SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

According to the application, Flix SE is a privately held German holding company that owns and controls affiliates in several countries, including in the Americas ( printed page 57676) (Americas Affiliates).^[1] (Appl. 2-4.) Flix North America and Greyhound are both Americas Affiliates. ( Id. at 4-6.) The Americas Affiliates provide a brokerage network technology platform for intercity passenger motor carrier travel in the United States and Canada, through a network known as FlixBus. ( Id. at 3.) They also provide nationwide passenger bus service that utilizes and operates the service network provided through Greyhound.^[2] ( Id. at 3-4.) The Americas Affiliates include the following passenger motor carriers: ^[3]

• Greyhound, a Delaware corporation headquartered in Dallas, Tex., that is directly owned and controlled by Flix North America ^[4] and provides nationwide scheduled intercity passenger bus service, including links to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) intercity rail service, ( id. at 5-6); ^[5]
• Valley, a Texas corporation headquartered in Brownsville, Tex., that is a wholly owned affiliate of Greyhound and operates scheduled intercity passenger bus service, particularly in South Texas and United States-Mexico transborder areas, (id. at 6);
• Americanos, a Delaware corporation headquartered in Albuquerque, N.M., that is a wholly owned affiliate of Greyhound and operates part of Greyhound's nationwide scheduled intercity passenger bus service, particularly in the United States-Mexico transborder areas of Texas and California, (id. at 6-7); and
• Greyhound Mexico, a Mexican corporation headquartered in Monterrey, Nuevo León, that is an affiliate of Greyhound with primary service areas in Mexico that range to the United States-Mexico transborder areas of Texas and California, (id. at 7).^[6]

The remaining Americas Affiliates do not hold operating authority and are described as follows:

• Flix North America, a Delaware corporation headquartered in Dallas, Tex., that is a holding company and shared services provider for its subsidiaries, (id. at 4; id., Ex. A-4);
• FBI, a Delaware corporation headquartered in Dallas, Tex., that provides the brokerage technology platform for FlixBus and directly owns and controls FlixBus Canada ULC (FlixBus Canada), (id. at 4);
• FlixBus Canada, an Alberta company headquartered in Calgary, Alta., Canada, (id. at 5);
• Safe Transport, a Delaware company headquartered in Dallas, Tex., that owns 0.1% of the equity stock of Greyhound Mexico, (id. at 8);
• Atlantic Greyhound Lines of Virginia, Inc., a Virginia corporation headquartered in Dallas, Tex., that is wholly owned by Greyhound, (id. at 8);
• BUS Risk Retention Group, Inc., a South Carolina corporation headquartered in Charleston, S.C., that is a captive risk retention entity that writes primary general and automotive liability insurance for affiliated entities of Flix North America, and whose equity ownership is as follows: 99% Greyhound, 0.25% Valley, 0.25% Americanos, and 0.25% LSX Delivery, LLC,^[7] ( id.);
• Pacific, a newly created Delaware company headquartered in Dallas, Tex., that is wholly owned and controlled by Greyhound. (Id.) Pacific has no current operations, ( id.); however, Applicants obtained Board approval to control Pacific, Flix SE—Control—Pac. Nw. Bus LLC, MCF 21142 (STB served Mar. 13, 2026). Pacific intends to begin operations before the end of 2026, (Appl. 9);
• Greyhound Midwest Bus LLC (Midwest), a newly created Delaware company, headquartered in Dallas, Tex., that is wholly owned and controlled by Greyhound. (Id.) Midwest has no current operations, ( id.); however, Applicants obtained Board approval to control Midwest, Flix SE—Control—Greyhound Midwest Bus LLC, MCF 21150 (STB served June 25, 2026). Midwest intends to begin operations before the end of 2026, (Appl. 9);
• FlixBus Peru S.A.C., a Peruvian corporation headquartered in Lima, Peru, that provides a brokerage network technology platform for intercity passenger motor carrier travel in Peru and is 99.9% owned by LATAM and 0.1% owned by Flix SE, (id. at 9-10);
• Flixbus Mexico S.A. de C.V., a Mexican corporation headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico, that provides a brokerage network technology platform for intercity passenger motor carrier travel in Mexico and is 99.998% owned by LATAM and 0.002% owned by Flix North America, (id. at 10); and
• LATAM, a Mexican corporation headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico, that provides various support services by contract for the Americas Affiliates, including accounting and human resources, and which is 99.998% owned by Flix SE and 0.002% owned by Flix North America, (id.).

In the application, Applicants seek Board approval to continue in control of Central upon its obtaining authority to operate as a regulated passenger motor carrier.^[8] According to Applicants, Greyhound intends to move routes currently operated by Greyhound into the operations of Central, with the service anticipated to include the Nashville-Tallahassee, Dallas-Nashville, St. Louis-Nashville, Atlanta-Houston, Houston-Tallahassee, Houston-San Antonio, Houston-Laredo, San Antonio-Brownsville, Houston-Brownsville, Dallas-Denver, Dallas-Tulsa, Houston-Texarkana, Dallas-Laredo, Dallas-Brownsville, St. Louis-Baton Rouge, and St. Louis-Denver lines. ( Id. at 12.) The application states that Greyhound, through Central, seeks to regionalize its operational structure in this region in order to operate more efficiently and ( printed page 57677) deliver stronger results for customers. ( Id.)

Under 49 U.S.C. 14303(b), the Board must approve and authorize a transaction that it finds is 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 resulting from the proposed transaction, and (3) the interest of affected carrier employees. Here, Applicants have submitted the information required by 49 CFR 1182.2, including (1) information to demonstrate that Applicants' continuance in control of Central upon it becoming a regulated passenger motor carrier is consistent with the public interest under 49 U.S.C. 14303(b), see49 CFR 1182.2(a)(7); and (2) 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 ending not more than six months before the date of the agreement of the parties, see49 CFR 1182.2(a)(5).

Applicants submit evidence that granting the application would be consistent with the public interest. (Appl. 12-14.) According to Applicants, Applicants and Central have identified service areas that will be operated by Central as a regional affiliate of Greyhound, instead of as presently operated by Greyhound. ( Id. at 12.) Accordingly, Applicants anticipate that services available to the public will not change, except for the expected improvements in services to be gained through the efficiencies of a regionalized operational structure. ( Id. at 12-13.)

Applicants state that this transaction may result in additional fixed costs to the extent that Central borrows funds to finance a portion of equipment acquisition over time. ( Id. at 13.) However, Applicants assert that any such increase will not have a material impact on the transaction or Central's implementation of services. ( Id.) Applicants further state that the proposed transaction will not adversely affect Central's employees, as Central is a newly formed entity that has no current employees. ( Id.) Applicants state that the contemplated action and resulting assumption of scheduled intercity passenger service will continue to require the same jobs for drivers, mechanics, and other support personnel. ( Id.) Applicants therefore conclude that employee interests, although future in nature, will be served to the greatest degree possible. ( Id.)

Based on their representations, the Board finds that Applicants' continuance in control of Central 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. See49 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. Applicants' continuance in control of Central upon it becoming a federally regulated passenger motor carrier 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 October 27, 2026, unless opposing comments are filed by October 26, 2026. If any comments are filed, Applicants may file a reply by November 9, 2026.

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.

91 FR 57675