UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND

Transcription

1 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND ISABEL S. COHEN, on Behalf of Herself and All Others Similarly Situated, v. Plaintiff, C.A. No S RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY, Defendant. NOTICE OF PENDENCY OF CLASS ACTION AND PROPOSED SETTLEMENT, MOTION FOR ATTORNEYS FEES AND SETTLEMENT FAIRNESS HEARING If you were a non-rhode Island resident who during December 16, 2008 through and including April 7, 2011 (the Settlement Class Period ), paid tolls to cross the Newport/Claiborne Pell Bridge ( Newport Bridge ) using an EZ-Pass, FastLane or other comparable system (your Transponder(s) ), and did not receive the discount given to Rhode Island residents pursuant to the RI EZ-Pass Discount Plan ( Resident Discount Plan ), then you might be entitled to funds from a class action settlement. A federal court authorized this notice. This is not a solicitation from a lawyer. The Settlement will provide a $906, Class Settlement Amount plus any accruing interest for the benefit of Settlement Class members who were non-rhode Island residents at any time during the Settlement Class Period and who, during the Settlement Class Period, paid tolls to cross the Newport Bridge using a Transponder, and did not receive the discount given to Rhode Island residents pursuant to the RI EZ-Pass Discount Plan. The Settlement resolves a lawsuit which alleged that the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority ( RITBA ) toll schedule that offered certain discounted rates only to Rhode Island residents violated the U.S. Constitution. Your legal rights are affected whether you act or do not act. Read this notice carefully. YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS IN THIS SETTLEMENT: YOU MUST SUBMIT A CLAIM FORM IF: EXCLUDE YOURSELF OBJECT GO SPEAK AT A HEARING DO NOTHING (a) your Transponder(s) used to pay the Newport Bridge toll was/were issued by Massachusetts Department of Transportation ( MassDOT ) and is/are no longer associated with an active MassDOT account; (b) whether or not your Transponder(s) was/were issued by MassDOT, if you used more than one Transponder to pay the Newport Bridge toll; or (c) if the transponder(s) you used to pay the Newport Bridge toll was/were prepaid or not registered with your name and/or address so that you did not receive regular account statements from the transponder issuer(s). Get no payment. This is the only option that allows you to ever be part of any other lawsuit against the Defendant and the other Released Parties about the Released Claims. You will not be able to get a payment from the Settlement if you exclude yourself. Write to the Court about why you do not like the Settlement. Ask to speak in Court about the fairness of the Settlement. If filing a Proof of Claim form is necessary for you to receive funds from the Settlement and you do nothing, you will give up rights. You may nevertheless receive a distribution (if you are entitled to one) based upon account records for each of your Transponder(s) that were obtained by Plaintiff s counsel in this litigation. Also, if you do nothing, your rights to sue Released Parties about the Released Claims will be relinquished. These rights and options - and the deadlines to exercise them - are explained in this notice. The Court in charge of this case still has to decide whether to approve the Settlement. Payments will be made if the Court approves the Settlement and after appeals, if any, are resolved. Please be patient. 1

2 SUMMARY NOTICE Statement of Plaintiff s Recovery Pursuant to the Settlement described herein, a Settlement Fund consisting of $906, in cash, plus any interest thereon, has been established. There were 410,406 transponders registered to non-rhode Island addresses and charged the non-rhode Island resident Newport Bridge toll rate during the Settlement Class Period. Your Recognized Claim will be calculated based upon 25% of the difference between the non-resident toll rate you paid and the RI EZ-Pass Discount Plan toll rate for each Newport Bridge crossing during the Settlement Class Period. To receive a distribution, your Recognized Claim must be equal to or greater than $5.00. Your Recognized Claim may be adjusted upwards or downwards depending on, among other things, the number and amount of claims filed. Statement of Potential Outcome of Case and Reasons for Settlement The Parties disagreed on liability and damages. Defendant RITBA denied that it was liable to the Plaintiff or the Settlement Class and denied that Plaintiff or the Settlement Class suffered any damages. If, however, Plaintiff was to prevail and recover 100% of the difference between the non-resident toll rate paid and the RI EZ-Pass Discount Plan toll rate for every Newport Bridge crossing by a Settlement Class Member during the Settlement Class Period, that amount would equal $3,624, With the assistance of a federal magistrate, the parties resolved the matter by agreeing to submit their legal dispute for final determination by the Court. On April 7, 