Fire departments sue manufacturers over soaring equipment prices and delayed deliveries

A coalition of California fire departments, including Los Angeles County, Fullerton and Pasadena, has lodged federal antitrust complaints against several fire-apparatus manufacturers, claiming that private-equity ownership has created a consolidation scheme that inflates prices and lengthens production cycles. Prices for new trucks have risen from $1.5 million in 2022 to as much as $2.5 million today, and some orders now face build times of 45 months.

The complaint targets the REV Group and its subsidiaries Oshkosh, Pierce and Rosenbauer. Fire chiefs warn that aging equipment, such as a 20-year-old engine still on the frontline in Santa Clarita, compromises safety, especially when newer models lack airbags and backup cameras. A bipartisan congressional resolution has also called on the FTC to investigate the industry’s consolidation. The lawsuits aim to restore competition and ensure timely delivery of modern, safety-equipped fire apparatus.