Bison Transport has a 12 step brake process in place that all Drivers are required to perform as part of the regular pre-trip vehicle inspection.

Treana, Professional Driver

One of our professional Drivers, Treana, takes her brake check a bit further by opening her window during the air leak check and the 6-pack brake application that is required to adjust automatic breaks slack adjusters. By opening her window she can actually listen and hear the sounds made by her truck during these processes in case something sounds different or off.

On November 24 this precaution paid off. While she was doing her 6 full brake applications with her window open, she heard the air system make a strange and unusual noise, different from the usual ratcheting sound the automatic slack adjusters make when adjusting.

She visually inspected the brakes very carefully and almost immediately discovered the problem - a broken brake drum, which appeared to have been broken for a while. This problem is not noticeable without visual inspection, and it was her careful listening that initially helped her realize there was issue.

Treana's dedication to safety shows us the benefit of using multiple senses to help identify problems. Another company’s Driver had dropped the trailer and had been completely unaware of the problem. The repair technician said the broken brake drum could easily have caused a very dangerous wheel-off situation if it had gone unnoticed. A wheel falling off of a semi-trailer could have caused some very serious damage! Additionally, the Driver and the company could have faced very significant fines.

This story serves to remind all Drivers of the importance of using all of their senses when doing a vehicle inspection. Look, listen, touch, smell…

To learn more about being a professional Driver at Bison like Treana, please go to www.bisondriving.com.