2011, the Court issued a written decision finding in favor of RITBA on all issues raised by the Plaintiff. In accordance with the parties settlement, RITBA agreed to pay the class 25% of the $3,624, amount sought by the Plaintiff and Settlement Class. In connection with that agreement, each party waived their respective rights to appeal. Statement of Attorneys Fees and Costs Sought Plaintiff s Counsel are moving the Court to award attorneys fees not to exceed thirty percent (30%) of the Settlement Fund, and for reimbursement of litigation expenses incurred in connection with the prosecution of this Action in an amount not to exceed $50,000 (excluding any estimated costs of providing notice to the members of the Class and the processing of the Proofs of Claim and administration of the Settlement). Plaintiff s Counsel have expended considerable time and effort in the prosecution of this litigation on a contingent fee basis, and have advanced or incurred the expenses of the litigation, in the expectation that if they were successful in obtaining a recovery for the Class they would be paid from such recovery. In this type of litigation, it is common for counsel to be awarded a percentage of the common fund recovery as their attorneys fees. Plaintiff s Counsel will make its motion papers in support of its request for attorneys fees and expenses available at at least 21 days before the October 7, 2015 objection deadline. Further Information Further information regarding the Action and this notice may be obtained by contacting Plaintiff s Counsel: Patrick Slyne, Esq., Stull, Stull & Brody, 6 East 45 th Street, New York, New York 10017, Telephone: WHAT THIS NOTICE CONTAINS Page SUMMARY NOTICE... 2 Statement of Plaintiff Recovery... 2 Statement of Potential Outcome of Case and Reasons for Settlement... 2 Statement of Attorneys Fees and Costs Sought... 2 Further Information... 2 BASIC INFORMATION Why did I get this notice package? What is this lawsuit about? Why is this a class action? Why is there a settlement?... 3 WHO IS IN THE SETTLEMENT How do I know if I am part of the settlement? Are there exceptions to being included? What if I am still not sure if I am included?... 5 THE SETTLEMENT BENEFITS WHAT YOU GET What does the settlement provide? How much will my payment be?... 5 HOW YOU GET A PAYMENT SUBMITTING A CLAIM FORM How can I get a payment? When would I get my payment? What am I giving up to get a payment or stay in the Class?

3 EXCLUDING YOURSELF FROM THE SETTLEMENT How do I opt out of the proposed settlement? If I do not exclude myself, can I sue the Defendants and the other Released Parties for the same thing later? If I exclude myself, can I get money from the proposed settlement?... 6 THE LAWYERS REPRESENTING YOU Do I have a lawyer in this case? How will the lawyers be paid?... 6 OBJECTING TO THE SETTLEMENT How do I tell the Court that I do not like the proposed settlement? What is the difference between objecting and excluding?... 7 THE COURT S FAIRNESS HEARING When and where will the Court decide whether to approve the proposed settlement? Do I have to come to the hearing? May I speak at the hearing?... 7 IF YOU DO NOTHING What happens if I do nothing at all?... 7 GETTING MORE INFORMATION Are there more details about the proposed settlement? How do I get more information?... 8 PLAN OF ALLOCATION OF NET SETTLEMENT FUND AMONG CLASS MEMBERS... 8 Why did I get this notice package? BASIC INFORMATION Your Transponder was charged a non-rhode Island resident toll rate to cross the Newport Bridge during December 16, 2008 through and including April 7, 2011, the Settlement Class Period. The Court directed that this notice be sent to Settlement Class members because they have a right to know about the proposed Settlement of this class action lawsuit, and about all of their options, before the Court decides whether to approve the Settlement. If the Court approves the Settlement, and after objections and appeals, if any, are resolved, the Settlement Administrator approved by the Court will make the payments that the Settlement and Plan of Allocation allow. This package explains the lawsuit, the Settlement, Settlement Class members legal rights, what benefits are available, who is eligible for them, and how to get them. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island and is known as Isabel S. Cohen v. Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, C.A. No S (D.R.I.). The person who sued is called the Plaintiff, and the entity the Plaintiff sued, Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, or RITBA, is called the Defendant. What is this lawsuit about? On March 27, 2009, Plaintiff filed a class action complaint ( Complaint ) on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated against RITBA in the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. Beginning December 16, 2008, when RITBA instituted its RI EZ-Pass Discount Plan, Rhode Island residents who paid the Newport Bridge toll with a Rhode Island Transponder were charged $0.83 per crossing and non-rhode Island residents with otherwise identical vehicles were charged $1.75 per crossing (2.11 times more than the Rhode Island resident toll rate). The Complaint alleges that the difference in toll rates violated the U.S. Constitution because RITBA restricted participation in the RI EZ-Pass Discount Plan solely to Rhode Island residents. RITBA denied that it did anything wrong or improper, and maintained that the RI EZ-Pass Discount Plan was lawful in all respects. Why is this a class action? In a class action, one or more plaintiffs (here Isabel S. Cohen) sue on behalf of those persons who have similar claims. All these people may form a class and become class members. Bringing a case, such as this one, as a class action allows resolution of a case on a class-wide basis where the claims of many individuals might be too small to bring in individual actions. One court resolves the common issues for all class members, except for those who exclude themselves from the class. Why is there a Settlement? After Plaintiff s Counsel conducted an investigation of potential claims, on March 27, 2009, through counsel, Plaintiff filed a class action Complaint on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated against RITBA in the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. 3

4 The Complaint sought, among other things, a judgment in favor of the Plaintiff and the Class that: RITBA s RI EZPass Discount Plan was unconstitutional as written and/or as applied; a refund of all unconstitutionally collected toll monies paid by non-rhode Island residents to RITBA; and, imposition of a constructive trust to ensure all unconstitutionally collected amounts could be traced and returned to the persons who paid them. On April 20, 2009, RITBA timely filed an answer to the Complaint ( Answer ). In its Answer, among other things, RITBA asserted that the Complaint failed to state a claim upon which relief could be granted and denied that its RI EZ-Pass Discount Plan or Newport Bridge toll schedule was unconstitutional. RITBA sought judgment in its favor together with costs and attorney s fees. During the pendency of the Action, Plaintiff s Counsel analyzed evidence adduced during discovery and researched the applicable law with respect to the claims of the Plaintiff and the Class against the Defendant and the potential defenses thereto. On January 22, 2010, the Action was referred to Magistrate Judge David L. Martin for settlement conference pursuant to a Notice of Settlement Conference and Settlement Conference Order ( Settlement Conference Order ). As instructed by the Settlement Conference Order, the Parties each exchanged and delivered Settlement Conference Statements to Magistrate Judge Martin. Thereafter, counsel for both Parties, each with full authority to negotiate and settle the Action, appeared at a March 17, 2010 Settlement Conference and presented the factual and legal highlights of their case, respectively, to Magistrate Judge Martin. At the Settlement Conference, both the Plaintiff and Defendant stood firm in their respective positions. Plaintiff maintained that RITBA s toll schedule was unconstitutional, discriminated against non-rhode Island residents and the excess tolls over and above the Rhode Island toll rate should be repaid by RITBA to the Plaintiff and the Class. RITBA maintained that its toll schedule complied with the law and no amount of the tolls charged over the Rhode Island resident rate need be repaid to Plaintiff or the Class. In order to settle the Action, it was agreed at the Settlement Conference that both the Plaintiff and the Defendant would file motions for summary judgment to be decided by Judge William E. Smith and that if Judge Smith ruled in favor of Plaintiff s motion for summary judgment, RITBA would repay 75% of the excess toll to Plaintiff and the Class. On the other hand, if Judge Smith ruled in favor of Defendant s motion for summary judgment, RITBA would repay 25% of the excess toll to Plaintiff and the Class. It was further agreed in context of moving forward with a settlement under that structure, neither the Plaintiff nor RITBA would appeal Judge Smith s ruling on the summary judgment motions. On April 17, 2010, Plaintiff moved for certification of the Action as a class action, the appointment of Isabel S. Cohen as class representative and the appointment of Plaintiff s counsel as lead counsel. In response, on April 19, 2010, RITBA filed a Limited Statement of No Objection to Plaintiff s Motion for Class Certification. On April 28, 2010, the Court issued an Order that, among other things, granted Plaintiff s Motion for Class Certification, certified Isabel S. Cohen as class representative and certified the class as consisting of: all non-rhode Island residents who paid tolls to cross the Newport/Claiborne Pell Bridge using an E-ZPass, FastLane or other comparable system, and who did not receive the discount given to Rhode Island residents pursuant to the RI E-ZPass Discount Plan. On October 18, 2010, the Plaintiff and Defendant each moved for summary judgment. On February 3, 2011 a motion hearing was held by Judge Smith at which counsel for both