An order of 500 new, fully converted Renault Masters has been supplied to The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), doubling the government body’s existing fleet of MTUs (Test and Trace mobile testing units). The vehicles, which play a crucial role in battling the pandemic, have been delivered by a collaboration between Renault UK, LeasePlan UK and TGS.
The vehicles replace the DHSC’s existing fleet of 258 and the bespoke conversions, developed by LeasePlan UK and TGS, double the daily testing capacity of the previous MTU. Each vehicle can store 1,000 test kits.
The purpose-built Masters feature sliding doors on each side, twin awnings that enable drive-through testing, pedestrian testing bays, onboard heating, hot water and hand-washing facilities, plus an additional generator for charging, electric points and lighting. All 500 were delivered within a three-month window thanks to careful consideration and supply chain alignment between the three companies.
Renault UK managing director, Vincent Tourette, said, “We are exceptionally pleased that the Renault Master is playing a part in helping the DHSC to continue its invaluable work in controlling the spread of Covid and further enhance the size of what is the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities in British history.”
Glenn Smith, director at TGS UK, which worked with LeasePlan UK and DHSC from initial design concepts to completed MTU delivery, added, “This project has set new levels of performance and service in the industry and really set us apart, highlighting our ability to progress a complex order in record time, spanning prototype development through to deployment of the completed vehicles.”