Date: April 28, 2026

Contact: Kim Chaudhry

Senior Administrative Analyst

[email protected]

(714) 738-6317

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

City of Fullerton Files Lawsuit Alleging Fire Apparatus Manufacturers & Dealers Colluded to Suppress

Competition & Inflate Prices of Critical Fire Safety Equipment

FULLERTON, CA (April 28, 2026) - The City of Fullerton filed a class action lawsuit in federal court against major fire apparatus manufacturers and dealers, alleging that they engaged in a coordinated scheme to restrict supply, allocate markets, and fix prices for fire apparatus, the lifesaving vehicles firefighters depend upon to protect communities.

The complaint names Oshkosh Corporation, REV Group, Inc., and Boise Mobile Equipment, Inc. fire apparatus manufacturers, and various dealers as defendants. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants carved the country into exclusive territories to stop fire apparatus dealers from competing against one another, blocking fire departments from shopping around for better prices or terms, used shared pricing software to prevent dealers from competing on price, and coordinated to keep fire apparatus production low even as prices and backlogs surged.

The consequences of this alleged conduct have been severe. According to the complaint, fire apparatus prices have skyrocketed over the past decade, far outpacing inflation in comparable industries and costing fire departments huge sums in overcharges, and backlogs have grown so large that fire departments routinely have to wait three to five years for delivery of the equipment they rely on to keep their communities safe.

"The City of Fullerton has a responsibility to be a careful steward of taxpayer dollars while ensuring our first responders have the tools they need to keep our community safe," said Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung. "When unlawful practices drive up costs and delay critical public safety equipment, it impacts every resident we serve. We are taking action to protect our community and demand accountability."

The City of Fullerton has experienced this problem firsthand. In May 2023, the city ordered a "quint" fire apparatus for approximately $2.2 million. Nearly three years later, the apparatus has yet to be delivered. "Our firefighters depend on reliable, modern equipment to respond to emergencies quickly and effectively," said Fullerton Fire Chief Adam Loeser. "Extended delays and excessive costs for essential apparatus place unnecessary strain on our department's operations and can affect our ability to plan for the future. Holding these companies responsible is important to ensuring fire departments can continue protecting the communities they serve."

The International Association of Fire Fighters has separately called upon the Attorney General of the United States and Federal Trade Commission Chair to investigate the fire apparatus industry, describing price increases as "skyrocketing" and noting that "the cost of fire trucks has reportedly doubled over the past decade."

The City of Fullerton is represented by the law firm of Korein Tillery LLC. People with information about anticompetitive conduct in the fire apparatus industry, or public entities that purchased fire apparatus and are interested in discussing the lawsuit or any damages they incurred, are encouraged to contact Daniel Epstein at (312) 641-9750 or [email protected].

The case is City of Fullerton v. Oshkosh Corp., et al., No. 8:26-cv-00956 (C.D. Cal.). A copy of the complaint is available upon request.

About the City of Fullerton

The City of Fullerton is a public entity located in Orange County, serving a population of approximately 140,000 residents and is celebrated for its historic downtown, vibrant arts scene, top-ranked educational institutions, and thriving small-business community.

About Korein Tillery LLC

Korein Tillery LLC is a national plaintiffs' law firm with offices in Chicago and St. Louis. The firm represents public entities, businesses, and individuals in complex civil litigation, including class actions, antitrust, securities, and consumer protection matters.

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