How long should your air last?

[luvrbus]

Really I have always wanted that all people driving the RV's with a air brake system have CDL's or a air brake endorsement at the least that way they do understand how the system is supposed to work JMO

Now days you have computers controlling your brakes that scares me, my point was Joe people get so wrapped up in the DOT air test nothing else seems to matters who cares if it holds air for months if it doesn't stop  another of my opinions 

I saw a 4104 and a 4106 pass the Dot test here but it was for the older systems no way could it pass a standard DOT inspection of today like the one posted with the old ICC brakes and a mechanical parking brake those are scary without air pressure

For years the tandem trucks never had brakes on the front axle it was supposed to be safer stopping with 2 axle brakes than the 3 axle brakes figure that one I never could

Just check your brakes all the years I own my trucks we never got a ticket for brakes from DOT a lost nut and bolt yea Dot has some good rules some suck and don't make it any safer for the public or driver just stupid rules  

[belfert]

On the last day, when most of the folk were leaving, I walked around, listening.  Out of the 100 or so coaches that were there, I only heard ONE doing an air brake check.  Most folk at least did a walk around looking at lights, retrieving their electric and sewer, checking the oil, and other pre-trip related duties, but again, I only heard ONE coach operator doing an air brake check.

I was at that rally.  I had a printer and laptop with me and I actually printed out the pre-trip test document you have posted over at BNO.

Before I left, I went through and did the tests that you had on your sheet, but I got interrupted partway through by another bus parked in front of me that was impatient to go.  I had to back out so he could get out.  He didn't want to wait for me to finish my pre-trip inspection.  It does take time to do a proper inspection particularly if you don't do it on a regular basis.

[lostagain]

I have had a class 2 with air endorsement for 40 years now. It is the Canadian equivalent of a CDL for commercial buses. It is renewable here in BC every 5 years.

While I do a complete pre-trip once in a while, I don't do it every day while on the road on a trip. I am the only one driving my bus. I do all the maintenance and repairs on it. I am very familiar with it and how it behaves normally. I can feel anything unusual right away and have a pretty good idea where it comes from. Before I start it in the morning, I note how much pressure was lost overnight, then once running, how fast it builds. I am always aware of how often the compressor cycles. I adjust the slacks on the brakes regularly,  so if the brakes felt different, I would notice.

Doing a complete pre-trip every time I move my own private coach would be anal.

When I drove the hockey team's bus, which also had a commercial charter license, I did a complete pre-trip and a post-trip every day that I used the coach. It is required by law, has to be recorded in the log book, plus I felt I had the moral responsibility as well.

Having said all that, I know several of you out there don't know very much about air brakes and air systems, so the least you could do is learn how to perform a proper pre-trip, and if you find a problem, don't move until it is fixed. Even though it is not required in most American states, take a course.

Be safe,

JC

[akroyaleagle]

Well said lostagain!

My point was to know how to do a proper check. I also agree that we don't need to do them every day
on our own coaches that no one else drives for the reasons you state.

Clifford: I have always been against the requirement for a CDL for private individuals. Mostly because
the "Govmint" would be involved. We all know they can't run anything right. I believe there should be
a way to get folks to understand air brakes and the dangers of low pressure or other fault.
I've had a commercial drivers license since 1969. I keep mine current but finally let the HazMat endorsement
go last year when I renewed. I'm a little south of you in age so decided I would not be hauling HazMat in my coach.
(And if I do, I don't want the feds involved)

I also remember a lot of truckers backing off the front brakes. Those were usually the same guys that drove on
ice with the Jake engaged! Unless one is in a position to back it up with action, comments to them fall on deaf ears!

belfert: Try not to let the actions of others prevent you from doing what you feel you need to do.
A complete check takes only a few minutes. With practice it is pretty short.
Hardly seems to inconvience anyone.
Many accidents are caused by that kind of distraction.

All: There is a wealth of information on these boards. All of it is not always good info. Please try the advice offered
before discounting it. It's your and yours that could have to pay the price for ignorance.

The definition of Ignorance and complacency is: (I don't know and I don't care)

[luvrbus]

Joe when I watch ice truckers I think of  Abbey that quoted 

"one man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes,but for real bonna fide stupidity there ain't nothing can beat team work" and yea I am a little south of you in age I have had a CDL since 1958 lol

good luck

[Lin]

Considering that merely having a regular driver's license does not entitle you to drive a motorcycle without an added endorsement, it is silly that one can drive a huge RV without one.  However, to say that you should need a CDL and renew it every couple of years seems to be the other extreme.  A one-time endorsement would be a good compromise.  Of course, even that would decimate the RV industry. 

