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                                                                     Exhibit 4.3

                                                            FINAL EXECUTION COPY





                         TRAVELCENTERS OF AMERICA, INC.

                                  190,000 UNITS

                                  CONSISTING OF
                        $190,000,000 PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF
                12 3/4% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE MAY 1, 2009
                        AND INITIAL WARRANTS TO PURCHASE
                         207,874 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
                       AND CONTINGENT WARRANTS TO PURCHASE
                          69,291 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK


                          REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT



                                                               November 14, 2000

Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
Chase Securities Inc.
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation
c/o Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
      Eleven Madison Avenue
            New York, New York 10010-3629

Dear Sirs:

         TravelCenters of America, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "ISSUER"),
proposes to issue and sell to Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation, Chase
Securities Inc. and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation
(collectively, the "INITIAL PURCHASERS"), upon the terms set forth in a purchase
agreement dated November 9, 2000 (the "PURCHASE AGREEMENT"), 190,000 units (the
"UNITS"), each Unit consisting of one of the Issuer's 12 3/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes Due May 1, 2009 (the "INITIAL NOTES") in a principal amount
of $1,000 and three initial warrants each to purchase approximately 0.36469
shares of common stock, par value $.00001 per share, of the Issuer ("COMMON
STOCK") and one contingent warrant to purchase approximately 0.36469 shares of
Common Stock upon the occurrence of certain events (collectively, the
"WARRANTS"). The Notes (as defined below) will guaranteed by TA Operating
Corporation, TA Travel, L.L.C., TA Licensing, Inc., TravelCenters Realty, Inc.
and TravelCenters Properties, L.P. ( the "GUARANTORS" and, collectively with the
Issuer, the "COMPANY"). The Notes will be issued under an indenture, dated as of
November 14, 2000 (the "INDENTURE"), among the Issuer, the Guarantors and State
Street Bank and Trust Company, as Trustee (the "TRUSTEE"). The Warrants will be
issued under a warrant agreement, dated as of November 14, 2000, between the
Company and State Street Bank and Trust Company, as warrant agent. As an
inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the
Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers, for the benefit of the Initial
Purchasers and the holders of the Notes (as defined below) (collectively the
"HOLDERS"), as follows:

         1. Registered Exchange Offer. Unless not permitted by applicable law
(after the Company has complied with the ultimate paragraph of this Section 1),
the Company shall prepare and, not later than 45 days (such 45th day being a
"FILING DEADLINE") after the date on which the Initial Purchasers purchase the
Initial Notes pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (the "CLOSING DATE"), file with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "COMMISSION") a registration
statement (the "EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT") on an appropriate form
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT"), with
respect to a proposed offer (the "REGISTERED EXCHANGE OFFER") to the Holders of
Transfer Restricted Notes (as defined in Section 6 hereof), who are not
prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from participating in the
Registered Exchange Offer, to issue and deliver to such Holders, in exchange for
the Initial Notes, a like aggregate principal amount of debt securities of the
Company issued under the Indenture, identical in all material respects to the
Initial Notes and registered under the Securities Act (the "EXCHANGE NOTES").
The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to (i) cause such Exchange
Offer Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities Act within
180 days after the Closing Date (such 180th day being an "EFFECTIVENESS
DEADLINE") and (ii) keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective for
not less than 30 days (or longer, if required by applicable law or if required
by the
<PAGE>   2
fifth paragraph of this Section) after the date notice of the Registered
Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders (such period being called the "EXCHANGE
OFFER REGISTRATION PERIOD").

         If the Company commences the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company (i)
will be entitled to consummate the Registered Exchange Offer 30 days after such
commencement (provided that the Company has accepted all the Initial Notes
theretofore validly tendered in accordance with the terms of the Registered
Exchange Offer) and (ii) will be required to consummate the Registered Exchange
Offer no later than 30 days after the date on which the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement is declared effective (such 30th day being the
"CONSUMMATION DEADLINE").

         Following the declaration of the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Registered
Exchange Offer, it being the objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to
enable each Holder of Transfer Restricted Notes electing to exchange the Initial
Notes for Exchange Notes (assuming that such Holder is not an affiliate of the
Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, acquires the Exchange Notes in
the ordinary course of such Holder's business and has no arrangements or
understandings with any person to participate in the distribution of the
Exchange Notes and is not prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from
participating in the Registered Exchange Offer) to trade such Exchange Notes
from and after their receipt without any limitations or restrictions under the
Securities Act and without material restrictions under the securities laws of
the several states of the United States.

         The Company acknowledges that, pursuant to current interpretations by
the Commission's staff of Section 5 of the Securities Act, in the absence of an
applicable exemption therefrom, (i) each Holder which is a broker-dealer
electing to exchange Initial Notes, acquired for its own account as a result of
market making activities or other trading activities, for Exchange Notes (an
"EXCHANGING DEALER"), is required to deliver a prospectus containing the
information set forth in (a) Annex A hereto on the cover, (b) Annex B hereto in
the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer"
section, and (c) Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of such
prospectus in connection with a sale of any such Exchange Notes received by such
Exchanging Dealer pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and (ii) an Initial
Purchaser that elects to sell Notes (as defined below) acquired in exchange for
Initial Notes constituting any portion of an unsold allotment, is required to
deliver a prospectus containing the information required by Items 507 or 508 of
Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in connection with such
sale.

