Will Frontenac Ever Allow Jake Brakes?

According to Wikipedia, Jacobs Brake is a compression release engine brake, frequently called a Jake brake or Jacobs brake; a mechanism installed on some diesel engines. When activated, it opens exhaust valves in the cylinders after the compression cycle, releasing the compressed air trapped in the cylinders, and slowing the vehicle.

Although Jake brake properly refers to the Jacobs brand of engine brakes, the term has become a genericized trademark and is often used to refer to engine brakes or compression release engine brakes in general, especially on large vehicles or heavy equipment.

The home owners in Frontenac Estates adjacent to I-64/40 are often aroused from their sleep with that loud, booming acoustics sound from tracks on their brakes at that stretch of the highway.

Seems that truckers can go through the St. Louis area and use their Jake Brakes in Chesterfield and Town & Country, but not in Ladue for example. The changing community ordinance, of course would lead to massive confusion for the drivers.

Frontenac would like to adopt an ordinance prohibiting the big rig operators from being on their Jake Brakes in the city limits at all.

Violators of this ordinance, if passed, would be subject to a misdemeanor and would be punishable by a fine of $100.

At Tuesday’s board of aldermen meeting there was a lively discussion and at the suggestion of Alderman Mike Schoedel, the issue was tabled until the next meeting.

Police Chief Tom Becker said this was a matter of public safety and concern.
He said trucks are equipped with toggle switches, allowing the driver to turn off or on the Jake Brake.

Fire Chief Jack Trout said he wants his pumper trucks exempted from any ordinance disallowing Jake Brakes.

“Our trucks weigh 40,000 pounds. We’re not going to turn off our Jake Brakes,” he said. Jake Brakes, though loud in nature, save on wear and tear of the brakes.

City Attorney Kevin O’Keefe said without an ordinance on the books, the city has nothing to enforce. “This would just be another arrow in the quiver,” he said.

Police Chief Becker cannot recall anyone ever being cited for using their Jake Brakes in traffic. “That one would be a hard one to enforce anyway,” said the police chief.

Either way, truckers along I-64/40 Frontenac corridor have little to worry about until the stipulations of the ordinance are all sorted out by the board of aldermen.