CRST Expedited Piece-Rate Settlement, Check If You Qualify — Keith Huckaby v. CRST Expedited, Inc., et al., No. 2:21-cv-07766-ODW-PD

There’s $14.5 million waiting for California truck drivers who drove for CRST Expedited on piece rate — no claim form required. CRST agreed to pay that amount to settle claims it shorted drivers on minimum wage for the time their trucks weren’t moving. If you drove for CRST in California between August 2017 and April 2023, this one’s probably about you.

CRST Expedited Piece-Rate Settlement — Key Facts

Settlement Amount	$14,500,000
Claim Deadline	None — payments are automatic
Who Qualifies	California-resident truck drivers paid by piece rate by CRST Expedited, Aug. 9, 2017 – April 10, 2023
Estimated Payout	UNVERIFIED — divided pro-rata by weeks worked in the class period; no flat per-driver figure has been published
Proof Required (Yes/No)	No
Settlement Status	Preliminarily approved; awaiting final approval
Court & Case Number	U.S. District Court, Central District of California, No. 2:21-cv-07766-ODW-PD
Law Alleged	California Labor Code minimum wage and wage-statement provisions; Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA)
Administrator	Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
Official Claim Site	truckingdriversettlement.com
Last Updated	September 3, 2026

Who Is CRST Expedited and Why Are They Being Sued Over Piece-Rate Pay?

CRST Expedited is a long-haul trucking carrier and a subsidiary of Iowa-based CRST International, one of the largest trucking companies in the country. Like a lot of carriers, CRST paid many drivers by the mile or by the load — a piece rate — rather than by the hour. That structure is exactly what triggered this lawsuit: California law says piece-rate pay has to separately cover time spent not driving, like waiting at a dock or doing pre-trip inspections, and plaintiffs say CRST’s pay plan didn’t.

What Did CRST Allegedly Do to Drivers Between 2017 and 2023?

Named plaintiff Keith Huckaby sued CRST in 2021, claiming the company’s piece-rate system failed to separately pay California drivers minimum wage for non-driving time — inspections, loading, waiting, paperwork. Under California Labor Code Section 226.2, that “non-productive time” has to be tracked and paid at least minimum wage, on top of the piece-rate earnings. The suit also claimed CRST didn’t reimburse business expenses under Labor Code Section 2802 and issued wage statements that didn’t reflect the true breakdown of hours and pay.

A federal judge certified the case as a class action in 2023, covering more than 4,500 California-resident drivers CRST paid by piece rate. CRST has denied any wrongdoing but agreed to settle rather than take the case to trial.

That number matters here — 4,500-plus drivers means this wasn’t one bad paycheck. It was a pay structure that ran for years.

If you’re wondering whether the CRST Expedited settlement covers your time behind the wheel, the fastest way to check is your dates and your pay type — piece rate, in California, during that window.

Who Qualifies for the CRST Expedited Piece-Rate Settlement?

Here’s exactly how to know if this case includes you.

• Drivers with a California residential address who worked for CRST Expedited as a truck driver
• Anyone CRST compensated by piece rate — not a flat hourly wage — at any point from Aug. 9, 2017, through April 10, 2023
• Those who worked pay periods between Aug. 9, 2020, and April 10, 2023, may also qualify for a separate PAGA payment, even if they opt out of the class settlement
• Drivers who already participated in the separate Montoya v. CRST Expedited settlement are excluded from this class

CRST Drivers Outside California — Are You Still Covered?

This one’s state-specific. The claims rest on California Labor Code provisions, so the class settlement only covers drivers with a California residential address during the class period. Drivers based in other states aren’t part of this particular case.

Not sure if you qualify for the CRST Expedited settlement? A free consultation with an employment attorney can help before the October 5 deadline to object or opt out.

How Much Can CRST Piece-Rate Class Members Get? Payments Are Automatic

There’s no set dollar amount published per driver — the settlement fund is divided pro-rata, so more weeks worked means a bigger check. Here’s how the money actually splits:

CRST Class Settlement Payout

After deducting attorneys’ fees, litigation costs, administration expenses, and PAGA penalties from the $14.5 million fund, what’s left gets divided among class members based on the number of weeks each person worked for CRST in California during the class period.

