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[-] Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz 39 points 22 hours ago

I recently helped work on a firetruck at a shop that works on existing trucks. They repair/rebuild their bodies, and do a lot of custom work. It's common for firestations to buy decommissioned trucks from other stations, and have this shop rebuild them rather than buying a new truck.

The truck I was working on had a light tower on it, with 6 led lights. During the work, one of the employees there asked me how much I thought the individual lights on the tower cost. An equivalently bright LED light would normally cost around $100, but because it was going on a firetruck I guessed it would have a premium price and guessed $300-400. Instead he told me each light was about $1500, making the set of 6 lights worth $9000.

The whole job was interesting, basically everything they had to buy new was way overpriced compared to the non-firetruck versions of the parts.

[-] Etterra@discuss.online 19 points 20 hours ago

So manufacturers are milking those juicy government contracts. Isn't America the fucking best.

[-] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 8 points 15 hours ago

But capitalism told me that private contracts were the least wasteful and most efficient?

Why would the people who profit from lying, lie to me?

[-] faintwhenfree@lemmus.org 7 points 18 hours ago

So are you telling me it's like the wedding tax but for firetruck?

[-] theuniqueone@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 points 22 hours ago

To no ones surprise its monopolization and corporate greed.

[-] PattyMcB@lemmy.world 14 points 21 hours ago

Spoiler: corporate greed

[-] SpicyLizards@reddthat.com 9 points 20 hours ago

Isn't the quick answer capitalism?

[-] Gsus4@mander.xyz 8 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago)

Back in the 1950s, they were largely just trucks outfitted with special add-ons — ladders, pumps — to differentiate them from the vehicle that might deliver your furniture. Family-owned businesses sprung up across the country to serve a region’s specific needs, and competition kept prices low.

that sounds like capitalism too :/

[-] ileftreddit@piefed.social 10 points 21 hours ago

It’s corporations realizing that fire trucks are an essential necessity, one that thousands of local departments need, and like a restaurant hearing “wedding” they’ve increased prices as much as they want

[-] Skullgrid@lemmy.world 0 points 11 hours ago

capitalism makes things more efficient, and reduces prices, that's why it costs 2 milli

[-] lemmy12369@midwest.social 5 points 21 hours ago

NJB did this amazing video on fire trucks Firetrucks

[-] BastingChemina@slrpnk.net 1 points 8 hours ago

This is an amazing video about the difference of approach between Europe and north america for fire trucks.

[-] LeeeroooyJeeenkiiins@hexbear.net 2 points 20 hours ago

and I bet it doesn't even have a massive eight rotor drone rig to fly the hose way up high like the chinese are already building

[-] Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world 2 points 22 hours ago

Put the wet stuff on the red stuff, sparky.

❤️

https://youtu.be/0HAGMb_jAdU?

this post was submitted on 28 Jul 2025
60 points (100.0% liked)

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