According to the Plain Dealer, on Thursday, Western Express settled its suit with Pilot Flying J.
Paul Wieck, executive with Western Express, said his company has withdrawn its suit against Pilot Flying J. Wieck declined to disclose the terms of the settlement, the Plain Dealer reported.
In September, Western Express claimed that Pilot Flying J’s $2.5 million shortage cost the carrier $75 million.
“Pilot’s been a good partner of ours for a long time,” Wieck said. “We continued to be good partners after this came up and we’re going to be good partners going forward.”
Western Express was referenced in the federal affidavit against Pilot Flying J. The affidavit included several transcripts of recorded conversations about shorting customers in Pilot Flying J meetings, including a conversation conversation with Pilot Flying J employees. The transcript state’s that Pilot Flying vice president of sales, John Freeman, was talking about shorting Western Express $1 million in rebates.
“Western was among about a dozen companies that declined to participate in Pilot’s $85 million class-action settlement with other customers that sued the company over fuel rebate and discount payments. That settlement reimbursed truckers for what they were owed, plus six percent interest on the debt, and covered their legal costs,” the Plain Dealer reported.
Pilot Flying J attorney Aubrey Harwell said, “It’s always good when conflicts are resolved without necessitating long and protracted litigation.”