CRST PAGA Payout

A separate slice of the fund goes to the PAGA group — drivers who worked pay periods between August 2020 and April 2023 — split according to how many pay periods each person worked. You get this portion even if you exclude yourself from the main class settlement.

What Pro-Rata Means for Your CRST Check

More weeks on the road for CRST in California means a bigger share. There’s no minimum guaranteed amount published, and the settlement administrator calculates individual payments using CRST’s own employment records — not anything you have to submit.

Payments over $600 may appear on a 1099. Check with a tax professional before you spend it.

Here’s the part that actually matters: you don’t have to fill anything out. If your address on file is current, a check just shows up.

What Should CRST Piece-Rate Drivers Do Right Now?

1. You don’t need to file a claim form. Payments go out automatically to eligible drivers and PAGA group members.
2. If you’ve moved since working for CRST, contact the settlement administrator, Kroll, at (833) 930-1150 to update your address.
3. Checks are mailed after the court grants final approval and any appeals are resolved — expect that roughly 15 days after the process wraps.
4. Once you get a check, cash it within 180 days. After that, it may not be honored.
5. If you want out of the class settlement entirely, your opt-out request must be postmarked by October 5, 2026.
6. If you disagree with the terms but want to stay in the class, you can object in writing by the same October 5, 2026 deadline.

Takes about zero minutes of paperwork on your end — the only clock running is the one on opting out or objecting, if that’s the route you want.

Should CRST Class Members Opt Out or Object Before October 5, 2026?

What Opting Out of the CRST Settlement Actually Means

Opting out means you won’t get a class settlement check, but you keep the right to sue CRST separately over the same wage claims. Most drivers should not opt out without talking to a lawyer first, since it means giving up a guaranteed payment for an uncertain one. The opt-out deadline is October 5, 2026.

How to Object to the CRST Settlement

Staying in the class but disagreeing with the deal means filing a written objection with the court by October 5, 2026, and serving a copy on the settlement administrator. You can attend the November 16, 2026 fairness hearing to explain your objection in person, though you don’t have to.

Talk to a wage-and-hour attorney before October 5 if you’re weighing either option.

CRST Expedited Piece-Rate Settlement — Key Dates, 2026

Milestone	Date
Class Period Begins	August 9, 2017
Class Period Ends	April 10, 2023
Preliminary Approval Granted	UNVERIFIED — order confirmed to exist, exact date not confirmed from primary source
Opt-Out Deadline	October 5, 2026
Objection Deadline	October 5, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	November 16, 2026
Expected Payment Date	Approximately 15 days after final approval and resolution of any appeals

If you’re already thinking about how long you have to bring a wage claim on your own, our breakdown of the statute of limitations for wage and hour claims in California covers the deadlines that apply outside this settlement. And if “no claim form required” sounds unusual, it isn’t — see how it played out in the AT&T wage-and-hour settlement, which paid California employees the same automatic way.

CRST Expedited Settlement — Frequently Asked Questions, No. 2:21-cv-07766-ODW-PD

Do I need a lawyer to get my CRST Expedited settlement payment?

 No. Eligible class members and PAGA group members are paid automatically by the settlement administrator — there’s no application to file.

Is the CRST Expedited settlement legitimate? 

Yes. It’s court-supervised, and the official site, truckingdriversettlement.com, is run by Kroll Settlement Administration, the court-appointed administrator.

When will CRST settlement payments be sent?

 Checks go out after the court grants final approval — scheduled for November 16, 2026 — and any appeal period passes, typically within about 15 days of that.

What if I missed the CRST claim deadline?

There isn’t one to miss. This is an automatic-payment settlement. If you worked for CRST during the class period and your address is current, you’re covered without doing anything.

Will my CRST settlement payment go on a 1099? 

Possibly. Payments over $600 may be reported. Talk to a tax professional about how to handle it.

What happens if I don’t update my address with the administrator?

 Your check goes to CRST’s last address on file for you. If that’s outdated, contact Kroll directly at (833) 930-1150 before checks are mailed.

Can I still sue CRST individually if I stay in the class? 

No. Staying in the class means accepting the settlement’s release of claims once it’s finally approved. Opting out preserves your right to sue separately, but by the October 5, 2026 deadline.

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. Case terms verified against the official settlement website, truckingdriversettlement.com, and court filings including the class certification order and preliminary approval record, as of September 3, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.