The rules in this part govern applications for authority under 49 U.S.C. 14303 to consolidate, merge, purchase, lease, or contract to operate the properties or franchises of motor carriers of passengers or to acquire control of motor carriers of passengers. There is no application form for these proceedings. Applicants shall file a pleading containing the information described in 49 CFR 1182.2. See 49 CFR 1002.2(f) (2) and (5) for filing fees.

(a) The application must contain the following information:

(1) Full name, address, and authorized signature of each of the parties to the transaction;

(2) Copies or descriptions of the pertinent operating authorities of all of the parties (Note: If an applicant is domiciled in Mexico or owned or controlled by persons of that country, copies of the actual operating authorities must be submitted.);

(3) A description of the proposed transaction;

(4) Identification of any motor passenger carriers affiliated with the parties, a brief description of their operations, and a summary of the intercorporate structure of the corporate family from top to bottom;

(5) A jurisdictional statement, under 49 U.S.C. 14303(g), that the 12-month aggregate gross operating revenues, including revenues of all motor carrier parties and all motor carriers controlling, controlled by, or under common control with any party from all transportation sources (whether interstate, intrastate, foreign, regulated, or unregulated) exceeded $2 million. (Note: The motor passenger carrier parties and their motor passenger carrier affiliates may select a consecutive 12-month period ending not more than 6 months before the date of the parties' agreement covering the transaction. They must, however, select the same 12-month period.)

(6) A statement indicating whether the transaction will or will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment and the conservation of energy resources;

(7) Information to demonstrate that the proposed transaction is consistent with the public interest, including particularly: the effect of the proposed transaction on the adequacy of transportation to the public; the total fixed charges (e.g., interest) that result from the proposed transaction; and the interest of carrier employees affected by the proposed transaction. See 49 U.S.C. 14303(b);

(8) Certification by applicant of the current U.S. Department of Transportation safety fitness rating of each motor passenger carrier involved in the transaction, whether that carrier is a party to the transaction or is affiliated with a party to the transaction;

(9) Certification by the party acquiring any operating rights through the transaction that it has sufficient insurance coverage under 49 U.S.C. 13906 (a) and (d) for the service it intends to provide;

(10) A statement indicating whether any party acquiring any operating rights through the transaction is either domiciled in Mexico or owned or controlled by persons of that country; and

(11) If the transaction involves the transfer of operating authority to an individual who will hold the authority in his or her name, that individual must complete the following certification:

(b) The application shall contain applicants' entire case in support of the proposed transaction, unless the Board finds, on its own motion or that of a party to the proceeding, that additional evidentiary submissions are required to resolve the issues in a particular case.

(c) Any statements submitted on behalf of an applicant supporting the application shall be verified, as provided in 49 CFR 1182.8(e). Pleadings consisting strictly of legal argument, however, need not be verified.

(d) If an application or supplemental pleading contains false or misleading information, the granted application is void ab initio.

(a) Each application shall be filed with the Board, complying with the requirements set forth at 49 CFR 1182.8.

(1) One copy of the application shall be delivered, by first-class mail, to the appropriate regulatory body in each State in which intrastate operations are affected by the transaction.

(2) If the application involves the merger or purchase of motor passenger carriers (contemplating transfer of operating authorities or registrations from one or more parties to others), one copy of the application shall be delivered, by first-class mail, to:

(b) In their application, the parties shall certify that they have delivered copies of the application as provided in paragraph (a) of this section.

(a) All applications will be reviewed for completeness. Applicants will be given an opportunity to correct minor errors or omissions. Incomplete applications may be rejected, or, if omissions are corrected, the filing date of the application, for purposes of calculating the procedural schedule and statutory deadlines, will be deemed to be the date on which the complete information is filed with the Board.

(b) If the application is accepted, a summary of the application will be published in the Federal Register (within 30 days, as provided by 49 U.S.C. 14303(c)), to give notice to the public, in the form of a tentative grant of authority.

(c) If the published notice does not properly describe the transaction for which approval is sought, applicants shall inform the Board within 10 days after the publication date.

(d) A copy of the application will be available for inspection at the Board's offices in Washington, DC. Interested persons may obtain a copy of the application from the applicants' representative, as specified in the published notice.

(a) Comments concerning an application must be received by the Board within 45 days after notice of the application is published, as provided by 49 U.S.C. 14303(d). Failure to file a timely comment waives further participation in the proceeding. If no comments are filed opposing the application, the published tentative grant of authority will automatically become effective at the close of the comment period. A tentative grant of authority does not entitle the applicant to consummate the transaction before the end of the comment period.

(b) A comment shall be verified, as provided in 49 CFR 1182.8(e), and shall contain all information upon which the commenter intends to rely, including the grounds for any opposition to the transaction and the commenter's interest in the proceeding.

(c) The docket number of the application must be conspicuously placed at the top of the first page of the comment.

(d) A copy of the comment shall be delivered concurrently to applicants' representative(s).

(a) If timely comments are submitted in opposition to an application, the tentative grant of authority is void.

(b) Applicants may file a reply to opposing comments, within 60 days after the date the application was published.

