ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – It can take more than four years for a city to get a new fire truck and the cost of those public safety vehicles has increased by more than three times in some cases, according to claims made in a lawsuit.

Inflated costs.

The city of Ann Arbor is looking to approve a retainer to hire two law firms to represent it in a class action suit claiming an alleged conspiracy to inflate the costs of fire trucks.

MORE NEWS: Congregations vs. Chaos: Cautionary Counsel for Churches

The city council will act on the resolution at its Jan. 20 meeting.

A “first-of-its-kind” case.

The Hagens Berman law firm is involved in the case and stated it was a “first-of-its-kind” antitrust class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit was filed against three fire truck manufacturers and the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association. The lawsuit claims an alleged conspiracy to boost the prices of fire trucks by sharing economic data in a market they control 70% to 80%.

Hagens Berman said in the last 10 years, the costs of a pumper fire truck has increased from $300,000 – $500,000 to $1 million and the cost of a ladder truck has jumped from $750,000 – $900,000 to $2 million.

“Through the alleged conspiracy, manufacturers have been able to drive costs up for potentially thousands of communities across the country, simply to boost the manufacturers’ profits,” Hagens Berman stated in a statement posted on its website.

The original complaint was filed in August.

The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.