Law enforcement agencies across North America will conduct a brake system inspection blitz on large trucks and buses as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) annual Brake Safety Week, September 6-12, to identify out-of-adjustment brakes and brake system violations. Although the week will shine a spotlight on brake safety, it is something fleets should focus on year round, said Mike Hasinec, vice president ofmaintenance support at Penske Truck Leasing.
Properly functioning brake systems are crucial to safe vehicle operations, and Hasinec said brakes should be checked routinely at every preventive maintenance (PM) inspection.
“Every time we do a PM, safety items are checked," he explained. "This is not something you say you’re going to check just because it is Brake Week. There are a handful of things you don’t skimp on—tires, brakes and steering.”
CVSA said, ”Improperly installed or poorly maintained brake systems can reduce the braking capacity and increase stopping distance of trucks and buses, which pose serious risks to driver and public safety.”
Brake inspections conducted during Brake Safety Week include inspection of brake-system components to identify loose or missing parts, air or hydraulic fluid leaks, worn linings, pads, drums or rotors and other faulty brake-system components. Antilock braking system malfunction indicator lamps also are checked, and CVSA said inspectors will inspect brake components and measure pushrod stroke where applicable.
Hasinec said the two top brake-related out-of-service items he sees are brakes out of adjustment and chafing of brake lines.
In some cases, brakes are cited as being out of adjustment when they are on the verge of adjusting. “In today’s vehicles with automatic slack adjusters, we try to train the drivers that if they are heading into a scale, they can apply the brakes several times at a high pounds-per-square-inch (PSI) level—90 or better—and a slack adjuster on the verge of adjusting will go ahead and adjust,” he explained.
To minimize chafing, Hasinec said the routing and clipping of brake lines should be checked at every PM, noting that clips can break, causing lines to rub.
Jensen is interviewed by local news media at the event.
As part of its Australian expansion, Penske Truck Rental has opened its 
Here are some details:
A total of 23 
“Trillium CNG is excited to be partnering with NFI, Penske and Wegmans Foods to make CNG available in the area,” said Mary Boettcher, Trillium CNG president. “We’re confident other fleet operators in the tri-state region will take advantage of the environmental and economic benefits that natural gas provides.”
For the last three years, Penske has captured the SmartWay Affiliate Challenge Award in the United States.
Once again in 2015, 
“We are very pleased to have Mitsui as a partner in PTL. Mitsui brings extensive experience across many different areas to our partnership and will become a key strategic partner as we look to expand and enhance our operations both domestically and internationally. We look forward to the new opportunities that our collaboration with Mitsui will bring and the value we can deliver to Mitsui,” said Brian Hard, President and CEO of 
Penske currently operates an expanding commercial truck rental fleet of late-model prime movers from MAN and Western Star. The newly opened Melbourne location rents MAN TGS 540 and TGS 480 6x4 sleepers (b-double rated), Western Star 5800 6x4 sleepers (b-double and road train rated), and new to its fleet offering at the Melbourne location are Freightliner Coronado 6x4 day cabs (b-double rated).
“The facility serves the needs of Penske’s truck fleet and contract customers, as well as commercial truck fleets,” said James Svaasand, Penske’s vice president of collision repair.
