[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 24, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45970-45972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-18471]
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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
[Docket No. MCF 21138]
TBL Group, Inc.--Acquisition of Control--BTM Coaches, Inc.
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.
ACTION: Notice Tentatively Approving and Authorizing Finance
Transaction.
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SUMMARY: TBL Group, Inc. (TBL Group), a holding company that owns
multiple interstate motor passenger carriers, has filed an application
for Board approval of its acquisition of an additional federally
regulated motor passenger carrier, BTM Coaches, Inc. (BTM Coaches). The
Board is tentatively approving and authorizing the transaction. If no
opposing comments are timely filed, this notice will be the final Board
action.
DATES: Comments must be filed by November 7, 2025. If any comments are
filed, TBL Group may file a reply by November 21, 2025. If no opposing
comments are filed by November 7, 2025, this notice shall be effective
on November 8, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Comments referring to Docket No. MCF 21138 may be filed with
the Board either via e-filing on the Board's website or in writing
addressed to: Surface Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW,
Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, send one copy of comments to
TBL Group's representative: Gregory A. Ostendorf, Scopelitis, Garvin,
Light, Hanson & Feary, P.C., 10 W Market Street, Suite 1400,
Indianapolis, IN 46204.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Ziehm at (202) 918-5462. If you
require an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act,
please call (202) 245-0245.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 25, 2025, TBL Group filed an
application under 49 U.S.C. 14303 and 49 CFR part 1182, for Board
authority for TBL Group to control BTM Coaches, currently an interstate
motor passenger carrier, from its sole shareholder, William A. Moberg
(Proposed Transaction). (Appl. 1.)
According to the application, TBL Group is a Texas corporation,
headquartered at 15734 Aldine Westfield Road, Houston, TX 77032. (Id.)
TBL Group asserts that it is not a federally regulated carrier. (Id. at
2.) The application further states that it controls five interstate
motor passenger carriers (Affiliated Carriers): GBJ Inc. (GBJ), Echo
Tours & Charters, LP (Echo Tours), Echo East Cost Transportation LLC
(Echo East), Echo Windy City, LLC (Echo Windy), and Reston Limousine &
Travel Service, Inc. (Reston). (Id. at 2-5). TBL Group states that GBJ
is a Texas corporation doing business as Echo AFC Transportation, AFC
Transportation, and Echo AFC Medical Transportation that primarily
provides charter and contract shuttle services for companies, non-
profits, schools, and tour operators in Houston, Tex., but also
provides interstate charter passenger
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transportation service. (Id. at 2-3.) Echo Tours is described as a
Texas limited partnership doing business as Echo Transportation that
primarily provides charter and contract shuttle services for companies,
non-profits, schools, and tour operators in the metropolitan area of
Dallas, Tex., but also provides interstate charter passenger
transportation. (Id. at 3.) Echo East is described in the application
as a Texas limited liability company that primarily provides interstate
and intrastate contract and charter services in the area of
Jacksonville, Fla. (Id. at 4.) Echo Windy is described as a Texas
limited liability company doing business as Echo Windy City
Transportation that primarily provides intrastate limousine and charter
passenger service in the metropolitan area of Chicago, Ill., but also
provides interstate passenger limousine and charter passenger services.
(Id. at 4.) Reston is described as a Virginia corporation that provides
limousine, shuttle, and charter passenger service, interstate and
intrastate, in the metropolitan area of Washington, DC (Id. at 5.) TBL
Group states that, except for GBL, Echo Tours, Echo East, Echo Windy,
and Reston, there are no other affiliated interstate carriers with
which the TBL Group is involved. (Id. at 8.)
The application describes BTM Coaches as a Florida corporation with
its primary place of business in Cocoa, Fla. (Id. at 6.) TBL Group
describes BTM Coaches as primarily providing general charter motor
coach and contract bus services to schools/universities, companies,
organizations, and groups of individuals for activities such as tours,
to/from airport, weddings, athletics, recreation/entertainment, and
other activities favoring group transportation. (Id. at 7.) The
application also states that BTM Coaches provides a limited amount of
student home-to-school transportation in the area of Cocoa, Fla. (Id.)
It also describes BTM Coaches' primary service area as East Central
Florida, i.e., the area around Daytona Beach and south to the area
around Vero Beach, including Orlando and the various theme parks and
resorts, and the cruise terminals at Port Canaveral (collectively, the
Service Area). (Id.) The application also states that, in providing its
services, BTM Coaches utilizes approximately 40 motor coaches, 11
minibuses, and 9 school buses. (Id.) It also utilizes approximately 102
drivers. (Id.) The application asserts that no authority from the state
of Florida is required for the operations of BTM Coaches. (Id.)
