Ban on `jake brakes' repealed

The repeal of the ban took effect in mid-October.

Tom Smith, field manager for the city's Public Works Department, said the issue has come up from time to time.

"There are heavily loaded log trucks trying to negotiate hills on their way to the mill, and that's a long way for those diesel brakes. We've seen some fires as a result," Smith said. "The jake brake is a safety issue."

As the name suggests, compression brakes use the engine's compression to slow the truck by modifying the operation of the truck's engine valves. It's similar to manually shifting down a gear in an automobile. The jake brakes allow drivers to slow their rigs without having to rely solely on the brake pedal alone.

Frank Backus, chief forester for SDS Lumber Co., let the council know that the city's ordinance was not only obsolete, but potentially dangerous.

"Our truck boss brought this to our attention, and we're thankful you've taken this up," Backus told the council at last week's meeting. "Without the use of compression brakes, we're going to have a major accident on one of the grades coming down the hill. The last thing we want is a catastrophic failure."

Bingen-White Salmon Police Chief Bruce Brending pointed out that if a truck is not equipped with an adequate muffling system, the city can still take action to put a stop to it.

"The bottom line is, we can still cite under our noise ordinance if needed," Brending explained. "But it's unwise to have a blanket prohibition, as the jake brakes provide safety braking."

The city's ordinance on compression brakes, Chapter 10.12, reads as follows: "No person shall use motor vehicle brakes commonly known as `Jacobs' or `jake' brakes, which are in any way activated or operated by the compression of the engine of any such motor vehicle, or any unit or part thereof, within the city limits."

The penalty for violating the ordinance is a $50 fine.

In a recent letter to the city of White Salmon, SDS' Backus urged repeal of the ordinance.

"Our major concern is for the safety of our drivers and the public," Backus wrote. "Compression systems augment the normal brakes to prevent overhearing and brake failure. As trucks descend the hills coming down from Snowden, the brakes heat up dramatically even with the assistance compression brakes provide. To prohibit the use of compression brakes at this point as the truck continues to descend the hills in town is asking for a disaster."

Backus added that there was a greater liability issue in play as well.

"We believe it is unsafe to operate our trucks under these conditions. This unsafe condition is mandated by the city's ordinance and therefore we believe that the liability is that of the city's, not ours." he wrote. "In many cases, we have no other alternate route for our trucks other than the streets and highways of your city. We are very concerned that a bad accident can happen because of brake failure."

The letter from Backus was also signed by representatives for Mountain Logging, Inc., Gross Enterprises, Hansen & Spies Logging, James Dean Construction, Inc., Tom Arnold Logging, Inc., C&H Logging, Inc., and M&M Excavating, LLC.

White Salmon Fire Chief Bill Hunsaker said the Fire Department has jake brakes on some of its fire trucks, and Hunsaker advises his crew to use them. Because they are effectively muffled, however, noise has never been an issue when the compression brakes are employed.

"I agree totally with eliminating the jake brake ordinance," Hunsaker said. "It's a big safety issue. Bingen Hill is scary to run on. It used to be quite noisy, but trucks are doing a lot better these days."

"The vast majority of large trucks have muffled brakes now," added Mayor David Poucher.

The council members voted 4-0 to approve repeal of the ordinance.