         The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement effective and to amend and supplement the
prospectus contained therein, in order to permit such prospectus to be lawfully
delivered by all persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act for such period of time as such persons must comply with such
requirements in order to resell the Exchange Notes; provided, however, that (i)
in the case where such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto must
be delivered by an Exchanging Dealer or an Initial Purchaser, such period shall
be the lesser of 180 days and the date on which all Exchanging Dealers and the
Initial Purchasers have sold all Exchange Notes held by them (unless such period
is extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) and (ii) the Company shall make such
prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto available to any
broker-dealer for use in connection with any resale of any Exchange Notes for a
period of not less than 180 days after the consummation of the Registered
Exchange Offer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be
obligated to keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement continuously
effective to the extent set forth above if the Company determines, in its
reasonable judgement, upon advice of counsel, that the continued effectiveness
and usability of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement would (i) require the
disclosure of material information, which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
has a bona fide business reason for preserving as confidential or (ii) interfere
with any existing or prospective financing, acquisition, corporate
reorganization or other material business situation, transaction or negotiation
involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries; provided, however, that the
failure to keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective and usable
for such reason shall last no longer than 15 days (during which period
Additional Interest (as defined in Section 6 (a)) shall accrue and be payable)
and shall in no event occur during the first 14 days after the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement becomes effective. In the event that the Company does not
keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement continuously effective as
provided in the immediately preceding sentence, the number of days during which
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not continuously effective, which
shall include the date the Company gives notice that the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement is no longer effective, shall be added on to, and
therefore extend, the period during which the Company is obligated to use its
reasonable best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
effective and to amend and supplement the prospectus contained therein.


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         If, upon consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, any Initial
Purchaser holds Initial Notes acquired by it as part of its initial
distribution, the Company, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange
Notes pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer, shall issue and deliver to such
Initial Purchaser upon the written request of such Initial Purchaser, in
exchange (the "PRIVATE EXCHANGE") for the Initial Notes held by such Initial
Purchaser, a like principal amount of debt securities of the Company issued
under the Indenture and identical in all material respects to the Initial Notes
(the "PRIVATE EXCHANGE NOTES"). The Initial Notes, the Exchange Notes and the
Private Exchange Notes are herein collectively called the "NOTES".

         In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall:

                  (a) mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part
         of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an
         appropriate letter of transmittal and related documents;

                  (b) keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for not less than
         30 days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the date
         notice thereof is mailed to the Holders;

                  (c) utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered
         Exchange Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of
         New York, which may be the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee;

                  (d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Notes at any time
         prior to the close of business, New York time, on the last business day
         on which the Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and

                  (e) otherwise comply with all applicable laws.

         As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered Exchange Offer
or the Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:

                  (x) accept for exchange all the Notes validly tendered and not
         withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the Private
         Exchange;

                  (y) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all the Initial
         Notes so accepted for exchange; and

                  (z) cause the Trustee to authenticate and deliver promptly to
         each Holder of the Initial Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange
         Notes, as the case may be, equal in principal amount to the Initial
         Notes of such Holder so accepted for exchange.

         The Indenture will provide that the Exchange Notes will not be subject
to the transfer restrictions set forth in the Indenture and that all the Notes
will vote and consent together on all matters as one class and that none of the
Notes will have the right to vote or consent as a class separate from one
another on any matter.

         Interest on each Exchange Note and Private Exchange Note issued
pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and in the Private Exchange will
accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was paid on the
Initial Notes surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has been paid
on the Initial Notes, from the date of original issue of the Initial Notes.

         Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer shall be
required to represent to the Company that at the time of the consummation of the
Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Notes received by such Holder will be
acquired in the ordinary course of business, (ii) such Holder will have no
arrangements or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution
of the Notes or the Exchange Notes within the meaning of the Securities Act,
(iii) such Holder is not an "affiliate," as defined in Rule 405 of the
Securities Act, of the Company or if it is an affiliate, such Holder will comply
with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act
to the extent applicable, (iv) if such Holder is not a broker-dealer, that it is
not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the distribution of the
Exchange Notes and (v) if such Holder is a broker-dealer, that it will receive
Exchange Notes for its own account in exchange for Initial Notes that were
acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities and
that it will be required to acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in
connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes.


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         Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will ensure
that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and
any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all
material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any prospectus
forming part of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and any supplement to
such prospectus, does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.

         2. Shelf Registration. If, (i) because of any change in law or in
applicable interpretations thereof by the staff of the Commission, the Company
is not permitted to effect a Registered Exchange Offer, as contemplated by
Section 1 hereof, (ii) the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated by the
220th day after the Closing Date, (iii) any Initial Purchaser so requests with
respect to the Initial Notes (or the Private Exchange Notes) not eligible to be
exchanged for Exchange Notes in the Registered Exchange Offer and held by it
following consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer or (iv) any Holder
(other than an Exchanging Dealer) is not eligible to participate in the
Registered Exchange Offer or, in the case of any Holder (other than an
Exchanging Dealer) that participates in the Registered Exchange Offer, such
Holder does not receive freely tradeable Exchange Notes on the date of the
exchange and any such Holder so requests, the Company shall take the following
actions (the date on which any of the conditions described in the foregoing
clauses (i) through (iv) occur, including in the case of clauses (iii) or (iv)
the receipt of the required notice, being a "TRIGGER DATE"):

                  (a) The Company shall promptly (but in no event more than 45
         days after the Trigger Date (such 45th day being a "FILING DEADLINE"))
         file with the Commission and thereafter use its reasonable best efforts
         to cause to be declared effective no later than 140 days after the
         Trigger Date (such 140th day being an "EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE") a
         registration statement (the "SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT" and,
         together with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a
         "REGISTRATION STATEMENT") on an appropriate form under the Securities
         Act relating to the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted Notes by
         the Holders thereof from time to time in accordance with the methods of
         distribution set forth in the Shelf Registration Statement and Rule 415
         under the Securities Act (hereinafter, the "SHELF REGISTRATION");
         provided, however, that no Holder (other than an Initial Purchaser)
         shall be entitled to have the Notes held by it covered by such Shelf
         Registration Statement unless such Holder agrees in writing to be bound
         by all the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such Holder.