parties argued for and against the two pending motions for summary judgment, respectively. On April 7, 2011, Judge Smith issued an Opinion and Order that granted RITBA s Motion for Summary Judgment and denied Plaintiff s Motion for Summary Judgment. Judge Smith concluded that RITBA s RI EZ-Pass Discount Plan did not violate the Constitution as the Plaintiff alleged and that neither the Plaintiff nor the Class was entitled to any damages. As previously agreed by the Parties, the Court s Opinion and Order on Summary Judgment did not end the case in favor of the Defendant. Instead, a settlement amount, 25% as opposed to 75% of excess tolls was determined as a result of the Court s decisions on the cross motions for summary judgment. Under that agreement to compromise, both sides avoided certain risks and costs of further litigation and appeals, and the people affected, so long as their Recognized Claim is equal to or greater than $5.00 will get or will have the opportunity to get compensation. Plaintiff and Plaintiff s Counsel think the Settlement is a fair, reasonable, and adequate settlement of the claims of the Settlement Class. WHO IS IN THE SETTLEMENT To see if you could get money from this Settlement, you first have to determine if you are a Settlement Class member. How do I know if I am part of the Settlement? The Court directed that for the purposes of the proposed Settlement that everyone who fits this description is a Settlement Class member: You are a Settlement Class member if you were a non-rhode Island resident who during December 16, 2008 through and including April 7, 2011, paid tolls to cross the Newport/Claiborne Pell Bridge using an EZ-Pass, FastLane or other comparable system, and did not receive the discount given to Rhode Island residents pursuant to the RI EZ-Pass Discount Plan. 4

5 Are there exceptions to being included? You may exclude yourself from the Settlement Class as described herein. What if I am still not sure if I am included? If you are still not sure whether you are included in the Settlement Class, you can ask for free help. You can call or visit for more information. Or you can fill out and return the Proof of Claim form described three questions below to preserve any rights you have to a distribution. THE SETTLEMENT BENEFITS WHAT YOU GET What does the Settlement provide? In exchange for the Settlement and dismissal of the Action, the Defendant has agreed to create a $906, fund to be divided, after fees and expenses, among Settlement Class members. How much will my payment be? Your share of the Settlement Fund will depend on the difference in the toll amount you paid using a Transponder compared to the toll rate under the RI EZ-Pass Discount Plan and the number of times you paid the non-discounted toll rate to cross the Newport Bridge during December 16, 2008 through and including April 7, HOW YOU GET A PAYMENT SUBMITTING A CLAIM FORM How can I get a payment? To qualify for a payment, you must have a Recognized Claim of at least $5.00. Most Settlement Class members that qualify will either receive a check in the mail or a credit to their active MassDOT Transponder account based upon the toll collection records. File a Proof of Claim form if: (a) your Transponder(s) during the Settlement Class Period was issued by MassDOT and is no longer active and cannot be credited with a Settlement distribution. MassDOT will credit Settlement distributions only to Settlement Class members whose Transponders used during the Settlement Class Period continue to be active MassDOT Transponder accounts. If your MassDOT Transponder is no longer active and you submit a Claim Form and qualify, you will receive a check in the mail. (b) whether or not your Transponder(s) was issued by MassDOT, if you used more than one Transponder to pay the Newport Bridge toll during the Settlement Class Period because the total amount of tolls paid on any individual Transponder may not be enough to reach the required $5.00 Recognized Claim amount to qualify for a distribution but if aggregated you may qualify; or (c) the Transponder(s) you used to pay the Newport Bridge toll was/were prepaid or not registered with your name and/or address so that you did not receive regular account statements from the Transponder issuer(s). A Proof of Claim form is attached to this notice. You may also get a Proof of Claim form at Read the instructions carefully, fill out the Proof of Claim form, include all the documents the form asks for, sign it, and mail it postmarked no later than October 7, When would I get my payment? The Court will hold a hearing on October 28, 2015, to decide whether to approve the Settlement. If the Court approves the Settlement, and after the resolution of any appeals that could follow, a distribution will occur. It is always uncertain when appeals will be resolved, and resolving them can take more than a year. It also takes time for all the Proofs of Claim to be processed. Please be patient. Do not call RITBA for information. Class Counsel, identified on page 3, above, can answer questions you have about the timing of