Changing trailer braking system guidelines: are you ready?
From April, it is expected that trailers have at least four laden roller brake tests per year or have an electronic braking performance monitoring system (EBPMS) fitted.
What's happening?
Following the latest updates to the DVSA's 'Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness', transport operators face significant changes when it comes to assessing the braking performance of the semi-trailers in their fleet.
From April, trailers are expected to have a roller brake test for each safety inspection or have an EBPMS fitted to enable braking performance assessment via a braking performance report. What's more, without EBPMS assessing performance, its expected that a minimum of four of those roller brake tests will be laden*, spread evenly throughout the year!
*albeit, a risk assessment may be performed to detail reasons for it not be laden
Are you ready?
For operators that don't already have EBPMS fitted to the trailers in their fleet, that's a significant cost change, especially considering the impact of arranging for trailers to be laden for testing. It also means additional inconvenience in terms of 'downtime' and additional administration effort, unless incorporated into a lease or maintenance contract.
If you've already made plans to accommodate this, including securing roller brake test slots (or already have EBPMS fitted), that's great.
If you haven't, then fitting EBPMS to your trailer fleet offers an effective alternative to regular roller brake tests; one which will reduce your 'compliance' related costs, improve your operational efficiency and enhance the safety of your fleet.
BrakePlus is TIP's electronic braking performance monitoring system (EBPMS) which is fitted to around 15,000 trailers in the UK to provide their operators with continuous performance monitoring of their trailers' braking system, whilst reducing their costs and ensuring ongoing 'compliance'. It also improves safety for road users.
BrakePlus is the fully supported EBPMS solution that is backed by more than 30 workshops and hundreds of third party authorised service providers across the UK to provide support in the event of detected braking performance issues. TIP offers a unique EBPMS solution to keep your 'downtime' to a minimum.
To find out more about electronic braking perfomance monitoring, read our EBPMS article.
If you would like TIP to get in touch with you to discuss EBPMS further, please contact us.
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Reduce physical roller brake test requirement throughout the year |
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Reduce ‘downtime’ for testing, plus associated travel & admin cost |
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Reduce likelihood of breakdowns, with proactive monitoring |
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Improve safety, with automatic & continuous monitoring of brakes |