                  (b) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep
         the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective in order to
         permit the prospectus included therein to be lawfully delivered by the
         Holders of the relevant Notes, for a period of two years (or for such
         longer period if extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) from the date
         of its effectiveness or such shorter period that will terminate when
         all the Notes covered by the Shelf Registration Statement (i) have been
         sold pursuant thereto or (ii) are no longer restricted securities (as
         defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or any successor rule
         thereof); provided, however, the Company shall not be obligated to keep
         the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective to the extent
         set forth below if (i) the Company determines, in its reasonable
         judgment, upon advice of counsel, that the continued effectiveness and
         usability of the Shelf Registration Statement would (x) require the
         disclosure of material information, which the Company or any of its
         subsidiaries has a bona fide business reason for preserving as
         confidential or (y) interfere with any financing, acquisition,
         corporate reorganization or other material transaction involving the
         Company or any of its subsidiaries, provided that the failure to keep
         the Shelf Registration Statement effective and usable for offers and
         sales of Notes for the reasons set forth in clauses (x) and (y) above
         shall last no longer than 60 days in any 12-month period (whereafter
         Additional Interest (as defined in Section 6(a)) shall accrue and be
         payable) and (ii) the Company promptly thereafter complies with the
         requirements of Section 3(j) hereof, if applicable; provided further,
         that the number of days of any actual Suspension Period (as hereinafter
         defined) shall be added on to, and therefore extend, the two-year
         period specified above. Any such period during which the Company is
         excused from keeping the Shelf Registration Statement effective and
         usable for offers and sales of securities is referred to herein as a
         "SUSPENSION PERIOD." A Suspension Period shall commence on and include
         the date that the Company gives notice that the Shelf Registration
         Statement is no longer effective or the prospectus included therein is
         no longer usable for offers and sales of Notes and shall end on the
         earlier to occur of (1) the date on which each seller of Notes covered
         by the Shelf Registration Statement either receives the copies of the
         supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3(j) hereof
         or is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the


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         prospectus may be resumed and (2) the expiration of 60 days in any
         12-month period during which one or more Suspension Periods has been in
         effect. The Company shall be deemed not to have used its reasonable
         best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective during
         the requisite period if it voluntarily takes any action that would
         result in Holders of Notes covered thereby not being able to offer and
         sell such Notes during that period, unless such action is (A) required
         by applicable law or (B) permitted by this paragraph.

                  (c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to
         the contrary, the Company shall cause the Shelf Registration Statement
         and the related prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as
         of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement, amendment or
         supplement, (i) to comply in all material respects with the applicable
         requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the
         Commission and (ii) not to contain any untrue statement of a material
         fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
         necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
         circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

         3. Registration Procedures. In connection with any Shelf Registration
contemplated by Section 2 hereof and, to the extent applicable, any Registered
Exchange Offer contemplated by Section 1 hereof, the following provisions shall
apply:

                  (a) The Company shall (i) furnish to each Initial Purchaser,
         prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the
         Registration Statement and each amendment thereof and each supplement,
         if any, to the prospectus included therein and, in the event that an
         Initial Purchaser (with respect to any portion of an unsold allotment
         from the original offering) is participating in the Registered Exchange
         Offer or the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall use its
         best efforts to reflect in each such document, when so filed with the
         Commission, such comments as such Initial Purchaser reasonably may
         propose; (ii) include the information set forth in Annex A hereto on
         the cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section
         and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section and in Annex C hereto
         in the "Plan of Distribution" section of the prospectus forming a part
         of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and include the
         information set forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter of Transmittal
         delivered pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer; (iii) if requested
         by an Initial Purchaser, include the information required by Items 507
         or 508 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in
         the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration
         Statement; (iv) include within the prospectus contained in the Exchange
         Offer Registration Statement a section entitled "Plan of Distribution,"
         reasonably acceptable to the Initial Purchasers, which shall contain a
         summary statement of the positions taken or policies made by the staff
         of the Commission with respect to the potential "underwriter" status of
         any broker-dealer that is the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule
         13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
         "Exchange Act")) of Exchange Notes received by such broker-dealer in
         the Registered Exchange Offer (a "PARTICIPATING BROKER-DEALER"),
         whether such positions or policies have been publicly disseminated by
         the staff of the Commission or such positions or policies, in the
         reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchasers based upon advice of
         counsel (which may be in-house counsel), represent the prevailing views
         of the staff of the Commission; and (v) in the case of a Shelf
         Registration Statement, include the names of the Holders who propose to
         sell Notes pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement as selling
         security holders.

                  (b) The Company shall give written notice to the Initial
         Purchasers, the Holders of the Notes and any Participating
         Broker-Dealer from whom the Company has received prior written notice
         that it will be a Participating Broker-Dealer in the Registered
         Exchange Offer (which notice pursuant to clauses (ii)-(v) hereof shall
         be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the prospectus
         until the requisite changes have been made):

                           (i) when the Registration Statement or any amendment
                  thereto has been filed with the Commission and when the
                  Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto
                  has become effective;

                           (ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments
                  or supplements to the Registration Statement or the prospectus
                  included therein or for additional information;

                           (iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
                  order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
                  Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that
                  purpose;



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                           (iv) of the receipt by the Company or its legal
                  counsel of any notification with respect to the suspension of
                  the qualification of the Notes for sale in any jurisdiction or
                  the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such
                  purpose; and

                           (v) of the happening of any event that requires the
                  Company to make changes in the Registration Statement or the
                  prospectus in order that the Registration Statement or the
                  prospectus do not contain an untrue statement of a material
                  fact nor omit to state a material fact required to be stated
                  therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the
                  case of the prospectus, in light of the circumstances under
                  which they were made) not misleading.

                  (c) The Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain
         the withdrawal at the earliest possible time, of any order suspending
         the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.

