Hess Toy Truck Is Back — With the Police — For the Holidays
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What is the holiday Hess truck for 2023? Think law enforcement.
Bridgewater, N.J.-based Hess Toy Truck announced that its Hess police truck and cruiser promise to “take on any task imaginable!” The toy seller also boldly proclaimed that its truck offering, long a herald of the winter holidays, will “unleash the hero in everyone.”
The announcement touts “amazingly realistic” details, including 55 animated lights and four sound effects on the dual-axle green tactical truck — horn, engine start and both U.S. and European emergency sirens.
There are 19 switch-operated red, white and blue lights on the white police cruiser, including two spotlights. There is also a pull-back motor and a slide-out battering ram, if you’re into that.
This cruiser can be rolled into the truck by ramp. The set sells for $42.99 plus tax at hesstoytruck.com (batteries included, free shipping). The price is a dollar increase from last year’s $41.99 (which was a $2 increase).
The 2023 Hess Police Truck & Cruiser is on sale now at https://t.co/aRwZ3WWYLN!
🚨74 lights & 4 realistic sounds
🚨Advanced, multi-patterned lighting
🚨Wheelie-poppin' pull-back motor
🚨Drop-down rear door ramp
🚨270° rotating turret w/ spotlights
🚨Slide-out battering ram pic.twitter.com/aSVA3forun — Hess Toy Truck (@hesstoytruck) October 16, 2023
Leon Hess, founder of the Hess Corporation, opened the first Hess gas station in 1960 in Oakhurst, N.J. His father, Mores, started out with an oil delivery service in Asbury Park.
Leon Hess began selling toy trucks in 1964. The first one was an oil tanker with a funnel accessory.
The toy trucks, which became a holiday staple, took many different forms over the years, including firetrucks, spaceships, motorcycles and dragsters. Hess truck holiday commercials also emerged as sure signs of the season.
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While Hess customers traditionally picked up the trucks at their local Hess gas stations, today they are only sold online.
That’s because Hess Toy Truck, formerly based in Cranbury and Woodbridge, is the last vestige of the Hess retail operation. Hess stations began closing in 2014 after a sale to Marathon Petroleum that saw their conversion to Speedway stations.
The 2022 Hess truck was a flatbed truck with two hot rods, while the 2021 holiday toy was a cargo plane and jet. In 2020, Hess paid tribute to “health care heroes” at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic with an ambulance and rescue set.
Bloomberg News reported Oct. 23 that Hess will continue selling its toy trucks after Chevron Corp. announced that it would acquire the energy company for $53 billion.
“We want to reassure all of you, our loyal fans, that the Hess Toy Truck, a long-standing and cherished tradition, will continue for future years!” Hess said after the deal was made public.
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