BrakePlus - Read More

An exclusive product from TIP Insight: TIP's telematics business unit

What is BrakePlus?

BrakePlus is an Electronic Braking Performance Monitoring System (EBPMS), a system that enables users to monitor the braking performance of the trailers in their fleet.

The system captures braking event data from a trailer’s electronic braking system, via the FleetBeat or FleetBeat-Cooler modem device that is fitted to a trailer and calculates a Braking Performance Value. The Braking Performance Value can be displayed on-screen or presented in a Braking Performance Report, which can be produced alongside every safety inspection record and used as evidence for an operator’s preventative maintenance system.

Whatsmore, the system will alert the user to under-performing service brakes by means of an email notification, prompting the user to take appropriate action to have the brakes inspected and possibly remedied.

Monitors braking performance
Automatic email alerts

Why use BrakePlus?

The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) outline best practice for the maintenance of commercial vehicles in their publication ‘Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness’ which states that every safety inspection must assess the braking performance of a trailer.

An EBPMS may be used as a means of assessing a trailer’s braking performance, overcoming the cost and inconvenience of arranging and performing regular physical roller brake tests, over and above that at annual test.

Furthermore, BrakePlus can help improve the overall safety of a trailer and reduce ‘downtime’ and its associated costs by enabling the monitoring of service brake performance.

Reduced roller brake tests
Improve safety
Reduced breakdowns and downtimes

**How to use BrakePlus?**

With BrakePlus, simply view a list of trailers in your fleet with their latest calculated Braking Performance Value. Select a trailer to view further details regarding its braking performance. Periodically, produce a PDF Braking Performance Report as part of a trailer’s safety inspection report. Receive automatic email notification to alert you to under-performing service brakes.

In the event you should have any trailers in your fleet with under-performing service brakes, take appropriate action to have the brakes inspected and potentially arrange for any remedial work to be carried out.

Read a news article on how information relating to any remedial service work carried out by TIP, in addition to the results of any physical roller brake tests that may have been performed, can be seen alongside the braking performance of a trailer in BrakePlus.

Break Plus

If you are interested in BrakePlus and would like to discuss it further with us, please contact us.

Click here to read an article about EBPMS, including what it is, how it works and the DVSA guidance surrounding it.

BrakePlus FAQs

Is BrakePlus able to meet the DVSA specification for Electronic Braking Performance Monitoring Systems (EBPMS)?

Yes, BrakePlus follows the ‘Industry Standard Specification’ for EBPMS as defined by the DVSA. BrakePlus provides users with functionality that may be considered to be in addition to the specification required by the DVSA.

Does having an electronic braking performance monitoring system (EBPMS) fitted to trailers mean that a physical roller brake test doesn’t need to be conducted on them at each inspection?

Yes, EBPMS is a valid means of assessing braking performance on trailers and an alternative to performing a roller brake test at each service inspection. From early 2025, EBPMS and roller brake tests will be the only valid means of assessing braking performance. The EBPMS ‘score’ (or braking performance value) needs to demonstrate a ‘Pass’, of course. The annual roller brake test still needs to be performed.

When should a Braking Performance Report be produced?

Typically, this will be run to coincide with your service inspection periods so that the period being reported on is between scheduled safety inspection intervals.

What should be done with the Braking Performance Report?

Operators who use EBPMS as service braking performance evidence, are expected to include a braking performance report as part of each safety inspection record. This evidence can either be stored electronically or as a printout, which should be retained in-line with the DVSA’s ‘Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness’ publication.

How are fleet teams informed of under-performing brakes?

Under-performing brakes can easily be identified at an EBPMS platform, but fleet teams are typically proactively informed of underperformance, for example, via email.

What should be done in the case of underperformance?

It depends on the degree of underperformance but in the case of BrakePlus, TIP’s own EBPMS, it is typically advised that a trailer be visually inspected to check for issues and remedial action taken to address them. This should be followed by a roller brake test in order to substantiate performance.

Does BrakePlus work on any trailer ?

Yes, assuming it has an electronic braking system (EBS). As a guide, manufacture of trailers post 2008 should be fine. Trailers need to be generating brake events on a regular basis in order for a ‘Braking Performance Value’ to be calculated.

How many trailers are using BrakePlus and what is the main benefit?

The number is increasing daily, so best to say “several thousand” across the UK. The benefit of having BrakePlus is the increased level of safety that it brings from continuous monitoring and the reduced operator costs (e.g. downtime, fuel, travel, cost of test) resulting from the fact that less roller brake tests are required compared to when EBPMS is not fitted.

Why should operators considering EBPMS choose BrakePlus ?

Several reasons, but one of the main advantages is that TIP has the maintenance and repair infrastructure in place throughout the UK to take remedial action on behalf of operators in the event under-performing brakes, as indicated by its EBPMS. BrakePlus also follows the DVSA specification for EBPMS and is an established solution that has proven to be invaluable for many of our customers, whether for use with TIP trailers, their own or even third-party owned assets.