safety as the top priority, preventive maintenance is non-negotiable. A kinked hose, uneven slack adjuster, or work rotor may seem small, but during Brake Safety Week, those details could take a bus out of service, and during the school year, they could disrupt service for hundreds of students.