Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton Inves­ti­gates Firetruck Man­u­fac­tur­ers for Ille­gal Anti­com­pet­i­tive Scheme That Threat­ens Pub­lic Safe­ty in Texas

Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into firetruck manufacturers for potential anticompetitive conduct following complaints raised by Texas municipalities and their fire departments.

In recent years, fire departments across Texas have experienced dramatic price increases for essential firefighting equipment—including aerial ladder trucks, pumper engines, tanker trucks, and rescue vehicles—along with significant delays in delivery. This has strained local budgets and forced firefighters to rely on aging or inadequate fleets, hampering their ability to protect Texas communities. These price spikes, often reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars per vehicle, have coincided with industry consolidation and suspicious plant closures during peak demand.

“Our state’s firefighters put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe, and departments deserve fair access to reliable, up to date equipment at reasonable prices,” said Attorney General Paxton. “I will not allow public safety or the well-being of our firefighters to be compromised by unethical and illegal corporate activity.”

The manufacturers under investigation include REV Group, Inc., Oshkosh Corporation, and Rosenbauer Group. Attorney General Paxton has issued Civil Investigative Demands (“CIDs”) demanding documents and information related to their business practices from all three companies as part of this ongoing investigation. Public safety remains one of Attorney General Paxton’s highest priorities, and he stands ready to combat illegal market activities that may compromise Texans’ safety and the safety of Texas firefighters. 

Attorney General Paxton's investigation has uncovered multiple potentially unlawful price hikes impacting Texas fire departments, many of which have already submitted complaints. Attorney General Paxton encourages Texas counties, cities, and other municipalities that have experienced excessive price hikes, delivery delays, or other suspicious conduct by firetruck manufacturers or dealers to contact the Office of the Attorney General’s Antitrust Division with any relevant information, at [email protected].