                  (d) The Company shall furnish to each Holder of Notes included
         within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge, at least
         one copy of the Shelf Registration Statement and any post-effective
         amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, and,
         if the Holder so requests in writing, all exhibits thereto (including
         those, if any, incorporated by reference).

                  (e) The Company shall deliver to each Exchanging Dealer and
         each Initial Purchaser, and to any other Holder who so requests,
         without charge, at least one copy of the Exchange Offer Registration
         Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial
         statements and schedules, and, if any Initial Purchaser or any such
         Holder requests, all exhibits thereto (including those incorporated by
         reference).

                  (f) The Company shall, during the Shelf Registration Period,
         deliver to each Holder of Notes included within the coverage of the
         Shelf Registration, without charge, as many copies of the prospectus
         (including each preliminary prospectus) included in the Shelf
         Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such
         person may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to the
         provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any
         amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of the
         Notes in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes covered by
         the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, included in the
         Shelf Registration Statement.

                  (g) The Company shall deliver to each Initial Purchaser, any
         Exchanging Dealer, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such other
         persons required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered
         Exchange Offer, without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus
         included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
         or supplement thereto as such persons may reasonably request. The
         Company consents, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to the
         use of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by any
         Initial Purchaser, if necessary, any Participating Broker-Dealer and
         such other persons required to deliver a prospectus following the
         Registered Exchange Offer in connection with the offering and sale of
         the Exchange Notes covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or
         supplement thereto, included in such Exchange Offer Registration
         Statement.

                  (h) Prior to any public offering of the Notes pursuant to any
         Registration Statement, the Company shall use its reasonable best
         efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the Holders of the
         Notes included therein and their respective counsel in connection with
         the registration or qualification of the Notes for offer and sale under
         the securities or "blue sky" laws of such states of the United States
         as any Holder of the Notes reasonably requests in writing and do any
         and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the offer
         and sale in such jurisdictions of the Notes covered by such
         Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not
         be required to (i) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction
         where it is not then so qualified or (ii) take any action which would
         subject it to general service of process or to taxation in any
         jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.

                  (i) The Company shall cooperate with the Holders of the Notes
         to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates
         representing the Notes to be sold pursuant to any Registration
         Statement free of any restrictive legends and in such denominations and
         registered in such names as the Holders may request a reasonable period
         of time prior to sales of the Notes pursuant to such Registration
         Statement.



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<PAGE>   7
                  (j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by
         paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 3(b) above during the period for
         which the Company is required to maintain an effective Registration
         Statement, the Company shall promptly prepare and file a post-effective
         amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related
         prospectus and any other required document so that, as thereafter
         delivered to Holders of the Notes or purchasers of Notes, the
         prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
         omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
         necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
         under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the
         Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Notes and any known
         Participating Broker-Dealer in accordance with paragraphs (ii) through
         (v) of Section 3(b) above to suspend the use of the prospectus until
         the requisite changes to the prospectus have been made, then the
         Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Notes and any such Participating
         Broker-Dealers shall suspend use of such prospectus, and the period of
         effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement provided for in
         Section 2(b) above and the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
         provided for in Section 1 above shall each be extended by the number of
         days from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and
         including the date when the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the
         Notes and any known Participating Broker-Dealer shall have received
         such amended or supplemented prospectus pursuant to this Section 3(j).

                  (k) Not later than the effective date of the applicable
         Registration Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the
         Initial Notes, the Exchange Notes or the Private Exchange Notes, as the
         case may be, and provide the applicable trustee with printed
         certificates for the Initial Notes, the Exchange Notes or the Private
         Exchange Notes, as the case may be, in a form eligible for deposit with
         The Depository Trust Company.

                  (l) The Company will comply with all rules and regulations of
         the Commission to the extent and so long as they are applicable to the
         Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration and will make
         generally available to its Note holders (or otherwise provide in
         accordance with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) an earnings
         statement satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities
         Act, no later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month period (or 90
         days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first month
         of the Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective
         date of the Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such
         12-month period.

                  (m) The Company shall cause the Indenture to be qualified
         under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, in a timely manner
         and containing such changes, if any, as shall be necessary for such
         qualification. In the event that such qualification would require the
         appointment of a new trustee under the Indenture, the Company shall
         appoint a new trustee thereunder pursuant to the applicable provisions
         of the Indenture.

                  (n) The Company may require each Holder of Notes to be sold
         pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement to furnish to the Company
         such information regarding the Holder and the distribution of the Notes
         as the Company may from time to time reasonably require for inclusion
         in the Shelf Registration Statement, and the Company may exclude from
         such registration the Notes of any Holder that unreasonably fails to
         furnish such information within a reasonable time after receiving such
         request.

                  (o) The Company shall enter into such customary agreements
         (including, if requested by the Holders of at least 10% of the
         aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes covered thereby, an
         underwriting agreement in customary form) and take all such other
         action, if any, as the Holders of at least 10% of the aggregate
         principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall reasonably request in
         order to facilitate the disposition of the Notes pursuant to any Shelf
         Registration.

