What makes "40" and "50" important for Toyota?

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Mention numbers in the 40 to 50 range to me and the first thing that usually comes to mind is hearing about a friend or family member celebrating a birthday. Is it time to bring out the cake with all the candles on it and the funny yet self deprecating card? Fortunately, in Toyota's case, they're not going that route. They do have two great milestones to celebrate, however!

The first is the announcement of the 40 millionth Toyota Corolla being sold worldwide, making Corolla the best selling nameplate of all time! To give you a comparison, in 1966 Toyota announced production of about 240,000 vehicles. Nowadays, over 1.1 million of them are produced annually, including the all-new 2014 Corolla with its premium interior and more stylish design. According to Jack Hollis, Toyota's Vice President of Marketing, the Corolla is "built for the way we live today and the places we go. From urban chic to family road trip, at 40 million we’re just getting started!”

Take a look at the comparison photo below and you can see just how much the car has evolved in terms of size, style, and technology. I don't think the designers of the original Corolla ever imagined it could be outfitted with a backup camera or the ability to make hands free phone calls with Bluetooth!

Now, what's special about the number 50? This story is a little more emotional, and involves a special surprise for an unsuspecting police officer in suburban New York. Michael Dee, who's been part of the police force there for over 20 years, was having a barbecue in his backyard when Toyota's U.S. Sales Chief Bill Fay showed up unannounced with balloons in hand. What was the commotion about? Well, it turns out that Michael, who had just purchased a Toyota Camry, happened to be Toyota's 50 millionth customer in America! You'll have to watch the video below to see how they celebrated Michael's purchase, and his genuinely candid reaction. Would you have felt the same way if you were in his shoes?

3 road trip tips for Labor Day weekend

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Do you typically go somewhere each year for Labor Day or another holiday weekend? More often than not, I find myself wanting to take advantage of those rare moments where I get 72 hours of free time by visiting friends out of town. Chicago and Kansas City are some of my favorite spots to hit up, as I can get to both fairly easily from St. Louis. You'd think that with both destinations only requiring one different highway each to travel on, it'd be straightforward and simple. That's not always the case!

Labor Day weekend (and really any three day holiday weekend) is going to be the busiest time of the year to travel. Our Lou Fusz Insurance manager Chris was talking with me about driving, and she came up with some ideas for getting yourself mentally and physically prepared for going out of town. Here are her top three pieces of advice before you pack your bags and hit the road:

1. Make sure your car is ready for the stress of several hundred (or more!) miles.

Has it been awhile since you've had your car checked for routine maintenance, or taken it in for an oil change? A road trip is the perfect excuse to get it done before you leave, so you can minimize the chances of having any problems occur. This includes the engine, radiator, and other fluids, such as your windshield wipers. Don't forget to check your tires and make sure they're properly inflated! It can be incredibly expensive to get your car fixed if you're out of town and need last minute repairs over the weekend. 

2. Plan ahead and know your route.

Traffic can get brutal on a Friday evening! If you're heading out after work, it's best to leave extra early if possible. You'll want to ideally be on the highway before 3 PM as many people tend to take shorter days on Friday, especially if it's a holiday weekend. Rush hour traffic can add an extra 30 mins to an hour of driving! If you're hoping to get to your destination by a certain time, it's also important to check online and see if there are any lane closures or construction work being done, as those can add significant amounts of time to your journey. A phone charger for your car is a good idea as well, if you plan to use GPS often.

3. Stay safe, energized, and focused on the road.

The weekend always brings a higher likelihood of drivers who are either tired or have been drinking. Because of this, you'll need to take extra precaution on the highway, more-so if you're driving at night. Taking a road trip longer than several hours? Make sure to have frequent stops to eat, use the restroom, stretch, and keep yourself hydrated. You should also consider splitting up driving duties if traveling with others. Know your personal limits, and if you start to feel tired, stop and rest! Drowsy driving is incredibly dangerous, and many people don't even realize when they start falling asleep behind the wheel for one to two seconds at a time.

Do you have any other road trip tips or ideas? Leave a comment and share them below! 

Could you live without your car?

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I enjoy driving. There's nothing quite like feeling the rush of the wind as I'm cruising down the highway in my FR-S, with the windows rolled down and having complete control with every turn and burst of speed I make. Now, I'm all for promoting a healthy lifestyle by walking or biking places when possible, but the freedom to go where and when you want is not easily replaceable, especially when you live outside a major city in areas with rampant urban sprawl. For this reason, I don't think I could give up the ability to turn the key in my ignition and be halfway down highway 270 in a matter of minutes.

These days, more and more articles are popping up online about how millennials don't seem to care as much about owning a vehicle. They claim that we're driving less not just because of economical reasons, but for societal ones as well. The big argument at stake is that we're living life more for the experiences than for possessions. Does that mean it's cool to not have a car anymore? Even with gas constantly hovering near $4 a gallon, I would argue against that (as would my odometer)!

For every teenager and young adult we read about who is cherishing the benefits of going car-free, there are just as many who are earning their licenses and eagerly waiting to own a vehicle, or getting excited to buy a car with their first "real world" job. This rings true when you consider that not everyone in America has access to efficient mass-transit systems where restaurants, shopping, and other amenities are a short distance away. Would we like those things to be closer? Sure! Those who are attached to their cars are not all that different from the car free advocates. We still rely on technology to socialize and plan our outings, but realize that trying to do so without our vehicles is not always an option when you have friends spread out over urban, suburban, and rural areas.

Another thing to consider is just how many activities and places of interest are centered around driving to the destination. In St. Louis, for example, we love going on float trips in the summer, visiting theme parks like Six Flags, and spending time in Forest Park. All of those activities are made immensely easier by owning a car, whether you're transporting inner tubes, food for a picnic, or several kids!

Instead of focusing on the idea of going completely car free, it would be more realistic (and beneficial) for all of us to encourage the growth of bike paths and walkable neighborhoods in the areas where we live, and also promote more businesses that are located near those spots. This will give us a reason to drive less, but also one that most car-free advocates support the most: it helps to bring the sense of community back to our neighborhoods, whether we choose to get there by foot, bike, or in a Prius.

Do you think you could give up your car? What would it take?