[luvrbus]

You need a different license to drive a truck that has a gross weight over 26,000 # for private use buses weighing up to 50,000 + lbs now what is the difference

I have a exemption because I am don't drive for pay renewal is every 10 years with no medical exam  cost me 35 bucks for 10 years

[akroyaleagle]

Ha! Clifford,

I know for a fact you are NORTH of me in age and they didn't have CDLs until the late 70s or early 80s. You like me had a "Commercial" or "Chauffeurs" license. Remember? Maybe in your day it was a permit from Moses!

Lin:

I too agree we need some training and refreshing in this country. Here's some of my suggestions:

Maybe an endorsement on the regular license for RV and airbrake.
Periodic Defensive Driving training.
The written test every third renewal or so.
NO interpreters! If you can't read the rules, you don't drive. I do go along with Spanish language tests.
We have here several third world cultures that neither read nor understand the rules. Most have
never driven anything before. They are imported by the meat plants.
We also have many elderly and the usual young'un and their cell phones.
Also many young guys driving like their hair is on fire. Clifford and I probably used to drive like that also
but there wasn't so many people then.

I fear we are headed here!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/oFkw5JFOmHk

[luvrbus]

They were called commercial Joe in the 80's if you had commercial licenses where I lived you were grandfathered in they just issued you a CDL no testing or medical was required I got my CDL's in 81 0r 82 To this day I never had a medical maybe time you think 

I renewed last year and passed the eye exam with no glasses pretty good for a old guy and these should be the last for me   

[akroyaleagle]

I renewed my CDL last year too Clifford.

I have worn glasses since I failed an eye test to get OUT of the Army in 69! I passed last year also without them.
Maybe they're just not checking as close?

I let my Commercial license lapse when I went to Alaska in 89. I had to go through the whole shebang to get it
back in 96.

I dealt with a lot of drivers that had been Grandfathered while with the Bus Company. Many of them had serious problems.
If I hired them, I brought them up to date.

[bevans6]

Wow, here I was thinking I was one of the only ones around here that thought this way!  Makes me feel good to hear this stuff.  I've had a commercial license (Ontario Class D) for my almost whole driving life, got my license at 17 and started driving school buses at 20  (thinking about that now, that in itself is scary, a kid just out of high school driving a school bus...) so that's 35 years.  I got the Z endorsement for air brakes when I got the bus, then I studied the heck out of air brakes for a couple of years till I finally got it straight in my head.  One thing I did as part of my learning routine was write a document that I posted here called "How to test every thing on a air brake system".  I got a few things wrong, mostly in the emergency brake part of a DD3 system, but doing that meant that I learned how every part of the system worked, and how to verify that it works.  I like that I know what's happening.

Brian

[belfert]

I had a CDL permit at one time.  I was driving parking shuttles at a state fairgrounds and their insurer was going to require CDLs, but the insurer decided against it.  There was no reason to get my CDL after that.  (The state fair vehicles did not have air brakes.)

I did go through the Bendix brake class and it is good, but it mostly talks theory.  Nothing about how to actually adjust or repair the wheel end stuff.  I've been waiting to see if I could get into a air brake class at a local tech college, but the air brake class was not offered this year.  I assume since it is a two year program that it will be offered next school year.  I haven't checked yet to see if the school and/or instructor will even let me into the class.

[akroyaleagle]

Belfert:

You certainly do not need a two year course in air brakes unless you might want to design something new.

Either attend a rally where a knowledgeable Nut is and ask them to show you or Offer to pay a
knowledgeable mechanic or even a good driver from a bus or truck Co. to show you, on your own bus.

Every truck driver of vehicles equipped with airbrakes is required to demonstrate proficiency or attend training
in adjusting and checking the airbrake systems. They are required to be documented in the Co records and are
given a card to carry.

I did not say everyone complies. I said that is the requirement.

The trick is to know who is knowledgeable! Everything you need to know could be covered in under an hour
on your own bus. You would then be able to maintain your own systems and know your bus is safe.

Stop by my place and I will show you if that works for you.

[belfert]

You certainly do not need a two year course in air brakes unless you might want to design something new.

The air brake course is not two years.  The entire truck mechanic course is two years and the air brake course is one semester.

I do have a relative that is a heavy diesel mechanic for the state that I was thinking about talking to.

[bevans6]

There used to be a course that a driver could take that would license him to adjust manual slack adjusters on commercial vehicles in Ontario, but while the license still exists they don't offer the course anymore.  Everything is auto slack adjusters now, and you have to be a licensed truck mechanic to adjust those.  Drivers can check them, but cannot adjust them.

Brian