90340 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 221 / Friday, November 15, 2024 / Notices 

1Additional information about these motor 

carriers, including U.S. Department of 

Transportation (USDOT) numbers, motor carrier 

numbers, and USDOT safety fitness ratings, can be 

found in the application. (See Appl. 3–7, Ex. A.) 

2 In addition, the Board authorized, effective 

November 9, 2024, Applicants’ acquisition of 

control of TransAction Corporate Shuttles, Inc. 

(TCS). See Van Pool Transp. LLC—Acquis. of 

Control—TransAction Corp. Shuttles, Inc., MCF 

21119, slip op. at 1 (STB served Sept. 27, 2024). 

TCS operates as a motor carrier primarily providing 

fixed-route commuter and municipal shuttle bus 

services and on-demand transportation for 

employees of businesses and communities in 

Massachusetts. Id. at 3. TCS also provides mini-bus, 

van, and limousine charter services for activities 

such as corporate and group outings, day trips, 

weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, and local events in 

Massachusetts. Id. 

3Specifically, Van Pool states that it is wholly 

owned by VP Intermediate Company (VP 

Intermediate), a Delaware corporation and 

noncarrier holding company, and that VP 

Intermediate is wholly owned by Beacon Mobility 

Corp. (Beacon Mobility), a Delaware corporation 

and noncarrier holding company. (Appl. 9.) Beacon 

Mobility is wholly owned by Beacon Mobility 

Intermediate Corp. (Beacon Intermediate), a 

Delaware corporation and noncarrier holding 

company. (Id.) Beacon Intermediate is wholly 

owned by Beacon Mobility Preferred Issuer, LLC 

(Beacon Preferred), a Delaware limited partnership 

and noncarrier holding company, and Beacon 

Preferred is wholly owned and controlled by Van 

Pool Group Holdings, L.P. (Group Holdings), a 

Delaware limited partnership and noncarrier 

holding company. (Id.) Group Holdings is majorityowned and controlled by AG Holdings, a Delaware 

limited partnership and noncarrier holding 

company. (Id.) AG Holdings is owned by 

investment funds affiliated with Audax 

Management Company, LLC, a Delaware limited 

liability company. (Id. at 9–10.) 

established pursuant to Executive Order 

13540 to coordinate the efforts of 

Federal agencies to improve capital, 

business development opportunities, 

and pre-established federal contracting 

goals for small business concerns owned 

and controlled by veterans and servicedisabled veterans. The purpose of this 

meeting is to discuss efforts that support 

veteran-owned small businesses, 

updates on past and current events, and 

the IATF’s objectives for fiscal year 

2025. 

Dated: November 8, 2024. 

Andrienne Johnson, 

Committee Manager Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2024–26648 Filed 11–14–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8026–09–P 

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD 

[Docket No. MCF 21124] 

Van Pool Transportation LLC— 

Acquisition of Control—Butler’s Bus 

Service, Inc. 

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board. 

ACTION: Notice tentatively approving 

and authorizing finance transaction. 

SUMMARY: Van Pool Transportation LLC 

(Van Pool) and AG Van Pool Holdings, 

LP (AG Holdings) (collectively, 

Applicants), both noncarriers, filed an 

application to acquire control of an 

interstate passenger motor carrier, 

Butler’s Bus Service, Inc. (BBS), from its 

shareholders, Bruce Lyskawa and Emo 

Chynoweth (Sellers). 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 

December 30, 2024. If any comments are 

filed, Van Pool may file a reply by 

January 14, 2025. If no opposing 

comments are filed by December 30, 

2024, this notice shall be effective on 

December 31, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: Comments may be filed 

with the Board either via e-filing or in 

writing addressed to: Surface 

Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW, 

Washington, DC 20423–0001. In 

addition, send one copy of comments to 

Van Pool’s representative: Kiefer A. 

Light, Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson 

& Feary, P.C., 10 W Market Street, Suite 

1400, Indianapolis, IN 46204. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sarah Fancher at (202) 740–5507. If you 

require an accommodation under the 

Americans with Disabilities Act, please 

call (202) 245–0245. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: According 

to the application, Van Pool is a 

Delaware limited liability company. 

