[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 59331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23950]



[[Page 59331]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Docket No. MC-F-20991]


Greyhound Lines, Inc., and Laidlaw Inc.--Continuance in Control--
Crucero U.S.A., L.L.C.

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice tentatively approving finance transaction.

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SUMMARY: Greyhound Lines, Inc. (Greyhound), a motor passenger carrier, 
and Laidlaw Inc. (Laidlaw), a noncarrier, through their indirectly 
controlled subsidiary, Sistema Internacional de Transporte de 
Autobuses, Inc. (SITA), seek approval under 49 U.S.C. 14303 to continue 
in indirect control of Crucero, U.S.A., L.L.C. (Crucero), upon 
Crucero's becoming a regulated motor passenger carrier. Persons wishing 
to oppose the application must follow the rules under 49 CFR 1182.5 and 
1182.8. 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 are due by November 4, 2002. Applicant may file a reply 
by November 19, 2002. If no comments are filed by November 4, 2002, 
this notice is effective on that date.

ADDRESSES: Send an original and 10 copies of any comments referring to 
STB Docket No. MC-F-20991 to: Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, send one copy of 
comments to applicants' representative: Fritz R. Kahn, 1920 N Street, 
NW. (8th Floor), Washington, DC 20036-1601.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph H. Dettmar, (202) 565-1600. 
[Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS): 1-800-877-8339].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Greyhound, an indirect subsidiary of 
Laidlaw, holds nationwide, motor passenger carrier operating authority 
under Docket No. MC-1515. Through its noncarrier subsidiary, SITA, 
Greyhound controls Americanos U.S.A., L.L.C. (MC-309813), operating 
between Mexican border crossings at points in TX, on the one hand, and, 
on the other, Albuquerque, NM, Denver, CO, Dallas and Houston, TX, and 
Chicago, IL, and between other points in the southernwestern United 
States; Autobuses Amigos, L.L.C. (MC-34062), operating between Mexican 
border crossing points at Brownsville and Houston, TX, and points in 
the southeastern United States; and Gonzalez, Inc., d/b/a/ Golden State 
Transportation (MC-173837), operating in Arizona, California, Colorado, 
and Nevada.\1\
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    \1\ Through its noncarrier subsidiary, GLI Holding Company, 
Greyhound also controls Rockford Coach Lines, L.L.C. (MC-66810), 
operating in Illinois; Valley Transit Co., Inc. (MC-74), operating 
in Texas; Carolina Coach Company (MC-13300), operating in Delaware, 
Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia; Texas, New 
Mexico & Oklahoma Coaches, Inc., (MC-61120), operating in Colorado, 
Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas; and Vermont Transit Co., 
Inc. (MC-45626), operating in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, 
New York and Vermont.
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    Laidlaw also directly or indirectly controls a number of motor 
passenger carriers, including Laidlaw Transit Ltd (MC-102189), and 
Greyhound Canada Transportation Corp. (MC-304126), both of which are 
authorized to conduct charter and special passenger carrier operations 
within the United States. Laidlaw's other motor passenger carrier 
subsidiaries, with the exception of Greyhound, are also largely limited 
to charter and special operations within the United States.
    Crucero, a company indirectly controlled by Applicants through 
their noncarrier subsidiary, SITA, holds no authority to operate as a 
motor passenger carrier, but has filed an application [Form OP-1(P)] 
with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration, for authority to perform scheduled, regular-
route service in California and Arizona.
    Applicants note that Crucero will concentrate on serving the 
transportation needs of Hispanic passengers principally between Los 
Angeles, CA, and Phoenix, AZ, on the one hand, and, on the other, the 
Mexican border crossing points at San Ysidro and Calexico, CA, and 
Nogales and Douglas, AZ. The applicants assert that the affiliation of 
Crucero with Greyhound and its regulated carriers will ensure that 
Crucero will have an adequate number of buses to meet the travel needs 
of its passengers and to make them available for its Greyhound and 
Laidllaw affiliates when needed. Applicants maintain that such 
arrangements will render the operations of Crucero efficient and 
economical, which will enure to the benefit of the public.
    Under 49 U.S.C. 14303(b), we must approve and authorize a 
transaction we find consistent with the public interest, taking into 
consideration at least: (1) The effect of the transaction on the 
adequacy of transportation to the public; (2) the total fixed charges 
that result; and (3) the interest of affected carrier employees.
    Applicants have submitted the information required by 49 CFR 
1182.2, including information to demonstrate that the proposed 
transaction is consistent with the public interest under 49 U.S.C. 
14303(b). Specifically, applicants have shown that the proposed 
transaction will have a positive effect on the adequacy of 
transportation to the public and will result in no increase in fixed 
charges and no changes in employment. See 49 CFR 1182.2(a)(7). 
Additional information may be obtained from applicants' representative.
    On the basis of the application, we find that the proposed 
transaction is consistent with the public interest and should be 
authorized. If any opposing comments are timely filed, this finding 
will be deemed vacated, and, unless a final decision can be made on the 
record as developed, a procedural schedule will be adopted to 
reconsider the application. See 49 CFR 1182.6(c). 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 
``http://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 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 as having been vacated.
    3. This decision will be effective on November 4, 2002, unless 
timely opposing comments are filed.
    4. A copy of this notice will be served on: (1) The U.S. Department 
of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 400 7th 
Street, SW., Room 8214, Washington, DC 20590; (2) the U.S. Department 
of Justice, Antitrust Division, 10th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20530; and (3) the U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Office of the General Counsel, 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20590.

    Decided: September 13, 2002.

    By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice Chairman Burkes.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-23950 Filed 9-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P