Daimler Trucks’ subsidiary FUSO, one of Asia’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, announces that the Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO), general distributor of FUSO products in Vietnam, has donated 126 Canter trucks to the national vaccination drive in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.
In response to government calls for private sector support, THACO has donated 63 units of the 4.99t Canter truck for vaccination transport, and another 63 units of the 6.5t Canter truck to be used as mobile vaccination and testing centres. These light-duty trucks were produced as CKD-kits in the FUSO plant in Kawasaki, Japan, and locally assembled by THACO in their Quang Nam Province plant, located in central Vietnam. The trucks, which come with refrigeration and rear steps for easy access into the cargo area, together exceed 150 billion VND (6.5 million USD) in total value. The FUSO vehicles will be operated around the country to meet the government’s goal of vaccinating 80% of the population by June 2022.
Earlier this year, Vietnam launched a public fund to secure and distribute vaccine doses for its 100 million strong population. Organizations within and outside of Vietnam have since contributed, in an effort to spur on the nation’s vaccination campaign. THACO has supported pandemic prevention measures since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic; in addition to this recent donation of trucks, the company has provided local municipalities with funds and medical supplies such as disinfectants, gloves, protective gear, and testing kits.
THACO was established in 1997 and has since become a leader in the Vietnamese commercial vehicles market, with a distribution network of 33 outlets. THACO became the exclusive wholesale distributor and local assembly partner for FUSO products in 2017, and thanks to its extensive sales network, has increased market presence for the FUSO brand in Vietnam. The Vietnamese FUSO line-up ranges from light-duty to heavy-duty trucks, and also includes the light-duty Rosa bus.