                  (p) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company shall
         (i) make reasonably available for inspection, during normal business
         hours and on reasonable prior notice, by the Holders of the Notes, any
         underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to the Shelf
         Registration Statement and any attorney, accountant or other agent
         retained by the Holders of the Notes or any such underwriter all
         relevant financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and
         properties of the Company and (ii) cause the Company's officers,
         directors, employees, accountants and auditors to supply all relevant
         information reasonably requested by the Holders of the Notes or any
         such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with the
         Shelf Registration Statement (the information supplied pursuant to
         clauses (i) and (ii) being the "Records"), in each case, as shall be
         reasonably necessary to enable such persons, to conduct a


                                       7
<PAGE>   8
         reasonable investigation within the meaning of Section 11 of the
         Securities Act; provided, however, that any such person shall first
         agree in writing with the Company that any information that is
         reasonably and in good faith designated by the Company as confidential
         at the time of delivery of such information shall be kept confidential
         by such person, unless (A) disclosure of such information is required
         by court or administrative order or is necessary to respond to
         inquiries of regulatory authorities, (B) disclosure of such information
         is required by law (including any disclosure requirements pursuant to
         Federal securities laws in connection with the filing of the
         Registration Statement or the use of any prospectus) or (C) such
         information becomes generally available to the public other than as a
         result of a disclosure or failure to safeguard such information by such
         person; provided further that the foregoing inspection and information
         gathering shall be coordinated on behalf of the Initial Purchasers by
         you and on behalf of the other parties, by one counsel designated by
         and on behalf of such other parties as described in Section 4 hereof.
         Each Holder of Notes and each of the Initial Purchasers further agrees,
         and shall cause any person reviewing documents on their behalf pursuant
         to this paragraph (p) to agree, that it will, upon learning that
         disclosure of such Records is sought pursuant to clause (A) or (B)
         above, give notice to the Company and allow the Company, at its
         expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of the
         Records deemed confidential.

                  (q) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company, if
         requested by the Holders of at least 10% of the aggregate principal
         amount of the outstanding Notes covered thereby, shall cause (i) its
         counsel to deliver an opinion and updates thereof relating to the Notes
         in customary form addressed to such Holders and the managing
         underwriters, if any, thereof and dated, in the case of the initial
         opinion, the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement (it
         being agreed that the matters to be covered by such opinion shall
         include, subject to customary exceptions, without limitation, the due
         incorporation and good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries;
         the qualification of the Company and its subsidiaries to transact
         business as foreign corporations; the due authorization, execution and
         delivery of the relevant agreement of the type referred to in Section
         3(o) hereof; the due authorization, execution, authentication and
         issuance, and the validity and enforceability, of the applicable Notes;
         the absence of material legal or governmental proceedings involving the
         Company and its subsidiaries; the absence of governmental approvals
         required to be obtained in connection with the Shelf Registration
         Statement, the offering and sale of the applicable Notes, or any
         agreement of the type referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the
         compliance as to form of such Shelf Registration Statement and any
         documents incorporated by reference therein and of the Indenture with
         the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act,
         respectively; and, as of the date of the opinion and as of the
         effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement or most recent
         post-effective amendment thereto (or in the case of a Shelf
         Registration Statement where a new Annual Report on Form 10-K has been
         filed by the Company subsequent to the effective date of the Shelf
         Registration Statement or latest post- effective amendment thereto, as
         of the date of such Annual Report), as the case may be, the absence
         from such Shelf Registration Statement and the prospectus included
         therein, as then amended or supplemented, and from any documents
         incorporated by reference therein of an untrue statement of a material
         fact or the omission to state therein a material fact required to be
         stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
         misleading (in the case of any such documents, in the light of the
         circumstances existing at the time that such documents were filed with
         the Commission under the Exchange Act); (ii) its officers to execute
         and deliver all customary documents and certificates and updates
         thereof requested by any underwriters of the applicable Notes and (iii)
         its independent public accountants to provide to the selling Holders of
         the applicable Notes and any underwriter therefor a comfort letter in
         customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in
         comfort letters in connection with primary underwritten offerings,
         subject to receipt of appropriate documentation as contemplated, and
         only if permitted, by Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72.

                  (r) In the case of the Registered Exchange Offer, if requested
         by any Initial Purchaser or any known Participating Broker-Dealer, the
         Company shall cause (i) its counsel to deliver to such Initial
         Purchaser or such Participating Broker-Dealer a signed opinion in the
         form set forth in Section 6(c) of the Purchase Agreement with such
         changes as are customary in connection with the preparation of a
         Registration Statement and (ii) its independent public accountants to
         deliver to such Initial Purchaser or such Participating Broker-Dealer a
         comfort letter, in customary form, meeting the requirements as to the
         substance thereof as set forth in Section 6(a) of the Purchase
         Agreement, with appropriate date changes.

                  (s) If a Registered Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to
         be consummated, upon delivery of the Initial Notes by Holders to the
         Company (or to such other Person as directed by the Company) in
         exchange for the Exchange Notes or the Private Exchange Notes, as the
         case may


                                       8
<PAGE>   9
         be, the Company shall mark, or caused to be marked, on the Initial
         Notes so exchanged that such Initial Notes are being canceled in
         exchange for the Exchange Notes or the Private Exchange Notes, as the
         case may be; in no event shall the Initial Notes be marked as paid or
         otherwise satisfied.

                  (t) If the Initial Notes have been rated prior to the initial
         sale of such Initial Notes, the Company will use its reasonable best
         efforts to confirm such ratings will apply to the Notes covered by a
         Registration Statement.

                  (u) In the event that any broker-dealer registered under the
         Exchange Act shall underwrite any Notes or participate as a member of
         an underwriting syndicate or selling group or "assist in the
         distribution" (within the meaning of the Conduct Rules (the "RULES") of
         the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD")) thereof,
         whether as a Holder of such Notes or as an underwriter, a placement or
         sales agent or a broker or dealer in respect thereof, or otherwise, the
         Company will assist such broker-dealer in complying with the
         requirements of such Rules, including, without limitation, by (i) if
         such Rules, including Rule 2720, shall so require, engaging a
         "qualified independent underwriter" (as defined in Rule 2720) to
         participate in the preparation of the Registration Statement relating
         to such Notes, to exercise usual standards of due diligence in respect
         thereto and, if any portion of the offering contemplated by such
         Registration Statement is an underwritten offering or is made through a
         placement or sales agent, to recommend the yield of such Notes, (ii)
         indemnifying any such qualified independent underwriter to the extent
         of the indemnification of underwriters provided in Section 5 hereof and
         (iii) providing such information to such broker-dealer as may be
         required in order for such broker-dealer to comply with the
         requirements of the Rules.

