Operational Policy 5 - Raised Lift Axles

Operational Policy 5 - Raised Lift Axle policy currently addresses what to do with defects that are found on the lift axle. The question was posed as to whether that same axle is to be used when determining how many brakes are on the combination. After polling several instructors and other inspectors, I determined that everyone that I contacted does not include this axle into the calculation, so a 6 axle combination with one raised lift axle is treated like a 5 axle combination and therefore there are 10 brakes considered for the 20% OOS criteria.

The policy does not state the appropriate action to take regarding the raised lift axle as it pertains to the 20% total number of brakes. The policy should be amended to accurately reflect what is and should be done to eliminate any questions or inconsistent applications.

Amend the Raised Lift Axle policy to read as follows: Raised lift axles are to be inspected to ensure all components are secure and for conditions that adversely affect the overall vehicle operation. If a critical inspection item defect is discovered on a non-required lift axle, the vehicle is not eligible for a CVSA decal and the defect should only be documented in the notes section of the inspection report. A component on a raised lift axle that is not secure or a defect that will adversely affect the overall condition of the vehicle operation, even with the lift axle raised, shall be documented as a violation. The raised lift axle shall not be included in determining the total number of brakes on a vehicle combination for the 20 percent service brake calculation.