[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 78 (Wednesday, April 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19853-19854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10525]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board
[STB No. MC-F-20906]


Capital Motor Lines, et al.--Pooling--Greyhound Lines, Inc.

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice of proposed pooling application.

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SUMMARY: Applicants, Capital Motor Lines, d/b/a Capital Trailways, of 
Montgomery, AL, and Colonial Trailways, of Mobile, AL (collectively, 
Capital), and Greyhound Lines, Inc. (Greyhound), of Dallas, TX, jointly 
seek approval under 49 U.S.C. 14302 of an operations and revenue 
pooling agreement to govern their motor passenger and express 
transportation services between Mobile and Birmingham, AL, and between 
Mobile and New Orleans, LA.

DATES: Comments on the proposed agreement are due by May 23, 1997, and, 
if comments are filed, applicants' rebuttal is by June 12, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send an original and 10 copies of comments referring to STB 
No. MC-F-20906 to: Surface Transportation Board, Office of the 
Secretary, Case Control Unit, Room 713, 1925 K Street, N.W., 
Washington, DC 20423-0001. Also, send one copy of comments to 
applicants' representatives: Dennis N. Barnes, 1800 M Street, N.W. (# 
600N), Washington, DC 20036-5869; and Fritz R. Kahn, Suite 750 West, 
1100 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20005-3934.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beryl Gordon, (202) 565-1600. [TDD for 
the hearing impaired: (202) 565-1695.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the proposed pooling arrangement, 
applicants seek approval to pool portions of their services over routes 
which they both operate and to share the revenues derived from their 
operations over these routes.
    Applicants are competitors on certain intercity routes between 
Mobile and Birmingham and between Mobile and New Orleans. Because their 
competing services operate at nearly the same times of day with buses 
that are only partially loaded, applicants assert that their operations 
are inefficient, costly, and, as a consequence, that they are unable to 
compete effectively with Amtrak, airlines, and private automobiles.
    Applicants assert that there is substantial intermodal competition 
between points on the affected routes to protect the public and that 
the proposed revenue pooling agreement does not threaten to produce an 
unreasonable restraint on competition. They state that Amtrak operates 
daily passenger train service between Mobile and Montgomery, Mobile and 
Birmingham, Montgomery and Birmingham, and Mobile and New Orleans. 
Additionally, they indicate that the affected points receive daily 
connecting air flights from Delta Air Lines, Northwest Air Lines, and 
US Airways. Numerous interstate highways connect these points, as well, 
making private automobile travel relatively quick and inexpensive.
    The proposed pooling of services, according to applicants, will 
enable them to increase their passenger load per bus. This, in turn, 
will reduce their unit costs and make their services more competitive. 
Additionally, they emphasize that the proposed pooling arrangement will 
permit them to schedule service more evenly throughout the day, 
affording the traveling public a greater choice of departure times and 
enhancing the convenience of bus travel.
    Applicants state that they are not domiciled in Mexico and are not 
owned or controlled by persons of that country. In addition, they 
assert that approval of the pooling agreement will not significantly 
affect either the quality of the human environment or the conservation 
of energy resources. In fact, they claim that it will result in the 
conservation of fuel and, hence, the reduction of emissions.

[[Page 19854]]

    Copies of the application may be obtained free of charge by 
contacting applicants' representatives. In the alternative, the pooling 
application may be inspected at the offices of the Surface 
Transportation Board, Room 755, during normal business hours. A copy of 
this notice will be served on the Department of Justice, Antitrust 
Division, 10th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 
20530.

    Decided: April 15, 1997.

    By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice Chairman Owen.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-10525 Filed 4-22-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P