[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 140 (Wednesday, July 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 39363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19544]



[[Page 39363]]

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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board
[STB Docket No. MC-F-20922]


Greyhound Lines, Inc.--Continuance in Control--Autobuses Amigos, 
L.L.C.

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice tentatively approving finance application.

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

SUMMARY: Greyhound Lines, Inc. (Greyhound), a motor carrier of 
passengers, and its wholly owned noncarrier subsidiary, Sistema 
Internacional de Transporte de Autobuses, Inc. (SITA), jointly seek 
approval under 49 U.S.C. 14303 to continue in control of SITA's wholly 
owned subsidiary, Autobuses Amigos, L.L.C. (Amigos), upon Amigos 
becoming a motor carrier of passengers. Persons wishing to oppose the 
transaction must follow the rules at 49 CFR 1182, subpart B. The Board 
has tentatively approved the transaction, and, if no opposing comments 
are timely filed, this notice will be the final Board action. If 
opposing comments are timely filed, this tentative grant of authority 
will be deemed vacated, and the Board will consider the comments and 
any replies and will issue a further decision on the application.

DATES: Comments are due by September 8, 1998. Applicants may reply by 
September 28, 1998. If no comments are received by September 8, 1998, 
this notice is effective on that date.

ADDRESSES: Send an original and 10 copies of comments referring to STB 
Docket No. MC-F-20922 to: Surface Transportation Board, Office of the 
Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20423-
0001. Also, send one copy of comments to applicants' representative: 
Fritz R. Kahn, Suite 750 West, 1100 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 
20005-3934.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Greyhound holds nationwide operating 
authority in Docket No. MC-1515. It also controls the following 
regional interstate motor carriers of passengers: Valley Transit 
Company, Inc. (MC-74), operating in Texas; Carolina Coach Company, Inc. 
(MC-13300), operating in Delaware, Virginia and North Carolina; Texas, 
New Mexico & Oklahoma Coaches, Inc. (MC-61120), operating in Texas, New 
Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma; Continental Panhandle Lines, 
Inc. (MC-8742), operating in Oklahoma and Texas; and Vermont Transit 
Co., Inc. (MC-45626), operating in Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and 
New York.
    SITA controls Americanos U.S.A., L.L.C. (Americanos) (MC-309813), a 
nationwide passenger carrier, Gonzalez, Inc., d/b/a Golden State 
Transportation Company (MC-173837), operating in the Southwest, and Los 
Rapidos, Inc. (MC-293638), operating in California.
    Amigos filed an application on May 28, 1998, with the U.S. 
Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration to operate 
as a regional motor carrier of passengers to provide scheduled, 
regular-route operations between the Mexican border crossing points in 
Texas and points in the Southeast.
    Applicants state that the aggregate gross operating revenues for 
Greyhound and its affiliated motor carriers of passengers exceeded $2 
million during the 12 months preceding this application. They assert 
that Amigos was organized to render specialized services designed to 
accommodate the travel requirements of the Spanish speaking passengers 
traveling between Brownsville, TX, and Los Angeles, CA, and between 
Brownsville and Miami, FL, and other points in the Southeast. 
Applicants state that the membership interests in Amigos have been 
placed into a voting trust 1 pending disposition of this 
proceeding.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ A voting trust agreement was informally approved by the 
Board's Secretary by letter dated June 18, 1998.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Applicants certify that: (1) Greyhound and its affiliates (except 
Americanos, which is not yet rated) hold satisfactory safety ratings,; 
(2) Amigos, before commencing operations, will have appointed agents in 
each of the states in which it anticipates operating, in accordance 
with 49 U.S.C. 13303 and 13304 and 49 CFR 366.1 et seq., and will have 
procured liability insurance as required by 49 U.S.C. 13906 and 49 CFR 
387.1, et seq. (Greyhound and its affiliates are in compliance with 
these provisions); (3) Greyhound, SITA, and Amigos are not domiciled in 
Mexico and are not owned or controlled by a person of that country; and 
(4) approval of the transaction will not significantly affect either 
the quality of the human environment or the conservation of energy 
resources.
    Under 49 U.S.C. 14303(b), we must approve and authorize a 
transaction that we find consistent with the public interest, taking 
into consideration at least: (1) the effect of the proposed transaction 
on the adequacy of transportation to the public; (2) the total fixed 
charges that result from the proposed transaction; and (3) the interest 
of carrier employees affected by the proposed transaction. We find, 
based on the application, that the proposed transaction is consistent 
with the public interest and should be authorized.
    This action will not significantly affect either the quality of the 
human environment or the conservation of energy resources.
    It is ordered:
    1. The proposed continuance in control is approved and authorized, 
subject to the filing of opposing comments.
    2. If timely opposing comments are filed, the findings made in this 
decision will be deemed vacated.
    3. This decision will be effective on September 8, 1998, unless 
timely opposing comments are filed.
    4. A copy of this notice will be served on: (1) the U.S. Department 
of Transportation, Office of Motor Carriers-HIA 30, 400 Virginia 
Avenue, SW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024; and (2) the U. S. 
Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, 10th Street & Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530.

    Decided: July 16, 1998.

    By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice Chairman Owen.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-19544 Filed 7-21-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P