                  (v) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to take
         all other steps necessary to effect the registration of the Notes
         covered by a Registration Statement contemplated hereby.

         4. Registration Expenses. All expenses incident to the Company's
performance of and compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company,
regardless of whether a Registration Statement is ever filed or becomes
effective, including without limitation;

                  (i)  all registration and filing fees and expenses;

                  (ii) all fees and expenses of compliance with federal
         securities and state "blue sky" or securities laws;

                  (iii) all expenses of printing (including printing
         certificates for the Notes to be issued in the Registered Exchange
         Offer and the Private Exchange and printing of Prospectuses), messenger
         and delivery services and telephone;

                  (iv) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company;

                  (v) all application and filing fees in connection with listing
         the Exchange Notes on a national securities exchange or automated
         quotation system pursuant to the requirements hereof; and

                  (vi) all fees and disbursements of independent certified
         public accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any
         special audit and comfort letters required by or incident to such
         performance).

The Company will bear its internal expenses (including, without limitation, all
salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or
accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the fees and expenses
of any person, including special experts, retained by the Company.

         (b) In connection with any Registration Statement required by this
Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the Holders of
Transfer Restricted Notes who are tendering Initial Notes in the Registered
Exchange Offer and/or selling or reselling Notes pursuant to the "Plan of
Distribution" contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the
Shelf Registration Statement, as applicable, for the reasonable fees and
disbursements (such fees and disbursements not to exceed $10,000 in connection
with the preparation of an Exchange Offer Registration Statement) of not more
than one counsel, who shall be Cravath, Swaine & Moore unless another firm shall
be chosen by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Transfer
Restricted Notes for whose benefit such Registration Statement is being
prepared.


                                       9
<PAGE>   10
         5. Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless each Holder of the Notes, any Participating Broker-Dealer and each
person, if any, who controls such Holder or such Participating Broker-Dealer
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (each Holder, any
Participating Broker-Dealer and such controlling persons are referred to
collectively as the "INDEMNIFIED PARTIES") from and against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several, or any actions in respect thereof
(including, but not limited to, any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
actions relating to purchases and sales of the Notes) to which each Indemnified
Party may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise
out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in any
amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a
Shelf Registration, or arise out of, or are based upon, the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall reimburse, as
incurred, the Indemnified Parties for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof; provided, however, that
(i) the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that such
loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission (A) made
in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement
thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information pertaining to such
Holder and furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically
for inclusion therein or (B) resulting from the use of the prospectus during the
period when the use of the prospectus was suspended or otherwise unavailable for
sales thereunder in accordance with the terms of this Agreement; provided,
however, that Holders received at least 15 days prior written notice of such
suspension or other unavailability; and (ii) with respect to any untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in any
preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration Statement, the indemnity
agreement contained in this subsection (a) shall not inure to the benefit of any
Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer from whom the person asserting any such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased the Notes concerned, to the
extent that a prospectus relating to such Notes was required to be delivered by
such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer under the Securities Act in
connection with such purchase and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of
such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer results from the fact that there was
not sent or given to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the
sale of such Notes to such person, a copy of the final prospectus if the Company
had previously furnished copies thereof to such Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer; provided further, however, that this indemnity agreement will be
in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have to such
Indemnified Party. The Company shall also indemnify underwriters, their officers
and directors and each person who controls such underwriters within the meaning
of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act to the same extent as provided above
with respect to the indemnification of the Holders of the Notes if requested by
such Holders.

         (b) Each Holder of the Notes, severally and not jointly, will indemnify
and hold harmless the Company and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act from and against
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities or any actions in respect thereof, to
which the Company or any such controlling person may become subject under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out
of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in
each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or omission or alleged
untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information pertaining to such Holder and furnished to the Company by or
on behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion therein; and, subject to the
limitation set forth immediately preceding this clause, shall reimburse, as
incurred, the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the
Company or any such controlling person in connection with investigating or
defending any loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof. This
indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which such Holder may
otherwise have to the Company or any of its controlling persons.

         (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 5
of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including a
governmental investigation), such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 5,
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the omission so
to notify the indemnifying party will not, in any event, relieve the
indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the
indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. In case any
such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the
indemnifying party of the commencement thereof,


                                       10
<PAGE>   11
the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the
extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly
notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to
such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the
indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from
the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume
the defense thereof the indemnifying party will not be liable to such
indemnified party under this Section 5 for any legal or other expenses, other
than reasonable costs of investigation, subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof. No indemnifying party
shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any
settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any
indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been
sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement includes an
unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims
that are the subject matter of such action, and does not include a statement as
to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of
any indemnified party.

         (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsections (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to in
subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one
hand and the indemnified party on the other from the exchange of the Notes,
pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer, or (ii) if the allocation provided by
the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion
as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in
clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or
parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative fault of the parties shall be determined
by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or
such Holder or such other indemnified party, as the case may be, on the other,
and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid by
an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities
referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to
include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is
the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Section 5(d), the Holders of the Notes shall not be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds received by such
Holders from the sale of the Notes pursuant to a Registration Statement exceeds
the amount of damages which such Holders have otherwise been required to pay by
reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from
any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes
of this paragraph (d), each person, if any, who controls such indemnified party
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same
rights to contribution as such indemnified party and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

         (e) The agreements contained in this Section 5 shall survive the sale
of the Notes pursuant to a Registration Statement and shall remain in full force
and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this Agreement or
any investigation made by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

         6. Additional Interest Under Certain Circumstances. (a) Additional
interest (the "ADDITIONAL INTEREST") with respect to the Notes shall be assessed
as follows if any of the following events occur (each such event in clauses (i)
through (iv) below being herein called a "REGISTRATION DEFAULT"):

