City of San Diego Sues Fire Truck Manufacturers for Price-Fixing

REV Group, Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh subsidiary Pierce Manufacturing, Boise Mobile Equipment, and American Industrial Partners are all defendants in a lawsuit filed April 16 by the City Attorney’s office of San Diego. According to the lawsuit, the companies schemed to consolidate their operations around fire truck manufacturing, forcing cities and fire departments to pay extra for fire trucks and other apparatuses, violating antitrust laws. According to Wisconsin Public Radio, company spokespersons have said the charges, as well as those levied by other cities in recent months on similar grounds, are without merit.

The complaint targets several manufacturers as well as private equity group American Industrial Partners and alleges the companies used their collective market power to raise fire truck prices, reduce production, delay delivery and using proprietary parts to eke more money out of fire departments repairing their vehicles. Specifically, the City Attorney’s Office says the companies bought up at least nine independent manufacturers and shut down factories specifically to justify raising prices and forging restrictive dealer agreements.

Similar lawsuits have been filed by other cities, including against other companies. In August 2025, la Crosse, Wisconsin sued Oshkosh, REV Group, and Rosenbauer America, and Reuters reported in November that Augusta, Maine, has filed a similar case. The San Diego lawsuit is notable for including American Industrial Partners, which began acquiring independent fire truck manufacturers in 2006, as a defendant itself.

In a statement attached to the San Diego lawsuit, City Attorney Heather Ferbert emphasized the necessity of adequate fire-fighting forces. Spokespersons for Oshkosh Corp. said the allegations are meritless and said they would defend themselves in court.

What people are saying

“Fire trucks aren’t nice-to-haves — they’re essential equipment that every community depends on to save lives,” said City Attorney Heather Ferbert. “When corporations exploit that need and illegally corner the market, taxpayers and firefighters pay the price. At a time when every dollar matters, we’re taking action to stop these practices, recover overcharges, and protect our City’s budget. These companies drove up costs, delayed deliveries for years, and forced cities into overpriced proprietary parts and equipment. This lawsuit seeks to stop these unlawful practices, restore competition, and protect public safety budgets statewide.”

“The allegations in this lawsuit are without merit, and we are defending ourselves in court,” a spokesperson for Oshkosh and Pierce Manufacturing told Wisconsin Public Radio. “Oshkosh remains focused on delivering safe, high-quality fire trucks while continuing to reinvest in our U.S. operations to meet record demand.”