(Appl. 1.) Applicants state that Van Pool 

is not a federally regulated carrier but 

that it indirectly owns and controls all 

equity and voting interest in 10 

interstate passenger motor carriers 

(Affiliate Regulated Carriers) that are 

among its operating subsidiaries. (Id. at 

2.) The Affiliate Regulated Carriers are: 1

• NRT Bus, Inc., which primarily 

provides non-regulated student 

transportation services for schools in 

Massachusetts (Essex, Middlesex, 

Norfolk, Suffolk, and Worcester 

counties), and occasional charter 

services; 

• Trombly Motor Coach Service, Inc., 

which primarily provides non-regulated 

student transportation services for 

schools in Massachusetts (Essex and 

Middlesex counties), and occasional 

charter services; 

• Salter Transportation, Inc., which 

primarily provides non-regulated 

student transportation services for 

schools in Massachusetts (Essex County) 

and southern New Hampshire, and 

occasional charter services; 

• Easton Coach Company, LLC, 

which provides (i) intrastate paratransit, 

shuttle, and line-run services under 

contracts with regional transportation 

authorities and other organizations, 

primarily in New Jersey and eastern 

Pennsylvania, and (ii) private charter 

motor coach and shuttle services 

(interstate and intrastate), primarily in 

eastern Pennsylvania; 

• F. M. Kuzmeskus, Inc., d/b/a Travel 

Kuz, which provides (i) non-regulated 

school bus transportation services, (ii) 

intrastate and interstate motor coach 

and limousine charter services, and (iii) 

limited intrastate and interstate charter 

services using school buses, all in 

western Massachusetts and southern 

Vermont; 

• Alltown Bus Service Inc., which 

primarily provides non-regulated 

student transportation services for 

schools in the metropolitan area of 

Chicago, Ill., and its northern suburbs, 

and occasional charter services; 

• DS Bus Lines, Inc., which primarily 

provides (i) non-regulated student 

transportation services for schools in 

Kansas (Beloit, Kansas City, Lincoln, 

Olathe, and Shawnee), Missouri (Belton 

and Smithville), Colorado (the 

metropolitan area of Denver), and 

Oklahoma (the metropolitan area of 

Tulsa), (ii) intrastate employee shuttle 

services in Colorado and Texas, and (iii) 

occasional charter services; 

• Royal Coach Lines, Inc., which 

primarily provides (i) non-regulated 

student transportation services for 

schools in the metropolitan area of 

Westchester County, N.Y., and southern 

Connecticut, and (ii) contract and 

charter transportation services; 

• PLSIII LLC, which primarily 

provides (i) disabled transportation 

services under contracts with private 

nonprofit organizations for fixed route 

and shuttle services in New York 

(Buffalo, western New York, Rochester, 

Utica and surrounding areas, and 

Poughkeepsie and surrounding areas), 

and (ii) very limited group day trip 

charter transportation services; and 

• Local Motion, LLC, d/b/a Local 

Motion of Boston, which provides nonregulated school bus, charter, and 

shuttle services in the metropolitan area 

of Boston.2

According to the application, Van 

Pool also has operating subsidiaries that 

provide transportation services that do 

not involve regulated interstate 

transportation or require interstate 

passenger authority, primarily in the 

northeastern and central portions of the 

United States. (Appl. 2–3.) AG Holdings 

indirectly controls Van Pool via equity 

and voting interests through 

intermediary holding companies.3 (Id. at 

3.) 

The application explains that BBS, 

the carrier being acquired, operates as a 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 221 / Friday, November 15, 2024 / Notices 90341 

4There also appears to be little, if any, 

competitive overlap between BBS and TCS. See 

note 2, supra. 

motor carrier primarily providing 

regular home-to-school student 

transportation services in New 

Hampshire (the area encompassing the 

cities of Manchester, North Havervill, 

Milford, and Center Barnstead) and in 

Vermont (the area encompassing the 

cities of Orleans, Lyndonville, and 

White River Junction). (Id. at 8.) BBS 

also provides limited intrastate and 

interstate charter services for wedding 

parties, camps, field trips, and other 

private events such as sporting events, 

office/corporate events, political rallies, 

social gatherings, and concerts. (Id.) In 

providing its services, BBS utilizes 

approximately 339 passenger vehicles 

(290 school buses with a seating 

capacity of 16 or more passengers, 13 

passenger mini-buses with a seating 

capacity of 16 or more passengers, 8 

vans with a seating capacity of 1 to 8 

passengers, and 28 vans with a seating 

capacity of 9 to 15 passengers). (Id.) 

