Freightliner Accuses Swift of Overbilling on Repairs

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Freightliner LLC, North America’s largest truck maker, has filed a civil suit against truckload carrier Swift Transportation Co. and its leasing subsidiary asking for almost $10 million in damages, alleging the trucking company overbilled the manufacturer on warranty work.

Phoenix-based Swift is the second-largest truckload carrier in the U.S. and Canada, and since 1992 has been allowed to perform its own warranty maintenance on its fleet of Freightliner tractors, according to the manufacturer’s complaint filed June 7 in the Portland, Ore., U.S. District Court.

Under terms of the contract, Swift mechanics perform the repair work and then the motor carrier bills the manufacturer if the truck is still under warranty. Smaller fleets have to get their warranty maintenance done at authorized dealerships.

For the full story, see the Aug. 19 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.

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