distributions. What am I giving up to get a payment or stay in the Settlement Class? Unless you exclude yourself, you are staying in the Settlement Class, and that means that, upon the Effective Date, you will release all Released Plaintiff s Claims against the Released Parties (the terms are defined below). Released Plaintiff s Claims means all claims, debts, actions, allegations, obligations, fees, expenses, costs, matters, demands, rights, liabilities and causes of action of every nature and description whatsoever, known or unknown, concealed or hidden, by Plaintiff or any member of the Settlement Class arising out of RITBA s toll schedule and the collection of tolls to cross the Newport Bridge during the Settlement Class Period that were alleged or could have been alleged in the Action. Released Parties means the Plaintiff and the Defendant. The Effective Date will occur when a Final Order entered by the Court approving the Settlement becomes final and not subject to appeal. 5

6 If you remain a member of the Settlement Class, all of the Court s orders will apply to you and legally bind you. EXCLUDING YOURSELF FROM THE SETTLEMENT If you do not want a payment from this Settlement, and instead you want to keep any right you may have to sue or continue to sue the Defendant and the other Released Parties, on your own, about the Released Plaintiff s Claims, then you must take steps to exclude yourself, sometimes referred to as opting out, of the Settlement Class. How do I opt out of the proposed Settlement? To exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you must send a letter by mail stating that you request exclusion from the Settlement Class in Isabel S. Cohen v. Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, C.A. No S (D.R.I.). Your letter should state the name of the Transponder issuer and Transponder number that you used to pay tolls to cross the Newport Bridge during the Settlement Class Period. In addition, be sure to include your name, address, daytime telephone number, and your signature. You must mail your exclusion request so it is postmarked no later than October 7, 2015 to: EXCLUSIONS RITBA CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT ADMINISTRATOR c/o A.B. DATA, Ltd. PO BOX MILWAUKEE, WI You cannot exclude yourself by telephone or by . If you ask to be excluded, you will not get any Settlement payment, and you cannot object to the Settlement. You will not be legally bound by anything that happens in this lawsuit, and you may be able to sue (or continue to sue) the Defendant and the other Released Parties in the future. If I do not exclude myself, can I sue the Defendant and the other Released Parties for the same thing later? No. If the Settlement is approved, unless you have excluded yourself, you would have given up any rights to sue the Defendant and the other Released Parties for any and all Released Claims. If you have a pending lawsuit, speak to your lawyer in that case immediately. You must exclude yourself from this Settlement Class to continue your own lawsuit. Remember, the exclusion deadline is October 7, If I exclude myself, can I get money from the proposed Settlement? No. If you exclude yourself, do not send in a Proof of Claim form to ask for any money. Any Proof of Claim forms from excluded persons will be rejected. But, you may exercise any right you may have to sue, continue to sue, or be part of a different lawsuit against the Defendant and the other Released Parties. THE LAWYERS REPRESENTING YOU Do I have a lawyer in this case? The Court ordered that the law firms of Stull, Stull & Brody in New York, New York, and the Law Offices of Stephen R. White in Warwick, Rhode Island represent all Settlement Class members. These lawyers are called Plaintiff s Counsel. You will not be separately charged for these lawyers. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense. How will the lawyers be paid? Plaintiff s Counsel are moving the Court to award attorneys fees from the Settlement Fund in an amount of not greater than thirty percent (30%) of the gross Settlement Fund and for reimbursement of their expenses, plus interest on such fees and expenses at the same rate as earned by the Settlement Fund. Plaintiff s Counsel, without further notice to the Settlement Class, may subsequently apply to the Court for additional fees and expenses incurred in connection with administering and distributing the Settlement proceeds to the members of the Settlement Class and any proceedings subsequent to the Settlement Fairness Hearing. Fees and expenses will only be awarded by the Court in amounts the Court deems fair and reasonable. As noted above, Plaintiff s Counsel will make its motion papers in support of its request for attorneys fees and expenses available at the following Settlement Website at least 21 days before the October objection deadline. OBJECTING TO THE SETTLEMENT You can tell the Court that you do not agree with the Settlement or some part of it. How do I tell the Court that I do not like the proposed Settlement? If you are a Settlement Class member, you can object to the proposed Settlement or request for an award of attorneys fees and expenses, Case Contribution Award or the Plan of Allocation. You can give reasons why you think the Court should not approve any facet of the Settlement or Plaintiff s Counsel s request. The Court will consider your views. To object, you must send a signed letter saying that you object to the proposed Settlement in Isabel S. Cohen v. Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, C.A. No

