Abstract

In 2021, manual thermal brake screening systems were installed at Lyon EB and Rowan County weigh stations. Two additional units were installed at Laurel SB and Scott County weigh stations the following year. Although this system is called a thermal brake screening system, its thermal camera images are used to find both brake and tire-related violations. At the time of this project, Lyon (EB), Rowan, and Scott County inspection locations also had tire pressure detection systems in addition to manual thermal brake screening systems. Both systems can be used to identify tire-related violations, but inspectors prefer to use the tire pressure detection system for its ease of use. As a result, the usage rates for the thermal brake screening systems in Rowan and Scott Counties have been low to nonexistent. A quantitative analysis was conducted on the inspections that occurred at Lyon EB and Laurel SB, where the use of the technology was high, to determine the system's effectiveness. A comparison of the level 1 inspection results using the thermal brake screening system to the ones without thermal screening has shown that the system is effective in identifying vehicles with brake and tire-related violations. The use of thermal camera images resulted in a significantly higher number of detected violations and out-of-service placements. It should be noted that inspectors prefer to use tire pressure detection systems for tire-related violations over thermal camera images if an inspection location is already equipped with tire pressure detection systems. Additional training on thermal brake screening systems is recommended so inspectors can use the right tool for brake-violation identification. The training is recommended at weigh stations with both thermal brake screening systems and tire pressure detection systems. In considering expanded use of the thermal brake screening system, we recommend that Kentucky explore the benefits and costs associated with automated systems as an alternative to the manual ones. A quantitative comparison of benefits and costs of an automated system is currently unavailable, so we recommend Kentucky 1) reach out to states with automated systems and collect information on the frequency of breakdowns, the main causes of the breakdowns, the duration of the breakdowns before repair, and the costs related to the repairs; 2) compare them to manual systems in Kentucky; and 3) conduct a cost-benefit analysis to examine if the benefits outweigh the costs. If the analysis determines that the expected benefits outweigh the foreseen costs, we recommend Kentucky install one automated thermal imaging system at a weigh station for an in-depth evaluation of the system's effectiveness before deciding upon further expansion.

Report Date

8-2024

Report Number

KTC-25-07

Digital Object Identifier

https://doi.org/10.13023/ktc.rr.2025.07

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