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The Victoria College. Full-time salaried position with benefits available...
DISTRICT "Champions for Community Wellness" has the following positions...
His dad always drove a pickup.
Sandidge, a 56-year-old Victoria man, has blue-collar roots. These days, he is a plant worker. And he still drives a pickup – a 2005 Chevy Silverado.
In an age of steep gas prices and shifts to fuel-efficient cars, Sandidge is not the exception.
Victoria County’s most popular vehicle is the Chevy truck, according to the Texas Department of Transportation’s registered vehicle database.
Ford trucks, Chevy Suburbans and Dodge trucks are also in the county’s Top 5 most popular vehicles.
“I’m not surprised at all,” Sandidge said. “In Texas, you do a lot of things with your truck. You haul things around. We travel. We like the security of a full-framed vehicle.”
Most trucks are less fuel-efficient than cars, though. They’re more expensive to drive.
Vehicles with lower fuel economy burn more fuel and create more carbon dioxide, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fuel Economy Guide.
So, why are there so many trucks in Victoria County?
Laura Sanders, executive director of Texas Workforce Solutions, thinks she has the answer.
“I think we have country in us,”she said, chuckling. “And when you see so many trucks, that’s what everyone wants.”
This county has a traditional farming and ranching history, she said, and those country roots die hard.
Also, 50 percent of the region’s jobs are blue collar, according to data supplied by the Victoria County Economic Development Corp.
Blue-collar lifestyles are associated with hard work, tools and trucks.
“Do I drive a truck? My husband drives a truck,” Sanders said. “Has two of them, in fact. He has a Ford and a Chevy, which he drives on a daily basis.”
Of the county’s 88,838 registered vehicles, most – 17,037 – are Chevys. That figure includes cars, too.
There are 14,357 total Ford vehicles and 6,314 Dodges.
Chevy, though, is America’s No. 1-selling automotive brand, according to Automotive News, an industry publication.
Sandidge prefers his Chevy pickup. His son now does, too.
“It’s very comfortable. Rides real well. Loads of power,” the father said. “The fuel mileage is very good for what we do.”
Sandidge travels to Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and across Texas to partake in Civil War re-enactments.
Every time he gets behind the wheel of his Chevy pickup, though, he becomes part of an American Revolution – or at least the Victoria County version.
Gabe Semenza is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact him at 361-580-6519 or gsemenza@vicad.com.
Most popular Vehicles
Victoria County likes its pickups. Following are the most popular vehicles.
Chevy pickup8,187
Ford pickup7,275
Chevy Suburban4,170
Dodge pickup3,879
Chevy sedan2,839
Most popular Makes
Following are Victoria County’s most popular vehicle makes.
Chevy17,037
Ford14,357
Dodge6,314
Toyota4,367
GMC3,503
Texas Department of Transportation
Most fuel-efficient pickups
Small-Size
1) Ford Ranger: a two-wheel drive, four-cylinder. 21 in the city and 26 on the highway
2) Mazda B2300: a two-wheel drive, four-cylinder. 21 in the city and 26 on the highway
3) Toyota Tacoma: two-wheel drive and four-cylinders. 19 in the city and 25 on the highway
Standard-Size
1) Dodge Dakota: a two-wheel drive, six-cylinder. 16 in the city and 20 on the highway
2) Mitsubishi Raider: a two-wheel drive, six-cylinder. 16 in the city and 20 on the highway
3) Chevy Silverado C15: two-wheel drive and six or eight cylinders. 15 in the city and 20 on the highway
www.FuelEconomy.gov
Tidbits
Victoria County has 88,838 registered vehicles. The highlights include:
Texas Department of Transportation