An Electronic Brake Performance Monitoring System or EBPMS helps operators to ensure that the electronic braking system (EBS) fitted to their trailers is operational and in a safe and roadworthy condition at all times.
In the UK, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) outlines a set of guidelines to help operators to run a safe and compliant fleet. In addition to a mandatory annual MOT, the DVSA recommend a quarterly rolling road brake test for trailers to ensure that all trailer brake systems are regularly checked.
The DVSA also set out guidance for manufacturers of Electronic Brake Performance Monitoring Systems to ensure that their systems adequately monitor and report on brake performance and conform to the industry standard.
Information from an EBPMS can be used by fleet management software to monitor the condition and performance of the trailer brake system, highlighting trailer units that need attention. This allows transport operators to take a proactive stance on the maintenance of their trailers, detecting problems earlier and intervening before a minor warning becomes a costly mechanical fault.
Having an Electronic Brake Performance Monitoring System helps operators to reduce fuel costs, and limit the overall business cost of downtime for maintenance, by optimising the braking performance of their trailers.
Regular maintenance of brakes and tyres can help to extend the overall lifespan of a vehicle and prevent road accidents. A faulty trailer braking system can result in a range of long term consequences, from a drop in fuel efficiency (as the driver attempts to compensate for worn brakes) to wider vehicle damage and increased safety risks for the driver and other road users.
Diagnosis of a mechanical issue or failure becomes much easier with frequent testing. Rolling road tests provide valuable information to vehicle owners, making it possible to safely measure a vehicle’s (or trailer’s) performance at varying speeds and load weights. While necessary to remain compliant with DVSA guidelines, the time-intensive nature of these tests monopolises a driver and trailer, presenting a significant downside for operators – particularly those with a smaller fleet.
With an EBPMS in place, transport operators need only have their vehicles conduct a rolling road test once a year as part of the annual MOT, with the EBPMS actively alerting to any faults in the meantime.
Trailer Telematics
While operators have been taking advantage of vehicle telematics technology for many years to enhance their fleet management processes, trailers themselves have been a secondary concern with limited connectivity in the past.
By providing each trailer its own telematics hardware, however, operators can track, manage and more efficiently utilise their trailer fleet to turn increased fuel efficiency and less downtime into all-important cost savings.
Microlise Trailer Telematics can help operators monitor more than just their trailer braking system, offering a specialised solution that can enhance all aspects of running a trailer fleet. From fully integrated temperature monitoring to door sensor alerts and the added security option of a load-facing camera, Trailer Telematics makes it easy to get the most out of your existing trailer fleet.
A suite of dedicated analysis reports and the option of automatic safety alerts allows transport operators to manage their trailers by exception, ensuring that every journey is safe, satisfactory and fully compliant.
Microlise Trailer Brake Performance Monitoring
Under the wider umbrella of our Trailer Telematics safety and compliance solution, Microlise Trailer Brake Performance Monitoring offers operators all of the time, cost, and fuel efficiency benefits of protecting their trailers with an EBPMS – alongside access to a suite of other data reports and integration with our comprehensive package of fleet monitoring tools.