Furthermore, the USDOT number 

assigned to BBS is 1633191, and for 

purposes of its interstate passenger 

operations, BBS holds interstate carrier 

operating authority under FMCSA MC– 

602610. (Id.) According to the 

application, BBS is owned by Sellers, 

who are noncarriers and do not directly 

or indirectly own or control any other 

interstate passenger motor carriers. (Id. 

at 7.) 

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 that result from the 

proposed transaction, and (3) the 

interest of affected carrier employees. 

Van Pool has 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), 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 the 

12-month period immediately preceding 

the filing of the application, see 49 CFR 

1182.2(a)(5). (See Appl. 10–14.) 

Applicants assert that the proposed 

transaction will not have a material, 

detrimental impact on the adequacy of 

transportation services available to the 

public. (Id. at 11.) According to 

Applicants, BBS will continue to 

provide the same services it currently 

provides under the same name; 

however, going forward, BBS will 

operate within the holdings of 

Applicants, which are experienced in 

passenger transportation operations. 

(Id.) The transaction, combined with the 

passenger carrier management capacity 

of Applicants, is expected to result in 

improved operating efficiencies, 

increased equipment utilization rates, 

and cost savings derived from 

economies of scale within the 

Applicants’ subsidiaries, all of which 

will help ensure the provision of 

adequate service to the public. (Id.) 

Applicants also assert that the addition 

of BBS will enhance the viability of 

Applicants’ organization and its 

subsidiaries. (Id.) 

Applicants state that the impact of the 

transaction on the regulated motor 

carrier industry will be minimal at most 

and that neither competition nor the 

public interest will be adversely 

affected. (Id. at 14.) According to 

Applicants, the demand for school bus 

transportation and charter services in 

the area served by BBS is strong and is 

expected to increase in the foreseeable 

future. (Id. at 13.) BBS competes directly 

with other passenger service providers 

in the area it serves, which is a 

competitive market because of the 

significant number of national, regional, 

and local providers operating within the 

area. (Id.) Other providers include 

Student Transportation of America, 

First Student, Durham, Caring Hands, 

WW Berry Transportation, and Lamoille 

Valley Transportation. (Id.) Applicants 

add that BBS’s service area is 

geographically dispersed from those of 

the Affiliate Regulated Carriers and 

there is very limited overlap in the 

customer bases among the Affiliate 

Regulated Carriers and BBS.4 (Id.) 

Applicants assert that the proposed 

transaction will increase fixed charges 

in the form of interest expenses because 

funds will be borrowed to assist in 

financing the transaction; however, 

Applicants state that the increase will 

not impact the provision of 

transportation services to the public. (Id. 

at 12.) Applicants also assert that they 

do not expect the transaction to have 

substantial impacts on employees or 

labor conditions, and they do not 

anticipate a measurable reduction in 

force or changes in compensation levels 

or benefits at BBS. (Id.) Applicants 

submit, however, that staffing 

redundancies could result in limited 

downsizing of back-office and/or 

managerial-level personnel. (Id.) 

Based on Applicants’ 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 

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 

December 31, 2024, unless opposing 

comments are filed by December 30, 

2024. If any comments are filed, Van 

Pool may file a reply by January 14, 

2025. 

4. A copy of this notice will be served 

on: (1) the U.S. Department of 

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: November 12, 2024. 

By the Board, Board Members Fuchs, 

Hedlund, Primus, and Schultz. 

Zantori Dickerson, 

Clearance Clerk. 

[FR Doc. 2024–26686 Filed 11–14–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P 

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD 

[Docket No. MCF 21125] 

Traxx Coachlines Ltd., Quick 

Coachlines Ltd., and Vancouver Tours 

& Transit Ltd. C/B/A Charter Bus Lines 

of British Columbia—Amalgamation of 

Three Companies Into One Under the 

Name Traxx Coachlines Ltd. 

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board. 

ACTION: Notice tentatively approving 

and authorizing finance transaction. 

SUMMARY: On October 18, 2024, 

interstate passenger motor carrier Traxx 


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