Toyota Pulls Plug on Texas Plant Since Local Lawmakers “Won’t Buy Our Trucks”
Tim Esterdahl | Apr 02, 2012 | Comments 5
In response to the recent media coverage surrounding local Texas governments not having Toyota’s in their fleet even though the Tundra/Tacoma plant is nearby, Toyota officials have decided to end all production in Texas. The plan is to move somewhere else, where Toyota can get mo’ respect.
Toyota’s top brass appeared before the press in San Antonio, Texas infuriated by the lack of common sense by the local government leaders. One official, speaking off camera, said how can hire thousands of those red-necks and they are too stupid to buy one lousy pickup.
The controversy began when a local TV station aired a report on the lack of Toyota trucks in the City of San Antonio and Bexar County fleets in though the trucks are built within the borders of both of these governments (see: City, County of Toyota Truck Plant Don’t Own Toyota Trucks).
Bexar County and the City of San Antonio leaders were shocked by the news of the closure and clung to their previous statement that since no local Toyota dealers submitted a bid, there were no Toyota’s in their fleet.
“If they don’t submit a bid, how else can we get a Toyota?” San Antonio Mayor Buck Houston said. “Go down to the dealership and buy one. Well that’s just tomfoolery.”
Toyota executives responded by saying that they “were too dumbfounded by the Mayor’s statement to respond.”
In other news, Toyota also announced that they were ending their multi-million dollar sponsorship of WGrld’s Best Chili Dome. The 4.7 billion dollar dome built in 2010 is home to the “Fighting Pink Princesses” girls’ middle school basketball team.
Apparently, the ending of the sponsorship is a big deal for the city since Mayor Houston pleaded with Toyota executives to restore this partnership and not end anything else including the multi-billion dollar sponsorship of Underneath the Bleachers Stadium, home to the “Fightin’ Desperadoes” co-ed flag football team.
All of this news was met with lots of tongue-in-cheek responses since of course, it is an April Fool’s day story.
Filed Under: TundraHeadquarters.com
You had me up until Mayor Houston because San Antonio’s mayor is Julián Castro.
AD-I thought about using the real name, but I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble. Glad you liked it!
-Tim
this was posted april 2nd so how can it be an april 1st fool’s joke? Day late, dollar short.
Don’t be surprised though that if American’s working nearby that TX plant and the local govt. is too stupid to buy their own made products, that toyota might just pack up and eventually leave. When GM was at their hey-day in one of the oldest running plants here in WI that employed 1,000’s of local residents within a 40 mile radius, everyone including local govts. bought GM products around me. Now that GM closed that plants doors in 2008 and shortly thereafter went bankrupt/got govt. bailout and creating over 12% unemployment in our area and still is around 10%, that left a bad taste in almost everyone’s mouth to NOT buy a GM product. I still feel that way and I have been loyal GM up until 2007 when I first bought my first Toyota being a 2007 tundra. None of the toyota cars interested me (too small and underpowered)and the trucks were too small before 2007 (not full sized) so toyota before 2007 would never consider.
MK,
Are you referring to the Janesville plant?
-Tim
Nice and funny. Can understand mk’s position and situation.