[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 243 (Friday, December 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 70181]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33464]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[STB Docket Nos. MC-F-20904, MC-F-20908, and MC-F-20912] \1\
Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc.--Pooling--Greyhound Lines, Inc.
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT.
\1\ These proceedings are not consolidated. A single decision is
being issued for administrative convenience.
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ACTION: Notice tentatively approving amendments to pooling agreements.
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SUMMARY: The Board tentatively approves certain minor and conforming
amendments to previously approved operations and revenue pooling
agreements between Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc. (Peter Pan), of
Springfield, MA, and Greyhound Lines, Inc. (Greyhound), of Dallas, TX
(collectively, applicants), involving routes between New York, NY, and
Philadelphia, PA, Washington, DC, Boston and Springfield, MA. If no
opposing comments are timely filed, this notice will be the final Board
action. If opposing comments are timely filed, this tentative approval
will be deemed vacated, and the Board will consider the comments and
any replies and will issue a further decision on the amendments.
DATES: Comments are due by January 7, 1999, and, if comments are filed,
applicants' reply is due by January 19, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Send an original and 10 copies of comments referring to STB
Docket No. MC-F-20904 et al. 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 comments to applicants'
representatives: Jeremy Kahn, Suite 810, 1730 Rhode Island Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20036; and 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: The pooling agreements originally proposed
were approved by separate decisions in these proceedings, served June
30, 1997, in STB Docket No. MC-F-20904, April 29, 1998, in STB Docket
No. MC-F-20908,\2\ and February 12, 1998, in STB Docket No. MC-F-20912.
The agreements cover separate, but connecting, routes, respectively,
between New York City and Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Boston and
Springfield.
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\2\ Approval of this agreement was conditioned upon applicants'
submitting to the Board and serving on the U.S. Department of
Justice, Antitrust Division, at 6-month intervals for 3 years, data
on the fares charged by Peter Pan and Greyhound for passenger
service between New York City and Washington, DC. The action in this
decision makes no change in this condition, and it remains in full
force and effect, as originally imposed.
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The terms of these agreements differed somewhat, and in preparation
for implementation of the three agreements, applicants have filed a
petition to modify the terms of the agreements, both so as to conform
the language of the earlier agreements to the approved language of the
later ones, and to make certain minor modifications, in order to ensure
that the three agreements are consistent with one another.
The subject matters of the amendments include: Points of sale of
tickets; treatment of shortfalls in operating mileage; processing of
baggage and express claims; placement of signs at bus stations and
terminals; deductions of fees and charges from the pooled revenues;
apportionment of package express revenues; terminal costs;
implementation dates; elimination of Greyhound's right of first refusal
to acquire the stock of Peter Pan; sharing of advertising expenses; and
remedies for default. While it appears that these amendments will
continue to foster improved service and economy of operation, it does
not appear that any of these subjects will have any significant effect
upon competition in the affected transportation markets, and,
accordingly, we find nothing to suggest that these amendments would
restrain competition within the affected service areas. Accordingly, we
will tentatively approve the amendments pending the filing of comments
as discussed above.
Copies of the petition to amend the pooling agreements may be
obtained free of charge by contacting applicants' representatives.
Board decisions and notices are available on our website at
``WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.''
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 amendments to these pooling agreements are 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 January 7, 1999, unless
timely opposing comments are filed.
4. A copy of this decision will be served on the Department of
Justice, Antitrust Division, 10th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20530.
Decided: December 9, 1998.
By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice Chairman Owen.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-33464 Filed 12-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-00-P
