[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 217 (Monday, November 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 60559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-29613]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board
[STB Docket No. MC-F-20912]


Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc.--Pooling--Greyhound Lines, Inc.

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed pooling application.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Applicants, Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc., of Springfield, MA, and 
Greyhound Lines, Inc., 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 service between 
Boston, MA, and New York, NY, and between Springfield, MA, and New 
York, NY.

DATES: Comments are due by, December 10, 1997 and, if comments are 
filed, applicants' rebuttal statement is due by December 30, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send an original and 10 copies of any comments referring to 
STB Docket No. MC-F-20912 to: Surface Transportation Board, Office of 
the Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 
20423-0001. Also, send one copy of comments to each of applicants' 
representatives: (1) Jeremy Kahn, Suite 810, 1730 Rhode Island Avenue, 
N.W., Washington, DC 20036; (2) Fritz R. Kahn, Suite 750 West, 1100 New 
York Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20005-3934.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applicants are competitors on certain 
intercity routes between Boston, MA, and New York, NY, and between 
Springfield, MA, and New York, NY. They seek to pool portions of their 
passenger and express services over routes which they both operate, and 
to share the revenues derived from their operations over these 
routes.1 Applicants state that their services between these 
points overlap and that excess schedules are operated because of the 
need to protect their respective market shares. According to 
applicants, this has resulted in unacceptably low load factors, an 
over-served market, and inefficient operations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Applicants have already received authority to pool their 
operations and revenues for their motor passenger and express 
transportation service between Philadelphia, PA, and New York City 
in Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc.--Pooling--Greyhound Lines, Inc., STB 
Docket No. MC-F-20904 (STB served June 30, 1997). A similar request 
involving operations between New York City and Washington, DC is 
pending in Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc.--Pooling--Greyhound Lines, 
Inc., STB Docket No. MC-F-20908. According to applicants, the 
instant application is a logical extension of the New York-
Philadelphia pooling and the New York-Washington pooling. Applicants 
state that they intend to file a fourth such application involving 
operations between Albany, NY, and Boston, MA shortly. Applicants 
state that they consider the four agreements to be interrelated and 
intend to implement them simultaneously after approval by the Board. 
We note that the United States Department of Justice, Antitrust 
Division, has filed comments in STB Docket No. MC-F-20908, 
recommending that the Board find that there is a substantial 
likelihood that the proposed pooling of operations between New York 
City and Washington would unduly restrain competition.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Applicants submit that the pooling agreement will allow them to 
reduce excess bus capacity, cement their business relationship, and 
allow them to share in the financial vicissitudes of the pooled-route 
operations. They claim public benefits that will include: (1) 
Rationalization of schedules, eliminating some duplicative departures 
``on the hour'' while adding some departures on the half-hour during 
the busiest times of the day, resulting in more frequent bus service 
over a broader time period; (2) more coordinated use of terminals and 
ticketing agents, resulting in greater flexibility for passengers to 
use buses, tickets, and terminals; (3) capital improvements; and (4) 
continued bus service by more sound and financially stable carriers. 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 the 
reduction in the number of schedules each carrier operates will result 
in a salutary effect on the environment.
    Applicants state that competition will not be unreasonably 
restrained. They argue that: (1) The pooled service is subject to 
substantial intermodal competitive pressure from Amtrak, airlines, and 
private automobiles; and (2) other motor passenger carriers may easily 
enter and compete in the market.
    Copies of the application may be obtained free of charge by 
contacting applicants' representatives. A copy of this notice will be 
served on the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, 10th Street & 
Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20530.

    Decided: October 30, 1997.

    By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice Chairman Owen.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-29613 Filed 11-7-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P