The Premium Provider of Communications Channels for the Commercial Vehicle Industry in South East Asia

With its one-month trial run in Johor Bahru having started on June 2020 along the route 10B operated by Handal Indah Sdn Bhd (Handal Indah), (also known as Causeway Link), Hino Motors Sales (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd took the opportunity to introduce the minibus, Hino Poncho, as public transport that supports Person with Disability (PWD)- friendly features. In collaboration with Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) and Handal Indah, a test ride of Hino Poncho with PWDs passengers representing Persatuan Sokongan Orang Kurang Upaya Johor Bahru was successfully held on 9 July 2020.
The ride started from Johor Bahru Sentral to Pandan bus stop, which took around 15 minutes. To gather feedback, organisers of the event were speaking to Mohd Saiful Razali, from Jabatan Belia & Sukan Negeri Johor. It was his first Hino Poncho ride and according to him, the low-floor feature makes it easy for him to board the minibus as he has visual impairment. Sharing the experience on the wheelchair accessibility facilities, Ermy Jeffry Jamil, from Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Negeri Johor, said, the low floor feature that comes with a slide ramp gave him the confidence to embark and disembark independently. The low-floor minibus, Hino Poncho, is equipped with features designed for the benefit of PWDs.

When it enters operational duty, Hino Poncho will be the first of its kind in Malaysia meant for PWDs. Equipped with an ultra-low-floor system, the step to board the minibus is nearly as low as the ground. Additionally, it is designed with a vehicle height adjusting system that performs vehicle height lowering and raising control. The height can be lowered down by 50 mm to enhance the boarding and alighting property at bus stops and with the raising control, the chassis is able to lift up to 30 mm higher to improve drivability on rough road.