Transit Expert Witness Fee Structure
National Transit Services, LLC provides expert witness services and litigation support across light rail, automated people movers, transit bus, and streetcar systems. The following fee structure applies to all expert witness engagements handled by Timothy Borchers through National Transit Services, LLC.
All fees are transparent and agreed in advance. There are no hidden costs.
Standard Hourly Rate
All expert witness services are billed at a standard rate of $350 per hour, regardless of case stage or activity type. This flat rate covers all work performed on the case including:
- Initial review of case documentation
- On-site inspections
- Report composition and written opinions
- Research and analysis
- Deposition preparation and testimony
- Trial preparation and testimony
- Consultations with counsel
Time is tracked and invoiced in 0.5-hour increments.
Travel Fee
For duties requiring overnight travel, a flat rate of $2,450 per day on-site applies. All reasonable out-of-pocket expenses are billed to the client, including:
- Airfare or other transportation
- Lodging
- Meals
- Testing and research costs
- Document copying and storage
Timothy Borchers is based in Tampa, Florida. Deposition locations should take this into account where possible.
Retention Retainer
To secure expert witness services, a non-refundable retention retainer of $5,000–$10,000 is required depending on the scope and complexity of the matter. This retainer is the minimum fee due to the expert and is earned upon receipt. All subsequent work is invoiced against the retainer as the case progresses.
Payment Terms
- Invoices are issued at least monthly
- All invoices are due within 30 days
- Overdue invoices accrue interest at 1.5% per month
- Fees for reserved testimony time must be paid in full at least 5 business days prior to scheduled testimony
- Full payment of outstanding fees is required before any report is released
- Outstanding fees must be cleared before scheduled testimony proceeds
All payments should be made to National Transit Services LLC, Tampa, Florida. Full payment details including mailing address and banking information are provided on invoices and in the retention contract.
IRS Form W-9 is available upon request.
Cancellation & Rescheduling of Testimony
- Cancellation or rescheduling with at least 3 business days’ notice — full refund of reserved testimony fees
- Cancellation or rescheduling with 1–2 business days’ notice — 10% of reserved testimony fees retained; remainder applied to future testimony or refunded
- Same-day cancellation or rescheduling — 100% of reserved testimony fees retained
The client is responsible for any non-refundable travel expenses already incurred at the time of cancellation.
Expert Witness Retention Contract
All engagements are governed by the National Transit Services Expert Witness Retention Contract, which sets out the full terms of retention including fee responsibilities, duties of both parties, document retention, and dispute resolution.
Before submitting a case review request, you may wish to download and review the retention contract so you have full information before making contact.
Request a Case Review or Consultation
Attorneys and legal teams may request a confidential consultation regarding light rail, streetcar, automated people mover, or transit bus incidents.
If your matter is time-sensitive, contact National Transit Services directly:
📞 Phone: 813-523-2743
📩 Email: info@lightrailexpertwitness.com.
However, the most efficient way to initiate a case review is to complete the contact form so the relevant case details can be reviewed in advance.
All inquiries are handled confidentially. A response is typically provided within one business day.