         (i)      any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is not
                  filed with the Commission on or prior to the applicable Filing
                  Deadline;

         (ii)     any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is not
                  declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the
                  applicable Effectiveness Deadline;

         (iii)    the Registered Exchange Offer has not been consummated on or
                  prior to the Consummation Deadline; or

         (iv)     any Registration Statement required by this Agreement has been
                  declared effective by the Commission but (A) such Registration
                  Statement thereafter ceases to be effective or


                                       11
<PAGE>   12
                  (B) such Registration Statement or the related prospectus
                  ceases to be usable (except as set forth in subsection (b) of
                  this Section 6) in connection with resales of Transfer
                  Restricted Notes during the periods specified herein because
                  either (1) any event occurs as a result of which the related
                  prospectus forming part of such Registration Statement would
                  include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
                  state any material fact necessary to make the statements
                  therein in the light of the circumstances under which they
                  were made not misleading, or (2) it shall be necessary to
                  amend such Registration Statement or supplement the related
                  prospectus, to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange
                  Act or the respective rules thereunder.

Each of the foregoing will constitute a Registration Default whatever the reason
for any such event and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is beyond the
control of the Company or pursuant to operation of law or as a result of any
action or inaction by the Commission.

         Additional Interest shall accrue on the Notes over and above the
interest set forth in the title of the Notes from and including the date on
which any such Registration Default shall occur to but excluding the date on
which all such Registration Defaults have been cured, at a rate of 0.50% per
annum (the "ADDITIONAL INTEREST RATE") for the first 90-day period immediately
following the occurrence of such Registration Default. The Additional Interest
Rate shall increase by an additional 0.50% per annum with respect to each
subsequent 90-day period until all Registration Defaults have been cured, up to
a maximum Additional Interest Rate of 1.5% per annum.

         (b) A Registration Default referred to in Section 6(a)(iv) hereof shall
be deemed not to have occurred and be continuing in relation to a Shelf
Registration Statement or the related prospectus if (i) such Registration
Default has occurred solely as a result of (x) the filing of a post-effective
amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement to incorporate annual audited
financial information with respect to the Company where such post-effective
amendment is not yet effective and needs to be declared effective to permit
Holders to use the related prospectus or (y) other material events, with respect
to the Company that would need to be described in such Shelf Registration
Statement or the related prospectus and (ii) in the case of clause (y), the
Company is proceeding promptly and in good faith to amend or supplement such
Shelf Registration Statement and related prospectus to describe such events;
provided, however, that in any case if such Registration Default occurs for a
continuous period in excess of 30 days, Additional Interest shall be payable in
accordance with the above paragraph from the day such Registration Default
occurs until such Registration Default is cured.

         (c) Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to Section 6(a)
will be payable in cash on the regular interest payment dates with respect to
the Notes. The amount of Additional Interest will be determined by multiplying
the applicable Additional Interest Rate by the principal amount of the Notes and
further multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days
such Additional Interest Rate was applicable during such period (determined on
the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months), and the
denominator of which is 360.

         (d) "TRANSFER RESTRICTED NOTES" means each Note until (i) the date on
which such Note has been exchanged by a person other than a broker-dealer for a
freely transferable Exchange Note in the Registered Exchange Offer, (ii)
following the exchange by a broker-dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer of an
Initial Note for an Exchange Note, the date on which such Exchange Note is sold
to a purchaser who receives from such broker-dealer on or prior to the date of
such sale a copy of the prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, (iii) the date on which such Note has been effectively registered
under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf
Registration Statement or (iv) the date on which such Note is distributed to the
public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or is saleable pursuant to
Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act.

         7. Rules 144 and 144A. The Company shall use its best efforts to file
the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act in a timely manner and, if at any time the Company is not required to file
such reports, it will, upon the request of any Holder of Notes, make publicly
available other information so long as necessary to permit sales of their Notes
pursuant to Rules 144 and 144A. The Company covenants that it will take such
further action as any Holder of Notes may reasonably request, all to the extent
required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Notes without
registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions
provided by Rules 144 and 144A (including the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)).
The Company will provide a copy of this Agreement to prospective purchasers of
Initial Notes identified to the Company by the Initial Purchasers upon written
request. Upon the request of any Holder of Initial Notes, the Company shall
deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with
such requirements. Notwithstanding the


                                       12
<PAGE>   13
foregoing, nothing in this Section 7 shall be deemed to require the Company to
register any of its Notes pursuant to the Exchange Act.

         8. Underwritten Registrations. If any of the Transfer Restricted Notes
covered by any Shelf Registration are to be sold in an underwritten offering,
the investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers that will
administer the offering ("MANAGING UNDERWRITERS") will be selected by the
Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such Transfer Restricted
Notes to be included in such offering and shall be reasonably acceptable to the
Company.

         No person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder
unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person's Transfer Restricted Notes on
the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the
persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii) completes and
executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting
agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such
underwriting arrangements.

         9.  Miscellaneous.

         (a) Remedies. The Company acknowledges and agrees that any failure by
the Company to comply with its obligations under Section 1 and 2 hereof may
result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers or the Holders
for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to
measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such
failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be
required to specifically enforce the Company's obligations under Sections 1 and
2 hereof. The Company further agrees to waive the defense in any action for
specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

         (b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company will not on or after the
date of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its securities
that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or
otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the
Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with
the rights granted to the holders of the Company's securities under any
agreement in effect on the date hereof.

         (c) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be
amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from
the provisions hereof may not be given, except by the Company and the written
consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes affected
by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consents.

         (d) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, first-class mail,
facsimile transmission, or air courier which guarantees overnight delivery:

                  (1) if to a Holder of the Notes, at the most current address
given by such Holder to the Company.

