[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 24 (Friday, February 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5859-5860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2812]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board
[STB Docket No. MC-F-20919]


Greyhound Lines, Inc., et al.--Acquisition--Autobus Turismos 
Rapidos, Inc.

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice tentatively approving finance application

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SUMMARY: Greyhound Lines, Inc. (Greyhound), a motor carrier of 
passengers, Sistema Internacional de Transporte de Autobuses, Inc. 
(SITA), a wholly owned, non-carrier subsidiary of Greyhound, and 
Americanos U.S.A., L.L.C. (Americanos), a motor carrier controlled by 
SITA, jointly seek approval under 49 U.S.C. 14303 for the acquisition 
of the operating authority and certain other properties of Autobus 
Turismos Rapidos, Inc. (ATR), a motor carrier of passengers. Persons 
wishing to oppose the application must follow the rules under 49 CFR 
part 1182 (effective October 1, 1998). The Board has tentatively 
approved the transaction, and, if no opposing comments are timely 
filed, this notice will be the final Board action.

DATES: Comments must be filed by March 22, 1999. Applicants may file a 
reply by April 6, 1999. If no comments are filed by March 22, 1999, 
this notice is effective on that date.


[[Page 5860]]


ADDRESSES: Send an original and 10 copies of any comments referring to 
STB Docket No. MC-F-20919 to: Surface Transportation Board, Office of 
the Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20423-0001. In addition, send one copy of any 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, motor passenger 
carrier operating authority under Docket No. MC-1515.1 SITA 
holds no operating authority, but controls Americanos (MC-309813) 
2 and proposes to acquire ATR through Americanos. SITA also 
controls three other motor passenger carriers: Gonzalez, Inc., d/b/a 
Golden State Transportation Company (Gonzalez) (MC-173837), operating 
in the Southwest; Los Rapidos, Inc. (MC-293638), operating in 
California, Nevada, and Arizona; and Autobuses Amigos, L.L.C. (Amigos) 
(MC-340462), operating between Mexican border crossing points in Texas 
and points throughout the United States. ATR holds authority in Docket 
No. MC-181016, to conduct scheduled, regular-route, passenger 
operations in California, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. 
According to applicants, their purchase of ATR has already been 
consummated, but SITA has placed all of its ``membership interests'' in 
Americanos into a voting trust established pursuant to 49 CFR part 
1013.
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    \1\ In Laidlaw, Inc. and Laidlaw Transit Acquisition Corp.--
Merger--Greyhound Lines, Inc., STB Docket No. MC-F-20940 (STB served 
Dec. 17, 1998) (63 FR 69710), we tentatively approved the merger of 
Greyhound with Laidlaw Transit Acquisition Corp., a wholly owned 
subsidiary of Laidlaw Inc.
    Greyhound also controls several regional motor passenger 
carriers: 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; Vermont Transit Co., Inc. (MC-45626), 
operating in Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York; and PRB 
Acquisition, LLC, doing business as Peoria Rockford Bus Co. (MC-
66810), operating in Illinois.
    \2\ Americanos is authorized to conduct scheduled, regular-
route, passenger operations between border crossing points such as 
San Ysidro/Tijuana, Calexico/Mexicali, and Nogales/Nogales, and such 
cities as Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, 
and Miami, but it did not conduct any passenger transportation 
operations before consummation of the purchase of ATR's properties.
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    Applicants state that the aggregate gross operating revenues for 
Greyhound and its affiliates exceeded $2 million during the 12 months 
preceding the filing of this application. They assert that access to 
applicants' financial resources will permit ATR's business, 
specializing in transportation markets addressing Spanish speaking 
passengers, to grow and will strengthen its competitive position. They 
state that this will improve service to the traveling public, integrate 
ATR's services with those of Greyhound, permit both carriers to offer 
reasonable and reduced fares, and enhance competition.3 They 
indicate that the transaction will have little or no effect on 
Greyhound's total fixed charges, and that ATR's drivers and other 
employees will be offered the opportunity to apply for positions with 
Americanos.
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    \3\ According to applicants, SITA has minority ownership 
interests in two Mexican motorbus operators that connect with 
Americanos at the Mexican/U.S. border crossing points and this 
transaction will permit SITA, through Americanos, to use the 
operating authority and other property of ATR to ease and simplify 
Mexico/U.S. transborder passenger transportation.
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    Applicants certify that: (1) Greyhound and its affiliates hold 
``satisfactory'' safety ratings (except for Americanos and Amigos, 
which have not yet been rated, and Gonzalez, which has a 
``conditional'' rating); (2) Americanos and Greyhound have appointed 
appropriate agents for service of process in each state in which they 
operate, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 13303 and 13304 and 49 CFR part 
366.1 et seq., and maintain sufficient liability insurance as required 
by 49 U.S.C. 13906 and 40 CFR part 387.1, et seq.; (3) Greyhound, SITA, 
Americanos, and ATR 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.
    On the basis of the application, we find that the proposed 
acquisition is consistent with the public interest and should be 
authorized. If any opposing comments are timely filed, this finding 
will be deemed to be vacated, and unless a final decision can be made 
on the record as developed, a procedural schedule will be adopted to 
reconsider the application. If no opposing comments are filed by the 
expiration of the comment period, this decision will take effect 
automatically and will be the final Board action.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our website at 
``WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.''
    This decision will not significantly affect either the quality of 
the human environment or the conservation of energy resources.
    It is ordered:
    1. The proposed acquisition 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 to be vacated.
    3. This decision will be effective on March 22, 1999, unless timely 
opposing comments are filed.
    4. A copy of this notice will be served on: (1) the U.S. Department 
of Justice, Antitrust Division, 10th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20530; and (2) the U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Office of Motor Carriers-HIA 30, 400 Virginia Avenue, SW., Suite 600, 
Washington, DC 20024.

    Decided: February 1, 1999.

    By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice Chairman Clyburn.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-2812 Filed 2-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P