Let me start off by saying my hands aren’t entirely clean when it comes to making automotive repairs with zip ties. Is it a perfect solution? No. Has it been the only solution on more than one occasion for me? Most definitely. But I can honestly say I’ve never used them as a band-aid on something critical for safety. The same can’t be said for this truck driver in Canada who used the beloved (but ultimately weak) fasteners to “fix” his semi-trailer’s air brakes in a pinch.
The Waterloo Regional Police openly shamed the trucker on X, posting pictures of the air brake lines they supposedly tied up with a hope and a prayer. CDL Life goes as far as saying the driver was arrested, though I haven’t found anything else saying as much.
Sign up for The Drive Daily
Get the latest car news, reviews, and features.
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
There’s no question a few rules are being broken here. Waterloo Regional Police say there were at least seven violations of the Highway Traffic Act, and charges were laid for each of ’em. Maybe the most obvious is Operating an Unsafe Vehicle which, yeah, checks out. Would you want a trailer weighing 40,000 pounds or more with no brakes pushing a semi-truck toward you at every twist, turn, and intersection? You don’t have to answer that. I already know.
I don’t think these zip ties were ever going to work for long. Just check out how those hoses and fittings are supposed to look in the video below. They lock into the trailer’s gladhands, which are the metallic-finished parts with the Phillips branding there in the photos. If the connection isn’t secure, the hoses will pop right off the first time they have to flex and bend around a sharp corner, cutting the air supply from the tractor to the trailer. Tectran, the hose manufacturer, even uses a patent-pending connector design that offers “ultimate kink protection” and a “tapered grip that flexes with the airline during tight turns.” As great as zip ties are, they can’t really match that.
Whether this driver was actually put in jail or simply given a laundry list of fines, you can bet he’s having a bad week. As if a busted truck and trailer setup wasn’t frustrating enough.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