7 S (D.R.I.). Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number, and your signature, identify the issuer of the Transponder and Transponder number you used to pay the non-rhode Island resident toll rate to cross the Newport Bridge during the Settlement Class Period, and state the reasons why you object to the proposed Settlement or application for attorneys fees, expenses and/or Case Contribution Award. Your objection must be filed with the Court and served on all the following counsel on or before October 7, 2015: COURT PLAINTIFF S COUNSEL DEFENDANT S COUNSEL Clerk of the Court United States District Court District of Rhode Island Federal Building and Courthouse One Exchange Terrace Providence, RI Patrick Slyne, Esq. Stull, Stull & Brody 6 East 45 th Street New York, NY Brian J. Lamoureux, Esq. Pannone Lopes Devereaux & West LLC 317 Iron Horse Way Ste 301 Providence, RI What is the difference between objecting and excluding? Objecting is simply telling the Court that you do not like something about the proposed Settlement. You can object only if you stay in the Settlement Class. Excluding yourself is telling the Court that you do not want to be part of the Settlement Class. If you exclude yourself, you have no basis to object because the case no longer affects you. THE COURT S SETTLEMENT FAIRNESS HEARING The Court will hold a hearing to decide whether to approve the proposed Settlement and request for attorneys fees and expenses. You may attend the hearing at your own expense, and you may ask to speak at the hearing, but you do not have to do either. When and where will the Court decide whether to approve the proposed Settlement? The Court will hold a Settlement Fairness Hearing at 10:00 a.m. on October 28, 2015, at the United States District Court, District of Rhode Island, Federal Building and Courthouse, One Exchange Terrace, Providence, Rhode Island At this hearing the Court will consider whether the Settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate. If there are objections, the Court will consider them. The Court will listen to people who have asked to speak at the hearing. The Court may also decide how much to pay to Plaintiff s Counsel for their fees and reimbursement of expenses and to Plaintiff for a Case Contribution Award. After the hearing, the Court will decide whether to approve the Settlement. We do not know how long these decisions will take. You should be aware that the Court may change the date and time of the Settlement Fairness Hearing. Thus, if you want to come to the hearing, you should check with Plaintiff s Counsel before coming to be sure that the date and/or time has not changed. Do I have to come to the hearing? No. Plaintiff s Counsel will answer questions the Court may have. But, you are welcome to come at your own expense. If you send an objection, you do not have to come to Court to talk about it. As long as you mailed your written objection on time, the Court will consider it. You may also pay your own lawyer to attend, but it is not required. Settlement Class members do not need to appear at the hearing or take any other action to indicate their approval. May I speak at the hearing? If you object to the Settlement, you may ask the Court for permission to speak at the Settlement Fairness Hearing. To do so, you must include with your objection (see page above) a statement saying that it is your Notice of Intention to Appear in Isabel S. Cohen v. Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, C.A. No S (D.R.I.). Persons who intend to object to the Settlement, the Plan of Allocation, Plaintiff s Counsels application for an award of attorneys fees and expenses and/or Case Contribution Award, and desire to present evidence at the Settlement Fairness Hearing must include in their written objections the identity of any witnesses they may call to testify and exhibits they intend to introduce into evidence at the Settlement Fairness Hearing. You cannot speak at the hearing if you excluded yourself. IF YOU DO NOTHING What happens if I do nothing at all? If you do not need to file a Proof of Claim form (as described above on pages 8-9), and you are a Settlement Class member, you will receive a check in the mail or your active MassDOT Transponder account will be credited so long as your Recognized Claim is equal to or greater than $5.00. But, if the Settlement is approved, unless you exclude yourself, you will not be able to start a lawsuit, continue with a lawsuit, or be part of any other lawsuit against the Defendant and the other Released Parties about the Settled Claims in this case, ever again. 7

