Search Results for keywords:"Surface Transportation Board"

On January 22, 2025, Jefferson Partners, L.P., which operates as Jefferson Lines, applied to acquire the assets of Karst Stage, Inc., another passenger bus company. The Surface Transportation Board is tentatively approving this move, allowing Jefferson to continue its operations under a new company, Karst Stage, LLC, while maintaining separate identities but sharing management tasks. The approval is contingent on no opposing comments being filed by April 28, 2025. Jefferson argues this transaction will improve service and efficiency without harming competition or employee interests.

SRC Railway LLC, a noncarrier company, has announced its plan to lease and operate a 4.25-mile stretch of rail line called the Strasburg Line in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, from the Strasburg Rail Road Company. This action is part of a related notice that allows SRC to continue to control SRC Railway LLC once it starts functioning as a Class III rail carrier. The company assures that its annual revenue from this operation will not exceed $5 million, keeping it from advancing to a Class I or II rail carrier status. Any challenges to this lease exemption must be submitted by January 12, 2021, with the exemption's effective date being January 20, 2021.

Avalon Motor Coaches, LLC, along with its affiliates, is planning to acquire most of the assets and contracts of Rose Chauffeured Transportation, Inc. The Surface Transportation Board has tentatively approved this transaction, stating it aligns with the public interest. Comments on the deal are invited until February 24, 2025; if none are received, the approval will become final on February 25, 2025. Avalon plans to maintain the current workforce of Rose and aims to improve service efficiency by integrating Rose's services with its own.

Land Rush Rail Corporation (LRRC), a non-carrier company, filed for an exemption to lease and operate a 37.26-mile rail line in Kansas and Oklahoma, previously under Blackwell Northern Gateway Railroad's control. This transition follows a Federal Railroad Administration emergency order that stopped BNGR's operations, granting a temporary license to Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad to manage the line. LRRC's annual revenue from this transaction is projected not to exceed $5 million, and the transaction may proceed on or after March 20, 2025, unless revoked. The exemption is categorized as environmentally and historically negligible, exempting it from broader regulatory reviews.

The Surface Transportation Board has tentatively approved the acquisition of Echo Windy City, LLC, an interstate motor passenger carrier, by TBL Group, Inc., a company that owns several similar carriers. This acquisition will allow Echo Windy to expand its services to include interstate passenger transportation. If no opposing comments are submitted by April 7, 2025, the approval will become final on April 8, 2025. The Board determined that the transaction would benefit the public interest without adversely affecting competition or employees.

Santa Maria Valley Railroad, LLC (SMVR), which is not currently a rail carrier, plans to acquire and operate two rail lines in Santa Barbara County, California. They intend to: (1) buy a line from Coast Belle Rail, LLC, and (2) take over the operation of another line leased from Union Pacific Railroad Company. This change means that SMVR will take over from Coast Belle as the common carrier, but their revenues are expected to remain under $5 million. The transaction is anticipated to start on or after April 12, 2025, and is exempt from certain environmental and historic preservation reviews.

Mingus Mountain Railroad, LLC (MMRL) has filed a notice to acquire and operate a 38.74-mile rail line from Clarkdale Arizona Central Railroad, L.C. (CACR) in Arizona. MMRL is not a carrier yet but plans to run regular train services and acquire additional trackage rights after this transaction, becoming a Class III rail carrier. They assure that their annual earnings will not exceed $5 million, preventing them from becoming a larger Class I or II carrier. The transaction could be finalized by March 30, 2025, unless issues arise with the details provided in the notice.

The Surface Transportation Board received a prefiling notification regarding a proposed transaction where Norfolk Southern Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway Company aim to gain control of Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad Company. After reviewing the February 14, 2025 submission, the Board determined the transaction is "significant" rather than "minor," requiring more detailed information and compliance with different procedures. The Board instructed Norfolk Southern to amend their application, submit a revised procedural schedule by March 21, 2025, and to pay the additional filing fee associated with significant transactions. Additionally, the Board noted concerns from CSX Transportation and the Virginia Port Authority about potential anticompetitive effects.

North Florida Industrial Railroad, LLC (NFIR) has submitted a notice to lease and operate approximately 4,891 feet of inactive railroad track in Columbia County, Florida. This track connects the North Florida Mega Industrial Park with a rail line run by Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad. The lease will help the park's tenants by facilitating the shipment of goods. NFIR states that its projected revenues will remain under $5 million and that this arrangement will not affect its status as a Class III rail carrier. This plan is exempt from environmental and historic preservation reviews.

Louisiana Southern Railroad, L.L.C. (LAS), a small rail company, has filed a notice to continue leasing and operating about 165.8 miles of rail lines from the Kansas City Southern Railway Company (KCS). The lease agreements have been in place since 2005 and were recently amended to extend until November 2034. LAS must meet certain conditions, such as informing employees and unions about the transaction, because their annual revenues exceed $5 million. However, LAS has requested a waiver for the 60-day advance notice requirement, which will be decided separately. The document mentions the possibility of legal challenges but notes that LA's operations are exempt from environmental and historic preservation reporting.