Hino South Africa has handed over four mobile offices to the Gauteng Government Roads and Transport Department, which are to be used as Smart Driving Licencing Testing Centres by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).
Two of the units will be used for driver and learner testing and the other two for eye-testing and driver’s licence renewals.
The units will travel to remote areas of the country, as well as having the flexibility to service built-up areas where the current facilities are unable to cope with the large numbers of people waiting to obtain or renew driving and vehicle licences.
“Hino South Africa was involved previously in having 33 mobile offices built for a government department, with the final units delivered in February this year,” explained Itumeleng Segage, Hino SA’s General Manager. “These mobile offices are proving to be a valuable asset in taking services to remote areas, ensuring that underserved communities have access to essential services without the need to travel long distances.”
The RTMC mobile offices were launched at a Hino sponsored function in Refilwe, Cullinan, in the City of Tshwane. The event was attended by several high-ranking government officials, including Gauteng MEC for Transport Ms Kedibone Diale-Tlabela.
The mobile offices are based on the Hino 300 816 SWB A/T chassis cab and were fitted with specially built bodies by SA Vans and Conversions/Bubhezi, in Pinetown KwaZulu-Natal.
This Hino 300 model is powered by a turbocharged 4-litre diesel engine developing 110 kW @ 2 800 r/min and 420 N.m of torque at 1 400 r/min and driving the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.
These mobile offices include wheelchair hoists and will be used initially in Gauteng. If the project proves successful for government, more units will be procured for other regions in South Africa.