Understanding the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) fleet scores and how they relate to your truck and trailer brakes can be somewhat confusing. Listed below are a few common preventable issues with brakes that can lead to poor CSA scores for fleets if unchecked.

What are common preventable brake issues that can lead to poor CSA scores for fleets?

There are a number of possible Brake violations that can impact a Fleet’s CSA score. The following are some of the most common brake shoe related violations.

• Cracked brake lining – cracks or voids that exceed 1/16 inch in width observable on the edge of the lining. (393.47(a))
• Portion of a lining segment is missing such that a fastening device (rivet or bolt) is exposed when viewing the lining from the edge. (393.47(a))
• Cracks that exceed 1-1/2 inch in length. (393.47(a))
• Loose lining segment. (393.47(a))
• Complete lining segment missing. (393.47(a))
• The friction surface of the brake drum and the brake friction material are contaminated by oil or grease. (393.47(a))
• Lining thickness less than ¼ inch or to worn into the wear indicator

For more information:

https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documents/SMSMethodology.pdf