Mayor Kevin Faulconer Wednesday announced a new multi-year sponsorship agreement with Toyotathat calls for the company to provide 34 new lifeguard vehicles and maintain them at no cost to San Diego taxpayers.
The City Council’s Budget and Government Efficiency Committee Wednesday voted unanimously to forward the Toyota agreement to the full Council for final approval – a move that could save taxpayers millions of dollars over the next decade.
“When San Diegans see these vehicles on the sand, they can rest assured that not only are they keeping our beaches safe, but they’re also savings us money that can be invested in our neighborhoods,” Faulconer said. “Toyota has been a wonderful partner in helping build a safer San Diego by making sure our lifeguards have the best equipment possible to protect and save lives.”
That contract allowed the City to avoid the expense of buying new vehicles, a savings of $1.2 million every two-to-three years.
One new benefit to the new contract is Toyota agreeing to maintain and service all of the vehicles and provide monthly detailing of the vehicles during the peak summer season. Those costs are typically tens of thousands of dollars annually.
Under the new agreement, the City and Toyota have the option of extending the contract every two or three years over the next decade with Toyota providing a new fleet with each extension. If the agreement continues to be extended for a 10-year period, the City estimates cost savings of roughly $4 million.