8 Are there more details about the proposed Settlement? GETTING MORE INFORMATION This notice summarizes the proposed Settlement. More details are in a Settlement Agreement dated December 12, 2014 (the Settlement ). You can get a copy of the Settlement Agreement by visiting or by writing to Patrick Slyne, Esq., Stull, Stull & Brody, 6 East 45 th Street, New York, New York You also can call the Claims Administrator at toll free; write to the address on page 7, above; or visit the Settlement Website at where you will find answers to common questions about the Settlement, a Proof of Claim form, plus other information to help you determine whether you are a Settlement Class member and whether you are eligible for a payment. How do I get more information? For more detailed information concerning the matters involved in this Action, reference is made to the pleadings, to the Stipulation, to the Orders entered by the Court and to the other papers filed in the Action, which may be inspected at the Office of the Clerk of the United States District Court, District of Rhode Island, Federal Building and Courthouse, One Exchange Terrace, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, during regular business hours. PLAN OF ALLOCATION OF NET SETTLEMENT FUND AMONG CLASS MEMBERS The $906, Class Settlement Amount and any interest earned thereon shall be the Settlement Fund. The Settlement Fund, less all taxes, approved costs, fees and expenses (the Net Settlement Fund ) shall be distributed to members of the Settlement Class who have Recognized Claims, as defined below, equal to or greater than $5.00 and, if required, submit acceptable Proofs of Claim ( Authorized Claimants ). Rental Car Servicing Companies ( RCSC ) 1 (entities that supply and/or service transponders to rental car companies) are excluded from the Plan of Allocation because toll charges incurred by RCSC transponders are typically passed through to and ultimately paid by rental car customers. Rental car customers are included in the Plan of Allocation and can participate in the Settlement if they file appropriate Proof of Claim forms and their Recognized Claim meets the $5.00 cut off. The $906, Settlement Fund Amount includes $37, associated with Newport Bridge tolls charged to transponders registered to RCSCs. The Settlement Administrator shall determine each Authorized Claimant s pro rata share of the Net Settlement Fund based upon 25% of the difference between the non-resident toll rate paid and the RI E-Z Pass Discount Plan toll rate for each Newport Bridge crossing during the Settlement Class Period, or each Authorized Claimant s Recognized Claim. The Recognized Claim formula is not intended to be an estimate of the amount of what a Class Member might have been able to recover after a trial, nor is it an estimate of the amount that will be paid to Authorized Claimants pursuant to the Settlement. The Recognized Claim formula is the basis upon which the Net Settlement Fund will be proportionately allocated to the Authorized Claimants. There may be adjustments to the Recognized Claim amounts, which may increase or decrease the percentage recovery for Recognized Claims. However, the percentage adjustment will be the same for all Settlement Class members regardless of whether they used an RCSC registered transponder. If Settlement Class members who are required to file Proof of Claim forms do not file acceptable Proofs of Claim, they will not share in the Settlement Proceeds. Settlement Class members who do not file acceptable Proofs of Claim will nevertheless be bound by the judgment and the Settlement. Distributions will be made to Authorized Claimants after all claims have been processed and after the Court has finally approved the Settlement. If any funds remain in the Net Settlement Fund by reason of un-cashed distributions or otherwise, then, after the Settlement Administrator has made reasonable and diligent efforts to have Settlement Class members who are entitled to participate in the distribution of the net Settlement Fund cash their distributions, such balance remaining six (6) months after the initial distribution of such funds, after payment of any unpaid costs or fees incurred in administering the net Settlement Fund, shall be contributed to any combination of the following cy pres recipients, all in the sole discretion of the Court: Aquidneck Land Trust, Clean Ocean Access, and/or Discover Newport, which are all non-sectarian, not-for-profit organizations. Defendant and its respective counsel shall have no responsibility for or liability whatsoever for the investment or distribution of the Settlement Fund, the net Settlement Fund, the Plan of Allocation or the determination, administration, calculation, or payment of any Proof of Claim or non-performance of the Claims Administrator, the payment or withholding of taxes owed by the Settlement Fund or any losses incurred in connection therewith. Dated: Providence, Rhode Island July 29, 2015 By Order of the Court CLERK OF THE COURT 1 The following entities are RCSCs: American Traffic Solutions Inc., Highway Toll Administration LLC, and ZipCar, Inc. 8