CVSA’s trucker brake blitz is just weeks away

Truckers across North America should make sure their brakes are in top shape ahead of an upcoming Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) inspection and enforcement campaign.

The CVSA’s Brake Safety Week 2026 is taking place August 23 through 29 in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

As part of the weeklong effort, inspectors will conduct commercial vehicle inspections with special emphasis on brake systems and components. Trucks with brake-related out-of-service violations or any other out-of-service violations will be removed from the road until repairs are completed. In order to prepare for the brake blitz, drivers and carriers are encouraged to perform pre- and post-trip inspections to ensure that all brake systems are safe and compliant.

Each year, the CVSA chooses an area of emphasis for the Brake Safety Week campaign. This year, the focus will be on drums and rotors.

See below for eight tips to help avoid drums and rotors violations during CVSA Brake Safety Week.

1. Note any issues in your driver vehicle inspection reports and report them to the motor carrier.
2. Inspect visible portions of the drum or rotor as part of your pre- and post-trip inspections.
3. Look for signs of cracked or broken pieces in the friction surface of the rotor.
4. Look for cracks that run through to the outer portion of the drum or missing pieces, where visible.
5. On disc brakes, pay attention to the condition of the rotor. Heavily rusted rotors across the entire friction surface indicate an inoperative brake.
6. If the rotor is grooved, indicating metal-to-metal contact, that means the brake pads are worn and the shoe is making contact with the rotor.
7. Ensure the rotor is not worn to the extent that the center vents are exposed.
8. Make sure all repairs are consistent with the brake manufacturer’s requirements and guidelines.

During last year’s Brake Safety Week effort, 15,175 commercial motor vehicle inspections were conducted and 2,296 vehicles were taken out-of-service due to brake-related violations. This is a 15.1% out-of-service rate.