Tractor and Trailer Brake System Compatibility

This paper serves as the seventh report in a series of reports on NHTSA's Heavy Vehicle Brake Research Program and deals with the subject of tractor and trailer brake system compatibility. It provides a detailed definition of compatibility, discusses the factors that influence it and presents data and analyses which indicate the degree of compatibility in the heavy duty combination vehicle fleet at large. The paper suggests ways in which compatibility can be improved so that combination vehicle brake systems will be more durable and provide an enhanced level of safety.