Chevy pulls its trucks from beaches

Jenny Marder

What better place to gain exposure than Huntington Beach, where all

summer long bikini-clad beauties clamor for a spot on the sand and

surfers vie for the perfect wave.

At least that’s what Chevrolet was thinking when the automaker

signed a contract with Huntington Beach in 1991, company officials

said.

The idea was simple. Surf City got the use of 20 free pickup

trucks and sport utility vehicles and Chevy got prime exposure at a

beach that draws 9-million visitors per year.

But in October, Surf City officials got a call. After 12 years,

Chevy was ending the partnership, and Huntington Beach had two months

to find new beach transportation.

“We were surprised because [Chevy] didn’t give us a lot of lead

time,” Community Services Director Jim Engle said. “They told us at

the end of October, we’d have to have the vehicles back by end of the

year. They extended to February, but that still gave us only four

months.”

A change in both management and marketing strategies triggered the

company’s decision to cancel the contract with Huntington Beach and

eight other coastal cities, said Nancy Libby, a spokeswoman for

General Motors.

“[Chevrolet] didn’t feel it was getting enough of a return on the

investment and wanted to pursue other options,” Libby said.

Negotiations between the city and another automaker, who Engle

wouldn’t name, are underway.

“We’ve contacted vehicle manufacturers and there’s one that we’re

trying to work out a deal with right now,” Engle said. “It may or may

not work. I’m not sure yet. [The automaker] has indicated interest in

being at Surf City.”

In the meantime, lifeguards and other beach officials are using

rental cars and mothballed city vehicles, which make up about half

the original fleet. They’ve been creative in finding ways to rig

sirens, racks and other necessary beach safety equipment onto the

trucks to avoid drilling holes.

Of the 20 vehicles, 12 were used by lifeguards and the rest were

for beach maintenance, parking and camping.

“We’re making due at this time, but it’s going to be a crisis if

we don’t have more vehicles by summertime,” Marine Safety Lt. Mike

Beuerlein said.

Marine safety is not being compromised at this level, Engle

assured, adding that the city will find a way to have the fleet back

to normal by mid-June, when schools let out.

“We will do whatever’s necessary to make sure our lifeguards and

maintenance people and parking people have enough of the necessary

vehicles for the job,” Engle said. “We have to be fully equipped in

our lifeguard service and we will.”