Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc.--Pooling--Greyhound Lines, Inc.

Vernon A. Williams
U.S. Department of Transportation
January 16, 1998

[Federal Register: January 16, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 11)]
[Notices]               
[Page 2716-2717]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ja98-101]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board
[STB Docket No. MC-F-20913]

 
Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc.--Pooling--Greyhound Lines, Inc.

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice of proposed pooling application.

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SUMMARY: Applicants, Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc., of Springfield, MA, and 
Greyhound Lines, Inc., of Dallas, TX, jointly seek approval under 49 
U.S.C. 14302 of a pooling agreement to govern their motor passenger and 
express operations (but not the revenues earned from those operations) 
between Albany, NY, and Boston, MA.

DATES: Comments are due by February 17, 1998, and, if comments are 
filed, applicants' rebuttal statement is due by March 9, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send an original and 10 copies of any comments referring to 
STB Docket No. MC-F-20913 to: Surface Transportation Board, Office of 
the Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 
20423-0001. Also, send one copy of comments to each of applicants' 
representatives: (1) Jeremy Kahn, Suite 810, 1730 Rhode Island Avenue, 
N.W., Washington, DC 20036; (2) Fritz R. Kahn, Suite 750 West,

[[Page 2717]]

1100 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20005-3934.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applicants are competitors on certain 
intercity routes between Albany, NY, and Boston, MA. They seek to pool 
portions of their passenger and express services over routes which they 
both operate.\1\ They will not, however, share the revenues derived 
from their operations over these routes.\2\ Applicants state that their 
services between these points overlap and that excess schedules are 
operated because of the need to protect their respective market shares. 
According to applicants, this has resulted in unacceptably low load 
factors, an over-served market, and inefficient operations.
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    \1\ Applicants have already received authority to pool their 
operations and revenues for their motor passenger and express 
transportation service between Philadelphia, PA, and New York, NY, 
in Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc.--Pooling--Greyhound Lines, Inc., STB 
Docket No. MC-F-20904 (STB served June 30, 1997). A similar request 
involving operations between New York City and Washington, DC, is 
pending in Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc.--Pooling--Greyhound Lines, 
Inc., STB Docket No. MC-F-20908. A third request involving 
operations between Boston and New York City, and between 
Springfield, MA, and New York City, is also pending in Peter Pan Bus 
Lines, Inc.-- Pooling--Greyhound Lines, Inc., STB Docket No. MC-F-
20912. According to applicants, the instant application is a logical 
extension of their other pooling agreements. Applicants state that 
they consider the four agreements to be interrelated and intend to 
implement them simultaneously after approval by the Board. We note 
that the United States Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, 
has filed comments in STB Docket No. MC-F-20908, recommending that 
the Board find that there is a substantial likelihood that the 
proposed pooling of operations between New York City and Washington 
would unduly restrain competition.
    \2\ Applicants state that each bus line will set its own 
passenger fares and express rates, and each will retain its 
individual revenues from operations on the pooled routes.
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    Applicants submit that the pooling agreement will allow them to 
reduce excess bus capacity, cement their business relationship, and 
allow them to share in the financial vicissitudes of the pooled-route 
operations. They claim public benefits that will include: (1) 
rationalization of schedules, eliminating some duplicative departures 
while adding some departures at other times of the day, resulting in 
more frequent bus service over a broader time period; (2) consolidation 
of terminals and coordination of ticketing at Boston, MA, Newton, MA, 
Worcester, MA, Springfield, MA, and Albany, NY, resulting in greater 
flexibility for passengers to use buses, tickets, and terminals; (3) 
capital improvements; and (4) continued bus service by more sound and 
financially stable carriers. In addition, they assert that approval of 
the pooling agreement will not significantly affect either the quality 
of the human environment or the conservation of energy resources. 
Rather, they claim that the reduction in the number of schedules each 
carrier operates will result in a salutary effect on the environment.
    Applicants state that competition will not be unreasonably 
restrained. They argue that: (1) the pooled service is subject to 
substantial intermodal competitive pressure from Amtrak, the airlines, 
and private automobiles; and (2) other motor passenger carriers may 
easily enter and compete in the market.
    Copies of the application may be obtained free of charge by 
contacting applicants' representatives. A copy of this notice will be 
served on the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, 10th Street & 
Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20530.

    Decided: January 7, 1998.

    By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice Chairman Owen.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-1117 Filed 1-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P