Cape’s ‘Incredible Hulk’ on patrol

Published Nov 8, 2012

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Cape Town's traffic service plans to launch its multi-million-rand 'Hulk' vehicle, a mobile command centre which will operate across the city, in the next two weeks.

The truck, which was donated to the city by a technological firm and was previously used by the city's IT department, is expected to start operating in time for the festive season.

The R3-million 32-wheeler truck will process warrants and be linked to the e-Natis system.

JP Smith, the mayoral committee member for safety and security, said the vehicle would essentially be a mobile traffic centre.

Officers would be able to breathalyse motorists and check whether drivers' licences were valid. Smith said the huge truck would move around to traffic hotspots and areas where there were high volumes of traffic on certain days, such as the beach on summery days.

Management will also be able to go along and be conscious of the problems.”

Apart from enforcement, people would also be able to write learners' licence tests in the vehicle.

Smith said this would be ideal for areas where there were no testing centres or where existing centres were dealing with heavy caseloads.

He explained that if a traffic centre were to go offline for any reason, 'the Hulk' would be able to move in and offer all the requisite services.

DEVELOPMENTAL PHASE

He added the vehicle was still in its 'developmental phase' but said that it would soon be able to offer more services. For instance, the city's hi-tech spy-cars would be able to link up with the truck, augmenting their ability for number-plate recognition.

This was just one of the measures the traffic service planned to implement on Cape Town's roads this festive season.

Also due to come into action was the Ghost Squad's Highway Unit, which would patrol the busy N2 and R300 freeways. It would be headed by city traffic inspector and spokeswoman, Maxine Jordaan.

In addition to the hi-tech cars the Ghost Squad currently uses, Smith said a range of “superbikes” would make up this unit. - The Argus

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