TravelCenters of America has agreed to settle a civil antitrust suit brought against it by Flying J and its affiliates.


Simultaneously, TA announced that it will enter arrangements by which TCH LLC, an affiliate of Flying J, will process payment card transactions on the TCH electronic platform. TA will pay $5 million to Flying J and its affiliates in connection with these matters.

In February 2006, Flying J and affiliates sued TA, alleging the company had conspired with others to refuse to process payment card transactions using the TCH electronic processing platform. The TCH platform is operated by TCH LLC, which is majority owned by Flying J. This litigation continued after TA became a publicly owned company in early 2007.

TA and its predecessor have spent approximately $8 million in legal fees and other costs related to this litigation. As a result of the settlement, TA and the plaintiffs in the pending litigation intend to dismiss the pending litigation against TA and to exchange releases.

Simultaneously with the litigation settlement, TA will enter an agreement to process payment card purchases using the TCH electronic platform. TA expects that TCH payment cards will be accepted at all TA locations, including locations branded "TravelCenters of America," "TA" and "Petro Stopping Centers."

TA locations will continue to accept payment cards using electronic platforms other than TCH as they have in the past.