OCTA Toll Roads Class Action Settlement

UPDATE:

• The Court granted final approval to this settlement Feb. 11, 2022.
• Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and Cofiroute USA LLC (CUSA) have agreed to a settlement benefiting anyone in the United States who used 91 Express Lane toll roads in Orange County, California, between 2015 and 2021.

The Class includes the following people whose personally identifiable information (PII) was provided by OCTA or CUSA to certain individuals or entities between June 29, 2015, and May 27, 2021:

• Anyone with a transponder account with a California toll road operator other than OCTA whose PII — including the date, time and location of a toll transaction on the 91 Express Lanes — was sent by the defendants to another California toll road operator between June 29, 2015, and May 27, 2021, for purposes of collecting a toll incurred on the 91 Express Lanes (the Interoperability Subclass)
• Any person whose PII was sent by defendants between June 29, 2015, and May 27, 2021, to the California Department of Motor Vehicles or an out-of-state equivalent in connection with more than one alleged toll violation incurred on the 91 Express Lanes (the DMV Subclass); to a car rental company in connection with an alleged toll violation incurred on the 91 Express Lanes (the Car Rental Subclass); and/or to a third-party debt collector for collection of unpaid tolls and/or toll violation penalties incurred on the 91 Express Lanes (the Debt Collection Subclass)

A map of the affected roads is available on the settlement website.

The plaintiffs filed their class action lawsuit against the Orange County Transportation Authority and CUSA, alleging that the defendants violated the California Streets and Highways Code by providing PII to certain third parties.

OCTA Toll Roads Settlement Benefits

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, OCTA will establish a $1 million settlement fund.

After attorneys’ fees and other expenses are deducted, the remainder of this fund will be distributed to Class Members who had a toll violation sent to a third-party debt collector, submit a claim, and are ineligible for penalty forgiveness.

Payments of up to $15 per person will be distributed on a proportionate basis; the final amount will depend on the number of valid claims submitted.

In addition, OCTA will provide $40 million worth of toll violation penalty forgiveness.

Each toll violation penalty assigned to a third-party debt collector for collection as of May 27, 2021, will be reduced to $100, and each toll violator who owed OCTA a debt for at least one toll violation penalty assigned to a third-party debt collection as of May 27, 2021, will have the amount of that debt reduced by about $40.

Class Members do not need to file a claim in order to obtain their debt reduction.

A fairness hearing in the OCTA toll roads settlement is set for Jan. 4, 2022.

The deadline to opt out of, object to, or file a claim in the settlement is Nov. 8, 2021.

Who’s Eligible

The Class includes the following people whose personally identifiable information (PII) was provided by OCTA or CUSA to certain individuals or entities between June 29, 2015, and May 27, 2021:

• Anyone with a transponder account with a California toll road operator other than OCTA whose PII — including the date, time and location of a toll transaction on the 91 Express Lanes — was sent by the defendants to another California toll road operator between June 29, 2015, and May 27, 2021, for purposes of collecting a toll incurred on the 91 Express Lanes (the Interoperability Subclass)
• Any person whose PII was sent by defendants between June 29, 2015, and May 27, 2021, to the California Department of Motor Vehicles or an out-of-state equivalent in connection with more than one alleged toll violation incurred on the 91 Express Lanes (the DMV Subclass); to a car rental company in connection with an alleged toll violation incurred on the 91 Express Lanes (the Car Rental Subclass); and/or to a third-party debt collector for collection of unpaid tolls and/or toll violation penalties incurred on the 91 Express Lanes (the Debt Collection Subclass)

Potential Award

$15

Proof of Purchase

No proof of purchase necessary.

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

11/08/2021

Case Name

In re: Toll Roads Litigation, Case No. 8:16-cv-00262-ODW (ADSx), in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Southern Division

Final Hearing

01/04/2022

Settlement Website

TollRoadsSettlements.com/OCTA

Claims Administrator

91 Express Lanes Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 3639
Portland, OR 97208-3639
888-490-0922

Class Counsel

Helen Zeldes
SCHONBRUN SEPLOW HARRIS HOFFMAN & ZELDES LLP

Michael Flannery
CUNEO GILBERT & LADUCA LLP

Blake J. Lindemann
LINDEMANN LAW FIRM APC

Defense Counsel

M. Lois Bobak
WOODRUFF, SPRADLIN & SMART

Ken E. Steelman
COFIROUTE USA LLC

David F. Brown
CORBETT, STEELMAN & SPECTER