HINO Malaysia Special: An Overview of the HINO Trucks Range in Malaysia (HINO 300/500/700 Series) & The Importance of Driver Awareness, Knowledge & Training for Road Safety

The world of transport is ever evolving. These days, there is a heavier emphasis on sustainable business practices as people, governments and companies realise the importance of being responsible to the world we live in. This shows in almost every aspect of our lives, including road transportation. As a company that has been around for over 76 years and one that is part of the Toyota Group, Hino Motors understands the need to be more socially responsible, therefore they have been investing to make their trucks safer, more efficient and environmentally friendly by keeping up with current regulations and beyond.

By investing in research for safety and adding more safety features on their trucks in line with UN regulations, Hino Motors is among the few companies that place an emphasis on road safety on their vehicles. This is one of the reasons why Hino has been the number one truck brand in terms of overall truck sales in Japan for over 45 years. Here in Malaysia, the truck company had recently celebrated its 40th anniversary in Malaysia and to date, it has established itself to be the preferred truck brand by Malaysians. 

Now, let us highlight a little about the three truck models that Hino sells in Malaysia - the HINO 300, 500 and 700 Series of Trucks.

The HINO 300 Series Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV)

The Hino 300 series was recently updated in mid-2016 here in Malaysia. This Light Commercial vehicle (LCV) features an updated grille for more aesthetic design, better interior ventilation which prevents condensation of water vapour inside the cabin, the use of tubeless tyres from the factory (for better vehicle control), anti-lock brake system (ABS), reverse sensors to make reversing easier.

The Hino 300 series of trucks also feature the latest commonrail Euro 3 diesel engines, which are better for the environment as it is less polluting and more fuel efficient. All of the features make for an easy to drive truck as well as being safe for its occupants.

The HINO 500 Series Medium Duty Truck

As for the Hino 500 series medium duty truck, it too has been upgraded in early 2017 here in Malaysia. The Hino 500 series also comes with the latest commonrail Euro 2 and Euro 3 diesel engines for efficiency as well as safety features like ABS. 

It also features side door impact beams, improved mirrors to provide the driver with a bigger field of vision, Front & Rear Under-run Protection, and Emergency Guard Impact Safety (EGIS) Cabin which offers a lot more driver safety and also to prevent more serious road accidents with its passive safety features.

The HINO 700 Series Heavy Duty Trucks

The 700 series heavy duty trucks are engineered to achieve the Hino principle of QDR. Fitted with fuel efficient Euro 3 type engines; these are the most efficient and environmentally friendly range of trucks by Hino. Coupled with their heavy duty manual transmissions, it has the ultimate combination of Japanese efficiency and cost effectiveness. The HINO 700 Series are endowed with great levels of comfort, safety equipment and lifesaving technologies while being able to haul heavy loads over long distances.

The cabin has been optimized for best visibility, comfort and safety. The 700 Series trucks are featured with ABS brakes, side door impact beams in the cabin, mirrors to provide the driver with a bigger field of vision, Front & Rear Under-run Protection, ABS braking system and Emergency Guard Impact Safety (EGIS) Cabin like the smaller 300 and 500 Series siblings.

Safety Features and UN Regulations Approved Truck Chassis are featured in all new HINO Trucks 

All Hino truck chassis sold in Malaysia are in compliance with the United Nations (UNECE) Regulations for chassis design and specification. The truck chassis are also fully approved for sale by the Malaysian Road Transport Department (JPJ). With its safety features, these trucks are among the safest on Malaysian roads today. Hino’s engineers have been working hard to innovate and keep up with the latest road safety standards which will help save lives and minimise injuries.

Aside from the above, Hino Trucks are also designed to handle all types of road surfaces under all kinds of loads. Road surfaces that are uneven, full of pot holes coupled with a heavy cargo are all factors that are taken into account. Hino’s engineers have fitted their trucks with proper heavy duty suspension systems (which include air-suspension if opted for) to handle these harsh terrains. The anti-lock brakes (ABS) also help in keeping the truck stable under braking at all times too. All of these also help the truck driver by making their job easier.

