Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour Class Action Settlement Pays Out

Readers of Top Class Actions are reporting that they are receiving checks in the mail from a class action settlement over allegations several New York City bus tour companies conspired to artificially inflate their prices.

According to a post on the NYC bus tour settlement website, payments were mailed on Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, 2015. If you filed a claim for this settlement, keep an eye on your mailbox because you may soon be receiving your payment!

Several readers have reported on our Facebook page that they have received payments ranging from $20 to $40 from the “hop-on, hop-off” bus tour settlement.

The bus tour antitrust class action settlement resolves allegations that Twin America LLC, Coach USA Inc., International Bus Services Inc., City Sights LLC and City Sights Twin LLC conspired to inflate the prices of “hop-on, hop-off” bus tours in New York City. These bus tours allow customers to hop off a tour bus at places of interest, such as the Empire State Building, and then hop on another bus to continue their city tour.

According to the NYC bus tour class action lawsuit, Coach USA and City Sights created the bus company Twin America in 2009. Twin America is allegedly a “sham joint venture” that allowed Coach USA and City Sights to maintain their separate identities to give consumers the impression that they were still in competition with each other. This allegedly anticompetitive behavior led consumers to pay an overcharge of $5 or more per ticket, the class action lawsuit alleged.

The defendants deny the allegations but agreed to settle the NYC bus tour class action lawsuit to avoid the risk and expense of trial.

Class Members of the NYC bus tour settlement include all persons or entities that purchased Gray Line or City Sights “hop-on, hop-off” bus tours in New York City from Feb. 1, 2009 until June 16, 2014. Those who filed valid Claim Forms by the filing deadline of Jan. 19, 2015 were eligible to receive up to $20 per ticket purchased.

Congratulations to all of our readers who submitted valid claims and got PAID! If you missed out, sign up for our free newsletter to receive updates on new class action lawsuits and settlements. You can also check out which class action settlements are still accepting claims in our Open Class Action Settlements section.

The Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour Class Action Lawsuit is In re: NYC Bus Tour Antitrust Litigation, Case No. 13-cv-0711, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

UPDATE: The Settlement Administrator announced that final settlement checks were mailed on April 27, 2016.