San Diego Sues Fire Truck Suppliers Over Alleged Anticompetitive Practices

Lawsuit seeks civil penalties, damages, and an end to overcharging and delayed deliveries.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 10:56pm

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A highly reflective, chrome-plated fire truck chassis component, such as a wheel or suspension part, floating on a clean white background and dramatically lit to symbolize the alleged price gouging in the fire truck supply market.Overpriced fire truck parts allegedly force San Diego to pay exorbitant costs for essential public safety equipment.San Diego Today

The city of San Diego has filed a lawsuit against several major fire truck manufacturers, including REV Group, Oshkosh Corporation, and its subsidiary Pierce Manufacturing, as well as Boise Mobile Equipment and private-equity firm American Industrial Partners. The lawsuit alleges the companies have acquired smaller fire truck makers, eliminating competition and allowing them to overcharge the city by hundreds of thousands of dollars per vehicle. The city also claims the companies have exploited their control over the market for chassis and replacement parts, charging up to four times the fair-market cost.

Why it matters

Fire trucks are essential public safety equipment, and the city alleges these companies have unfairly taken advantage of that need, driving up costs and delaying deliveries for years. The lawsuit aims to restore competition, recover overcharges, and protect public safety budgets.

The details

The lawsuit, filed in San Diego federal court, seeks civil penalties, damages, and restitution for overcharges and other financial injuries. It also requests an injunction to prohibit additional alleged anticompetitive conduct. The city claims the defendants' actions have forced fire departments to pay more and wait longer for new trucks, putting public safety at risk.

  • The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, April 16, 2026.
  • It comes a few weeks after a similar complaint was filed in federal court by San Diego County against the same companies.

The players

REV Group

One of the defendants named in the lawsuit, a manufacturer of fire trucks and other specialty vehicles.

Oshkosh Corporation

One of the defendants named in the lawsuit, a manufacturer of specialty vehicles including fire trucks. Oshkosh owns subsidiary Pierce Manufacturing.

Pierce Manufacturing

A subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation and one of the defendants named in the lawsuit.

Boise Mobile Equipment

One of the defendants named in the lawsuit, a manufacturer of fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.

American Industrial Partners

A private-equity firm and one of the defendants named in the lawsuit.

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What they’re saying

“Fire trucks aren't nice-to-haves — they're essential equipment that every community depends on to save lives. When corporations exploit that need and illegally corner the market, taxpayers and firefighters pay the price.”

— Heather Ferbert, San Diego City Attorney

“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.”

— Heather Ferbert, San Diego City Attorney

“Firefighters don't have a choice — when a truck breaks down, they need a new one. For years, fire departments have been paying more and waiting longer.”

— Terra Lawson-Remer, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair

“We're taking those companies to court to stop the greed that's endangering lives and get our money back.”

— Terra Lawson-Remer, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair

What’s next

The lawsuit is currently pending in federal court. The judge will determine whether to grant the city's request for civil penalties, damages, restitution, and an injunction against the alleged anticompetitive practices.

The takeaway

This lawsuit highlights the challenges cities face when essential public safety equipment becomes dominated by a few large suppliers. The city is seeking to restore competition, recover overcharges, and protect its public safety budget from what it alleges are unfair and abusive practices by the fire truck manufacturers.