The price of fire trucks has reached $2 million, and firefighters are pleading for assistance.
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United States Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson have received a new letter from the International Association of Fire Fighters and the American Economic Liberties Project, a group focused on anti-monopoly issues. This letter is a call to action, urging the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and the FTC to examine the consolidation among fire vehicle manufacturers. The organizations argue that this consolidation has led to ladder truck prices rapidly increasing to as much as $2 million each, with waiting periods extending up to four and a half years for delivery.
The letter highlights that the industry, which once boasted over two dozen manufacturers, is now primarily controlled by three companies: the private equity-owned REV Group, Oshkosh, and Rosenbauer. U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Jim Banks of Indiana have been probing the role of private equity in driving up fire truck costs, having communicated with the IAFF in April regarding concerns that corporate interests are prioritizing shareholder profits over public safety. This concern is a key point emphasized by the IAFF in their appeal to federal authorities.
A market research report indicates that REV Group accounts for about one-third of the $3 billion in annual U.S. fire truck sales, while Oshkosh—described in the letter as “a serial acquirer”—captures around a quarter. Rosenbauer holds a smaller share at 8%. Collectively, these manufacturers dominate more than two-thirds of the national market.
Though this situation raises alarms regarding a limited number of companies controlling prices, the letter from IAFF and AELP also expresses concern about the impact of this consolidation on delivery wait times. They assert that the hike in prices hasn't resulted in faster delivery, but rather has created significant backlogs. A footnote in the letter references a January Reuters report, noting that while the fire truck sector is thriving, the broader manufacturing industry is experiencing a downturn. It cites information from REV Group, which stated it faced a record backlog of $3.6 billion in its fire and emergency vehicle division by the end of 2024. Oshkosh reported an even larger backlog of $5.3 billion, reflecting demand that exceeds their production capabilities.
The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association reports a substantial increase in orders for new mainline fire trucks—approximately 43% annually from 2021-2023 compared to the period from 2011-2020.
This picture displays two electric fire trucks manufactured by Pierce, a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation.
In response to inquiries from The Drive, a spokesperson for REV Group stated, “An unprecedented surge in demand and ongoing skilled labor shortages have led to elevated costs and delivery timelines throughout the industry. We take our obligation to serve America’s first responders seriously and have boosted our vehicle production by 30% over the past two years, while also developing new lines of semi-custom trucks that can be delivered in under a year.”
Oshkosh responded to The Drive by stating, “We are proud to support the dedicated firefighters across the country. Global supply issues, extraordinary demand, and significant inflation stemming from the pandemic that began in 2020 have resulted in longer delivery times and rising costs. We are actively working to address this spike in demand through investments in manufacturing, including improvements in capacity, technology, and processes. Oshkosh has a longstanding tradition of reinvesting in our business, concentrating on organic growth to improve efficiency and expand capacity to better serve our customers. We remain dedicated to providing the highest quality equipment to the fire service nationwide.”
The IAFF and AELP pointed to the tangible consequences of these delays. They noted that during January’s devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, over 100 of the LAFD’s 183 fire trucks were out of service, with “dozens” of those units being custom-built by KME, an independent company acquired by REV Group in 2016. Five years post-acquisition, in 2021, REV Group revealed plans to close two of KME’s manufacturing facilities.
“We are paying the price for all these corporate decisions,” said IAFF President Edward Kelly. “It benefits the investors, but it does not serve the public well when you call 911 and the ladder truck is unavailable.”
The Drive also contacted Rosenbauer for a comment and will update the article with their response.
Updated at 3:05 p.m. ET and 4:30 p.m. ET on 5/14/2025: This story now includes comments from Oshkosh and REV Group, along with information from FAMA regarding annual fire truck orders in the U.S.
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The price of fire trucks has reached $2 million, and firefighters are pleading for assistance.
The International Association of Fire Fighters is urging federal authorities to take action in response to rising prices and multi-year delays from the top three truck manufacturers.