Sioux City Truck Sales, Inc.
v.
Iowa Department of Transportation and Peterbilt Motors Company, and Allstate Peterbilt of Clear Lake
Truck dealership operating under franchise agreement with truck manufacturer appealed from a district court ruling which affirmed on judicial review a decision by the Iowa Department of Transportation approving the manufacturer’s creation of a new dealership franchise. Truck dealership contends the proposed franchise is located within the same “community” it serves and the manufacturer failed to show good cause for another franchise within that community as required by Iowa Code chapter 322A (2019). The court of appeals reversed and remanded for further proceedings. The DOT, manufacturer, and new franchisee seek further review.
Resister
Sioux City Truck Sales, Inc.
Applicant
Iowa Department of Transportation and Peterbilt Motors Company, and Allstate Peterbilt of Clear Lake
Attorneys for the Resister
Jeffrey M. Goldstein
Ryland Deinert
Attorneys for the Applicant
Michelle E. Rabe
Stephen E. Doohen
Mark T. Clouatre
John P. Streelman
Jacob F. Fischer
Joseph G. Gamble
John N. Bisanz, Jr.
Supreme Court
Oral Argument Schedule
15-15-5
Feb 23, 2022 1:30 PM
Briefs
Supreme Court Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Date Amended:
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, William P. Kelly, Judge. REVERSED AND REMANDED TO THE AGENCY. Heard by Bower, C.J., and Tabor and Ahlers, JJ. Opinion by Tabor, J. (19 pages)
Sioux City Truck Sales, Inc. appeals a judicial review order affirming the Iowa Department of Transportation’s approval of an additional motor vehicle dealer franchise in its existing area of responsibility. OPINION HOLDS: Because neither the agency nor the district court applied the statutory definition of “community” when assessing whether Peterbilt Motors Company met its burden of proving good cause for appointing an additional dealer–franchisee in SCTS’s designated area, we reverse the district court’s judicial review decision and remand to the agency for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.