Former Tulsa Bus Drivers Seeking Compensation After Embezzlement Accusations Dropped

Some former MTTA workers were back in court for a settlement hearing Wednesday.

In 2014, Tulsa's bus company accused six drivers of embezzlement. The district attorney later dropped the charges, but the drivers filed a counter-suit.

11/25/2014 Related Story: Six Tulsa Bus Drivers Fired Over Allegations Of Theft

Now the plaintiffs, defendants, and their lawyers are trying to reach some type of settlement.

The company fired the bus drivers and accused them of printing out free courtesy bus passes. The drivers say they were falsely arrested and jailed without probable cause or due process.

They say their names have been dragged through the mud.

11/6/2015 Related Story: Six Fired Drivers Sue Tulsa Transit Authority

Documents show each of the six plaintiffs – Justin Copeland, Lawrence Morgan, Kenneth Speed, John B. Smith, Beverly Drew, Leroy King - was fired with no warning and that they had to pay money to cover the cost of the courtesy passes.

The lawsuit also claims the bus drivers’ termination was racially motivated, saying the drivers who were fired are all black but other drivers also printed out the courtesy passes and weren't disciplined.

The lawsuit claims the bus drivers were never given guidelines on how to distribute the courtesy passes or told how many could be printed each day.

The group is now seeking compensation for lost wages and benefits.

The settlement hearing is a closed to the public, but if one isn’t reached, the case could go to trial in October.