AVON, Ohio — Daniel Breckenridge was fascinated by trucks as a kid and 35 years later, he owns and operates Breckenridge Trucking Inc.
“I played with trucks,” Breckenridge said. “I’d sit at the end of the driveway and watch trucks go by. I bought my first truck when I was a senior in high school – a 1980 Kenworth spring-ride tractor with drum brakes. I was on work release, so part of the day I was in school and the other part I was driving a truck.”
Breckenridge operates the company his wife, Susan. His father, Donald Breckenridge, founded the family business in 1973. Daniel and Susan’s daughter, Courtney, recently joined the company, bringing a third generation to the offices of the Wenona, Ill.-based carrier.
According to a media release, a 100% tank operation, Breckenridge Trucking is a specialized HAZMAT carrier transporting a diverse range of alcohols, petroleum products, and food grade products to the contiguous 48 United States and Canada from its terminal in Wenona. The company runs approximately 100 Kenworth tractors and 130 tank trailers. Breckenridge Trucking’s unwavering commitment to safety includes supporting its 90 drivers with technologies from Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems (Bendix), including the Bendix ADB22X air disc brake (ADB) and Bendix Fusion advanced driver assistance system (ADAS).
“The business is a lifelong dream,” Breckenridge said. “I never would have guessed we’d be where we’re at today. We operate by family values. It has to come from the heart and soul. That’s what we do.”
Stopping with Confidence
Breckenridge Trucking has spec’ed Bendix ADB22X air disc brakes on the fleet’s equipment since 2010.
“As a tank operation hauling HAZMAT, we believe the shorter stopping distance of air disc brakes is a huge factor,” Breckenridge said. “You don’t have the brake fade you get with drums. You just get in and go, and you can expect the truck to stop.”
He was sold on ADBs from his first test drive and became an early adopter.
“We had a lot of pushback from our dealers when we started using disc brakes,” Breckenridge said. “We were told disc brakes were too new and hadn’t been proven, and that we wouldn’t find parts because nobody was running them. So we stocked parts and still do today. It was tough going against the grain. But I would not change a thing.”
According to the release, air disc brakes provide shorter stopping distances compared to drum brakes and virtually eliminate brake fade, providing greater reliability with more consistent stops. During heavy stop-and-go traffic situations or mountain descents, brake fade can start to set in on drum brakes, extending stopping distances as drum brakes heat up. Air disc brakes also provide improved brake stability from side to side, reducing the risk of brake steer for straighter, more stable stops. In addition, the performance advantages of air disc brakes mean they provide better support to today’s advanced driver assistance systems.
Breckenridge Trucking appreciates the maintenance advantages of the ADB22X, as well – specifically, quicker pad replacement and longer pad life, leading to greater uptime and lower maintenance costs.
Advanced Driver Assistance
Breckenridge Trucking’s early adoption of advanced safety systems in support of its drivers also includes Bendix Fusion on all tractors since 2016, soon after Bendix launched the technology in 2015.
Fusion is built on the foundational technology of the Bendix ESP Electronic Stability Program full-stability system, which Breckenridge adopted in 2015. This technology enables the system to help assist drivers in potentially mitigating some additional crash situations, including rollovers and loss-of-control scenarios, the release noted.
“Fusion gathers input through its radar, video, and the ESP braking system, combining and cross-checking the data from sensors that are working together and not just in parallel,” the release said. “By creating a more detailed assessment from this information, Fusion assists a driver to potentially mitigate a rear-end collision on moving and stationary vehicles, active cruise with braking, along with following distance alerts, stationary object alerts, lane departure warning, and alerts when speeding.”
Further strengthening its safety efforts, Breckenridge Trucking incorporates the Bendix TABS-6 Advanced trailer roll stability system and the Bendix BlindSpotter side object detection system.
According to the release, the Bendix TABS-6 Advanced trailer roll stability system combines antilock braking with a set of trailer sensors, which monitor stability and can quickly and automatically trigger braking interventions when conditions that may lead to a rollover are detected. Available in single-channel and multichannel configurations, TABS-6 delivers solutions suitable for a variety of fleet needs.
BlindSpotter is a side-radar system designed to alert drivers to objects in adjacent lanes to help mitigate sideswipe crashes. BlindSpotter operates independently of the Bendix Fusion system.
In selecting the technologies, Breckenridge Trucking did extensive homework that included attending trade shows and Bendix demos.
“You drive the equipment and see it perform,” Breckenridge said. “You can reenact real-life situations on the roadway, experiencing stability, collision mitigation, and braking distance on the disc brakes.”
“Bendix emphasizes that safety technologies complement safe driving practices,” the release said. “No commercial vehicle safety technology replaces a skilled, alert driver exercising safe driving techniques and proactive, comprehensive driver training. Responsibility for the safe operation of the vehicle remains with the driver at all times.”
Safety Culture Built on Education
At Breckenridge Trucking, the culture of safety begins at orientation for every employee.
“Our safety culture starts with everybody being involved, from office personnel to drivers, technicians, management, and ownership,” Breckenridge said. “We train everybody equally – the same training to understand safe operations and HAZMAT.”
Among the distinctions growing out of the company’s safety efforts are top marks year after year in Great West Casualty Company’s safety awards, the release said.
Bendix supports the carrier through education, conducting multiple on-site sessions at the Wenona headquarters over the years to help drivers, technicians, and other team members understand the technology.
“It’s a group effort at Breckenridge Trucking – they’re truly an inspiring team,” said Al Rollison, interim senior director of fleet and aftermarket sales and service at Bendix. “Everyone is cordial and willing to work with you while accepting no compromises when it comes to safety, an ethic that is a perfect fit with Bendix. This committed group lives their safety mission, and we’re proud to be part of their story.”
For Breckenridge Trucking, Bendix has validated their choice of technology partner many times over.
“We went with Bendix and stayed with Bendix,” Breckenridge said. “They’re a leader in the industry and have served us well. They’ve been good to us. We would like to thank Bendix for their continued partnership.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