Technology like the Energy absorbing steering wheel column, Front & Rear Under-run Protection, ABS braking system and Emergency Guard Impact Safety (EGIS) Cabin all help save lives of both the occupants and those outside Hino trucks in the long run. Everything is taken into account including driver comforts and support such as the improved door mirrors and reverse sensors to increase visibility for drivers. 

A comfortable and well designed cabin also helps to lessen driver fatigue and stress. One must remember that a truck driver spends long hours in the truck so a well designed truck cabin is important for safety as a secure and comfortable truck driver is also an alert truck driver.

Hino ArmTech Truck Management & Tracking System

Another new system offered by Hino for their trucks here in Malaysia is the Hino ArmTech truck management system for all new Hino trucks sold. This allows for better truck monitoring (almost real time monitoring), idle time, speed status,(speed journey idle report) and alert notification via call centre to registered number in case of battery power cut alert and alarm alert for anti-theft measures.

This system allows operators and customers to monitor their vehicle’s movement and also vehicle status so that they can keep track of everything from the security of their vehicle to monitoring fuel consumption as well as wear and tear of the vehicle.

Operators can also gauge fuel consumption, tyre wear and other aspects through the speed monitoring function of the system. This allows them to plan their routes better and also ensure their drivers drive optimally. It also enables some added security for customers as the system can also track a vehicle in the event a vehicle has been hijacked or stolen.

The Importance of Driver Skill & Driver Training and the Hino Total Support Customer Centre (HTSCC)

One of the most important factors for road safety is the driver behind the steering wheel. Hino understands this very well and that is why they have invested heavily to increase awareness and driver's training here in Malaysia. Safer vehicles are only part of the total package when it comes to road safety and another factor that would make a big difference is the driver of the vehicle themselves. Hino is committed to improve the level of professionalism and skill of those that drive commercial vehicles here in Malaysia and globally. With that, Hino have established their Hino Total Support Customer Centre (HTSCC) in Sendayan, Negeri Sembilan to assist their customers and drivers to have better driving skills.

Good driving skills are as important to having a safe truck as the person behind the wheel is the one in control of the truck. HTSCC is the first Hino Motor training centre outside of Japan. It is built following Hino’s international specifications and can train up to 2,000 people annually. It is also built to assist its customers who need to comply with the Malaysian government Safety, Health and Environment Code of Practice (SHE COP). 

The training grounds can be used for the training of all types of commercial vehicle drivers. Training can include ethical driving skills which have a potential to reduce the number of accidents, complaints, summonses and ultimately save precious lives and business costs.

With more drivers having better training, one can be certain that the quality of truckers out there plying Malaysian roads will be more responsible and courteous. Truck driving could be a profession that pays well and will actually benefit an individual in the long run. With a proper place to train and gain knowledge, it can now be assured that truck driving is a serious profession and Hino is one of the companies that is making trucking a noble profession with the opening of the HTSCC.

A truck and its driver have a symbiotic relationship. A good truck will benefit from a good driver and vice versa. This is why Hino has put great effort into designing a truck to suit all the needs of their customers.

HINO Malaysia's After Sales Support

Other that the above, Hino also provides excellent after-sales support to its customers in terms of vehicle support. Hino operates a total of 112 sales and after sales centres throughout Malaysia. 

The breakdown of the centres are 39 3S (Sales, Service & Spares) Centres, 22 Sales Centres, 25 Service Centres and 26 stockists. All Hino's centres are built to high standards and are equipped with the latest is diagnostic tools as well as having trained personnel operating them. Hino also ensures customer’s peace of mind by offering better warranty packages for their truck chassis. Current warranty packages include unlimited mileage and up to 24 months warranty for Hino 500 series trucks, 36 months or 100,000 km for Hino 300 series trucks and free servicing or parts during service intervals. There is also a 24 hour breakdown service offered for all Hino vehicles within Peninsular Malaysia.

All of these are part of Hino’s approach to go beyond the ordinary in terms of customer support and is what makes operating Hino trucks special.