                  (2) if to the Initial Purchasers:

                           Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
                           Eleven Madison Avenue
                           New York, NY 10010-3629
                           Fax No.:  (212) 325-8278
                           Attention:  Transactions Advisory Group

         with a copy to:

                           Cravath, Swaine & Moore
                           Worldwide Plaza
                           825 Eighth Avenue
                           New York, NY 10019-7475
                           Fax No.:  (212) 474-3700
                           Attention:  Kris F. Heinzelman, Esq.

                  (3) if to the Company, at its address as follows:

                           TravelCenters of America, Inc.
                           24601 Center Ridge Road


                                       13
<PAGE>   14
                           Suite 200
                           Westlake, OH 44145-5639
                           Fax. No.:  (440) 808-4458
                           Attention:  Steve Lee, Esq.

         with a copy to:

                           Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
                           425 Lexington Avenue
                           New York, NY 10017-3954
                           Attention:  Rise B. Norman, Esq.

         All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three business
days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt
is acknowledged by recipient's facsimile machine operator, if sent by facsimile
transmission; and on the day delivered, if sent by overnight air courier
guaranteeing next day delivery.

         (e) Third Party Beneficiaries. The Holders shall be third party
beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one
hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to
enforce such agreements directly to the extent they may deem such enforcement
necessary or advisable to protect their rights or the rights of Holders
hereunder.

         (f) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company, the Initial Purchasers and their respective successors and assigns.

         (g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

         (h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

         (i)  Governing Law.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

         (j) Severability. If any one or more of the provisions contained
herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such
provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained
herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

         (k) Notes Held by the Company. Whenever the consent or approval of
Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount of Notes is required
hereunder, Notes held by the Company or its affiliates (other than subsequent
Holders of Notes if such subsequent Holders are deemed to be affiliates solely
by reason of their holdings of such Notes) shall not be counted in determining
whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required
percentage.


                                       14
<PAGE>   15
         If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement
among the several Initial Purchasers and the Company in accordance with its
terms.

                               Very truly yours,

                               TRAVELCENTERS OF AMERICA, INC.,

                                 by  /s/ James W. George
                                     -------------------------------
                                     Name:  James W. George
                                     Title: Senior Vice President and
                                            Chief Financial Officer



                               TA OPERATING CORPORATION,

                                 by /s/ James W. George
                                     -------------------------------
                                     Name:  James W. George
                                     Title: Senior Vice President and
                                            Chief Financial Officer



                               TA Travel, L.L.C.,

                                 by /s/ James W. George
                                     -------------------------------
                                     Name:  James W. George
                                     Title: Senior Vice President and
                                            Chief Financial Officer



                               TA LICENSING, INC.,

                                 by /s/ Andrew Panaccione
                                     -------------------------------
                                     Name:  Andrew Panaccione
                                     Title: Secretary



                               TRAVELCENTERS PROPERTIES, L.P.,

                               By: TA OPERATING CORPORATION, its general partner

                                 by /s/ James W. George
                                     -------------------------------
                                     Name:  James W. George
                                     Title: Senior Vice President and
                                            Chief Financial Officer



                               TRAVELCENTERS REALTY, INC.,

                                 by /s/ Andrew Panaccione
                                     -------------------------------
                                     Name:  Andrew Panaccione
                                     Title: Secretary
<PAGE>   16
The foregoing Registration
Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed
and accepted as of the date first
above written.

CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORPORATION

By:  CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION

      by /s/ Bryce Lee
         Name: Bryce Lee
         Title: Managing Director

<PAGE>   17
                                                                         ANNEX A


       Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own account
pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes. The Letter of
Transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Securities Act. This Prospectus, as it may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection
with resales of Exchange Notes received in exchange for Initial Notes where such
Initial Notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making
activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed that, for a
period of 180 days after the Expiration Date (the day the Registered Exchange
Offer expires), it will make this Prospectus available to any broker-dealer for
use in connection with any such resale. See "Plan of Distribution."


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<PAGE>   18
                                                                         ANNEX B


       Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own account in
exchange for Initial Notes, where such Initial Notes were acquired by such
broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading
activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection
with any resale of such Exchange Notes. See "Plan of Distribution."


                                       1
<PAGE>   19
                                                                         ANNEX C


                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

       Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own account
pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes. This
Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used
by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Notes received in
exchange for Initial Notes where such Initial Notes were acquired as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed
that, for a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date, it will make this
prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for use
in connection with any such resale. In addition, until    , 200  , all dealers
effecting transactions in the Exchange Notes may be required to deliver a
prospectus.(1)

       The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of Exchange Notes
by broker-dealers. Exchange Notes received by broker-dealers for their own
account pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be sold from time to time in one or
more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions,
through the writing of options on the Exchange Notes or a combination of such
methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices
related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated prices. Any such resale
may be made directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may
receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such
broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange Notes. Any broker-dealer
that resells Exchange Notes that were received by it for its own account
pursuant to the Exchange Offer and any broker or dealer that participates in a
distribution of such Exchange Notes may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within
the meaning of the Securities Act and any profit on any such resale of Exchange
Notes and any commission or concessions received by any such persons may be
deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act. The Letter of
Transmittal states that, by acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering
a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.

       For a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date the Company will
promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents
in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all expenses
incident to the Exchange Offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the
Holders of the Notes) other than commissions or concessions of any brokers or
dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the Notes (including any
broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.



--------

(1) In addition, the legend required by Item 502(e) of Regulation S-K will
appear on the back cover page of the Exchange Offer prospectus.


                                       1
<PAGE>   20
                                                                         ANNEX D


[ ] CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10 ADDITIONAL
COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO.

           Name:
           Address:


If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it is
not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange
Notes. If the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Notes
for its own account in exchange for Initial Notes that were acquired as a result
of market-making activities or other trading activities, it acknowledges that it
will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes;
however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, the undersigned
will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the meaning of
the Securities Act.


                                        1