STOV Market Trender: Replacing Pickup Trucks

This is an update to an earlier Market Trender post about a county replacing pickups with UTVs for beach patrol.  The initial impetus for the new vehicles was a string of accidents where sunbathers were accidentally run over by life guards driving pickup trucks.  An issue in the incidents was the height of the trucks and the limited visibility they provided in the context of beachgoers laying down on the sand.  The county has purchased two vehicles and will add eight more vehicles by March.  Besides offering increased visibility, the UTVs operate better in soft sand and the open sides make it more inviting for beachgoers to approach lifeguards.  The UTVs carry a surfboard, backboard and other safety equipment.  Learn more:  Orlandosentinel.com