(1) The reply may include a request for an expedited decision on the issues raised by the comments. Otherwise, the reply may not contain any new evidence, but shall only rebut or further explain matters previously raised.

(2) The reply shall be verified, as provided in 49 CFR 1182.8(e), unless it consists strictly of legal argument.

(3) Applicants' reply must be served on each commenter in such manner that it is received no later than the date it is due to be filed with the Board.

(4) Opposing commenters may reply to a request for an expedited decision, within 70 days after notice of the application was published.

(c) The Board may:

(1) Dispense with further proceedings and make a final determination based on the record as developed; or

(2) Issue a procedural schedule specifying the dates by which: applicants may submit additional evidence in support of the application, in response to the comment(s) in opposition; and the opposing commenter(s) may reply.

(d) Further processing of an opposed application will be handled on a case-by-case basis, as appropriate to the particular issues raised in the comments filed in opposition to the application. Evidentiary proceedings must be concluded within 240 days after publication of the notice of the application.

(a) A party may request interim approval of the operation of the properties sought to be acquired through the proposed transaction, for a period of not more than 180 days pending determination of the application. This request may be included in the application or may be submitted separately after the application is filed (e.g., once a comment opposing the application has been filed). An additional filing fee is required, whether the request for interim approval is included in the application or is submitted separately at a later time. See 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(5) for the additional filing fee.

(b) A request for interim approval of the operation of the properties sought to be acquired in the application must show that failure to grant interim approval may result in destruction of or injury to those properties or substantially interfere with their future usefulness in providing adequate and continuous service to the public.

(c) If a request for interim approval is submitted after the application is filed, it must be served on each person who files or has filed a comment in response to the published notice of the application. Service must be simultaneous upon those commenters who are known when the request for interim approval is submitted; otherwise, service must be within 5 days after the comment is received by applicants or their representative.

(d) Because the basis for requesting interim approval is to prevent destruction of or injury to motor passenger carrier properties sought to be acquired under 49 U.S.C. 14303, the processing of such requests is intended to promote expeditious decisions regarding interim approval. The Board has no obligation to give public notice of requests for interim approval, and such requests are decided without hearing or other formal proceeding.

(1) If a request for interim approval is included in the application, the Board's decision with regard to interim approval will be served in conjunction with the notice accepting the application.

(2) If an application is rejected, the request for interim approval will be denied.

(3) If an application is denied, after comments in opposition are submitted, any interim approval will terminate 30 days after service of the decision denying the application.

(e) A petition to reconsider a grant of interim approval may be filed only by a person who has filed a comment in opposition to the application.

(1) A petition to reconsider a grant of interim approval must be in writing and shall state the specific grounds upon which the commenter relies in opposing interim approval. The petition shall certify that a copy has been served on applicants' representative.

(2) The petition to reconsider a grant of interim approval shall be filed with the Board, and one copy of the petition shall be served on applicants' representative(s).

(f) The Board may act on a petition to reconsider a grant of interim approval either separately or in connection with the final decision on the application.

(a) If applicants wish to withdraw an application, they shall jointly request dismissal in writing.

(b) All pleadings (including motions and replies) submitted under this part shall be served on all other parties, concurrently and by the same (or more expeditious) means with which they are filed with the Board.

(c) Each pleading shall contain a certificate of service stating that the pleading has been served in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.

(d) All applications and pleadings containing statements of fact (i.e., except motions to strike, replies thereto, and other pleadings that consist only of legal argument) must be verified by the person offering the statement, in the following manner:

(e) If completion of a transaction requires the transfer of operating authorities or registrations from one or more parties to others, the parties shall comply with relevant procedures of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and comply with ministerial requirements of relevant State procedures.

(a) A transaction within a motor passenger corporate family is exempt from 49 U.S.C. 14303 if it does not result in adverse changes in service levels, significant operational changes, or a change in the competitive balance with motor passenger carriers outside the corporate family. The Board has found that its prior review and approval of these transactions is not necessary to carry out the transportation policy of 49 U.S.C. 13101; regulation is not necessary to protect shippers from abuse of market power; and an exemption is in the public interest. See 49 U.S.C. 13541(a).

(b) To qualify for a class exemption, a party must file a verified notice of the exempt transaction with the Board. The notice shall contain a brief summary of the proposed transaction, the name of the applicants, their business address and telephone number, and the name of counsel to whom questions would be addressed. The notice shall describe the purpose of the transaction and give the proposed consummation date for the transaction, which must be at least 7 days after the filing of the notice. The notice shall describe any contracts or agreements that have been entered into, or will be entered into, concerning the transaction, and shall indicate the impact, if any, that the transaction would have on employees.

(c) The Board shall publish notice of the exemption in the Federal Register within 30 days from the filing of the verified notice of exemption. If the notice contains false or misleading information, the Board shall summarily revoke the exemption and require divestiture. Petitions to revoke the exemption under 49 U.S.C. 13541(d) may be filed at any time and will be granted upon a finding that the application of 49 U.S.C. 14303 to the person, class, or transportation is necessary to carry out the transportation policy of 49 U.S.C. 13101.