Under 49 U.S.C. 14303(b), the Board must approve and authorize a
transaction that it finds 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 resulting from the proposed transaction, and (3) the interest
of affected carrier employees. TBL Group has submitted the information
required by 49 CFR 1182.2, including information demonstrating that the
proposed transaction is consistent with the public interest under 49
U.S.C. 14303(b), see 49 CFR 1182.2(a)(7), and a jurisdictional
statement under 49 U.S.C. 14303(g) that the aggregate gross operating
revenues of the involved carriers exceeded $2 million during a
consecutive 12-month period ending not more than six months before the
date of the agreement of the parties, see 49 CFR 1182.2(a)(5).
TBL Group asserts that granting the application is not expected to
have any detrimental impact on the adequacy of transportation services
available to the public in the Service Area. (Appl. 9.) TBL Group
anticipates that services available for the public will improve as
operating efficiencies are realized and additional services and
capacity are made available. (Id.) TBL Group further states that for
the foreseeable future, the services currently provided by BTM Coaches
will continue to be provided by BTM Coaches under the same name used to
provide such services prior to the Proposed Transaction. (Id.) TBL
Group asserts that its experience in the same market segments served by
BTM Coaches, charter transportation and contract shuttle services, is
expected to result in improved operating efficiencies, increased
equipment utilization rates, and cost savings derived from economies of
scale, all of which will help ensure the provision of adequate service
to the public. (Id. at 9-10.) TBL Group also asserts that BTM Coaches'
Service Area is geographically diverse from the areas served by the
Affiliated Carriers except for Echo East. (Id. at 12.) TBL Group states
that it is estimated that Echo East and BTM Coaches each generate less
than five percent of their respective revenues from the overlap in
their service areas. (Id.) TBL Group also represents that in the
overlapping geographic area the services provided by Echo East tend to
involve smaller vehicles and shorter moves, while the services provided
by BTM Coaches tend to involve larger motor coaches and longer trips
and/or longer periods of time. (Id. at 13.) In addition, TBL Group
asserts that BTM Coaches competes directly with other passenger
transportation service providers in the Service Area, which is a very
competitive market due to the significant number of national, regional,
and local providers operating within that area, including Academy Bus,
Lamers Bus Lines, Motor Coach Class A Transportation, Inc., Escot Bus
Lines, Empire Coach Lines, Inc., and Mears Transportation, LLC. (Id. at
12.)
TBL Group states that the Proposed Transaction would increase fixed
charges, in the form of interest expenses, because funds will be
borrowed to assist in the financing of the Proposed Transaction. (Id.
at 10.) TBL Group asserts that the increase will not impact the
provision of transportation services to the public. (Id.) TBL Group
further asserts that it is the current intention of TBL Group to
continue the existing operations of BTM Coaches, and as such, the
Proposed Transaction is not expected to have substantial impacts on
employees or labor conditions. (Id.) TBL Group does not expect or
contemplate a measurable reduction in force or changes in compensation
levels and/or benefits, although staffing redundancies could
potentially result in limited downsizing of back-office and/or
managerial level personnel. (Id.)
Based on TBL Groups' representations, the Board finds that the
acquisition as proposed in the application is consistent with the
public interest. The application will be tentatively approved and
authorized. If any opposing comments are timely filed, these findings
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. If no opposing comments
are filed by the expiration of the comment period, this notice will
take effect automatically and will be the final Board action in this
proceeding.
This action is categorically excluded from environmental review
under 49 CFR 1105.6(c).
Board decisions and notices are available at www.stb.gov.
It is ordered:
1. The Proposed Transaction is approved and authorized, subject to
the filing of opposing comments.
2. If opposing comments are timely filed, the findings made in this
notice will be deemed vacated.
3. This notice will be effective on November 8, 2025, unless
opposing comments are filed by November 7, 2025. If any comments are
filed, TBL Group may file a reply by November 21, 2025.
4. A copy of this notice will be served on: (1) the U.S. Department
of
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Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, 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, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington,
DC 20590.
Decided: September 18, 2025.
By the Board, Board Members Fuchs, Hedlund, and Schultz.
Kenyatta Clay,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2025-18471 Filed 9-23-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P