Land Transportation
Our Land Transportation team provides training, consultations and equipment for translators and support personnel who travel by land—often over excruciatingly harsh terrain.
In many areas where Bible translation is underway, roads can be mud-drenched, overgrown and rock-strewn, riddled with unique hazards: dust clouds, cattle crossings, flash floods, even the occasional baboon. And though vehicles deteriorate quickly in these areas, reliable repairs and maintenance can be difficult to find.
Since 2004, our team has worked throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific to reduce the stress and dangers involved in land transportation. We currently:
- Offer training in safe driving techniques, vehicle maintenance and the use of GPS units.
- Conduct transportation surveys and design innovative travel solutions.
- Determine appropriate vehicles for translation teams.
- Research alternative fuel options, such as biodiesel and ethanol fuels.
Throughout the year, we also offer an Off-Road Driver Safety Course at the JAARS Center in Waxhaw, N.C. The course combines classroom teaching and hands-on experience to prepare missionaries for driving in remote areas, where emergency assistance is often unavailable.
During each JAARS Day our team hosts a Mission Adventure Tour, in which visitors are driven across our four-wheel-drive course—personally experiencing the typical travel challenges faced by translators and support personnel.
