Notice2025-18916
TBL Group, Inc.-Control-Kaptyn Nevada, LLC
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 30, 2025
Effective
November 15, 2025
Issuing agencies
Surface Transportation Board
Abstract
TBL Group, Inc. (TBL Group), a noncarrier holding company that controls multiple interstate motor passenger carriers, has filed an application to acquire the assets of Kaptyn Nevada, LLC (Kaptyn), a federally regulated motor passenger carrier. The Board is tentatively approving and authorizing the transaction. If no opposing comments are timely filed, this notice will be the final Board action.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 187 (Tuesday, September 30, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 30, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47119-47120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-18916]
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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
[Docket No. MCF 21139]
TBL Group, Inc.--Control--Kaptyn Nevada, LLC
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.
ACTION: Notice tentatively approving and authorizing finance
transaction.
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SUMMARY: TBL Group, Inc. (TBL Group), a noncarrier holding company that
controls multiple interstate motor passenger carriers, has filed an
application to acquire the assets of Kaptyn Nevada, LLC (Kaptyn), a
federally regulated motor passenger carrier. The Board is tentatively
approving and authorizing the transaction. If no opposing comments are
timely filed, this notice will be the final Board action.
DATES: Comments must be filed by November 14, 2025. If any comments are
filed, TBL Group may file a reply by December 1, 2025. If no opposing
comments are filed by November 14, 2025, this notice shall be effective
on November 15, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Comments, referring to Docket No. MCF 21139, may be filed
with the Board either via e-filing on the Board's website or in writing
addressed to: Surface Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW,
Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, send one copy of comments to
TBL Group's representative: Andrew K. Light, Scopelitis, Garvin, Light,
Hanson & Feary, P.C., 10 W Market Street, Suite 1400, Indianapolis, IN
46204.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Rackson at (202) 929-2676. If you
require an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act,
please call (202) 245-0245.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 8, 2025, TBL Group filed an
application under 49 U.S.C. 14303 and 49 CFR part 1182, for Board
authority for TBL Group to acquire indirect control of Kaptyn's primary
business assets through TBL Group's subsidiary, Echo Nevada, LLC (Echo
Nevada). (Appl. 1, 8.)
The application states that TBL Group is a Texas corporation,
headquartered at 15734 Aldine Westfield Road, Houston, TX 77032. (Id.
at 2.) TBL Group asserts that it is not a federally regulated carrier.
(Id.) However, the application states that TBL Group controls five
interstate passenger motor carriers (Affiliated Carriers): GBJ Inc.
(GBJ), Echo Tours & Charters, LP (Echo Tours), Echo East Coast
Transportation LLC (Echo East), Echo Windy City, LLC (Echo Windy), and
Reston Limousine & Travel Service, Inc. (Reston).\1\ (Id. at 3-5.) TBL
Group states that GBJ is a Texas corporation doing business as Echo AFC
Transportation, AFC Transportation, and Echo AFC Medical Transport,
that primarily provides charter and contract shuttle services for
companies, non-profits, schools, and tour operators in Houston, Tex.,
but also provides interstate charter passenger transportation service.
(Id. at 3.) Echo Tours is described as a Texas limited partnership
doing business as Echo Transportation, that primarily provides charter
and contract shuttle services for companies, non-profits, schools, and
tour operators in the metropolitan area of Dallas, Tex., but also
provides interstate charter passenger transportation. (Id. at 3-4.)
Echo East is described in the application as a Texas limited liability
company that primarily provides interstate and intrastate contract and
charter services in the area of Jacksonville, Fla. (Id. at 4.) TBL
Group describes Echo Windy as a Texas limited liability company doing
business as Echo Windy City Transportation, that primarily provides
intrastate limousine and charter passenger service in the metropolitan
area of Chicago, Ill., but can also provide interstate limousine and
charter passenger service. (Id. at 4-5.) Reston is described as a
Virginia corporation that provides interstate and intrastate limousine,
shuttle, and charter passenger services in the metropolitan area of
Washington, DC (Id. at 5.)
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\1\ Additional information about these motor carriers, including
principal place of business, U.S. Department of Transportation
(USDOT) numbers, motor carrier numbers, USDOT safety fitness
ratings, fleet composition, and driver count, can be found in the
application. (See Appl., Ex. A.)
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The application also notes that TBL Group has filed an application,
in Docket No. MCF 21138, to acquire control of BTM Coaches, Inc.
(Coaches). (Id. at 1 n.1.) On September 24, 2025, the Board tentatively
approved TBL Group's acquisition of Coaches,\2\ a Florida corporation
that primarily provides charter motor coach and contract bus services
in East Central Florida. TBL Group, Inc.--Acquisition of Control--BTM
Coaches, Inc., MCF 21138, slip op. at 2, 4 (STB served Sept. 24, 2025).
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\2\ If no opposing comments are filed by November 7, 2025, the
Board's September 24, 2025 notice in Docket No. MCF 21138 will take
effect on November 8, 2025. TBL Group, Inc.--Acquisition of
Control--BTM Coaches, Inc., MCF 21138, slip op at 4.
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According to TBL Group, in the proposed transaction, TBL Group's
noncarrier subsidiary Echo Nevada will acquire substantially all of
Kaptyn's business assets and become an interstate motor carrier. (Appl.
at 8.) The application explains that Echo Nevada is a new Nevada
limited liability company that TBL Group is organizing in order to
acquire Kaptyn's assets and operate essentially the same business. (Id.
at 6.) TBL Group states that it has applied for interstate passenger
motor carrier authority for Echo Nevada, and plans to move Echo
Nevada's headquarters to Kaptyn's current address. (Id. at 7.)
The application describes Kaptyn as a Nevada limited liability
company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., doing business under the
names Presidential Transportation and Presidential Limousine. (Id. at
1, 7.) According to the
[[Page 47120]]
application, Kaptyn provides premium limousine and black car
transportation services and holds interstate passenger motor carrier
authority, although the majority of Kaptyn's passenger moves are
intrastate. (Id. at 7.) Kaptyn's primary service area is the
metropolitan area of Clark County, Nev., including Las Vegas. (Id.) The
application states that Kaptyn utilizes approximately 100 sedans,
limousines, and SUVs, two 20-passenger limo mini-buses, and two 31-
passenger mini-buses in its operations, and employs approximately 175
personnel. (Id.) TBL Group also provides details about Kaptyn's USDOT
number, FMCSA docket number, and safety rating. (Id., Ex. A.) According
to the application, Kaptyn is owned by Kaptyn Holding Corp. (KHC), a
Delaware corporation located in Las Vegas. (Id. at 8.) The application
states that KHC is a noncarrier and does not control any other
interstate passenger motor carriers. (Id.)
Under 49 U.S.C. 14303(b), the Board must approve and authorize a
transaction that it finds consistent with the public interest, taking
into consideration at least (1) the effect of the proposed transaction
on the adequacy of transportation to the public, (2) the total fixed
charges resulting from the proposed transaction, and (3) the interest
of affected carrier employees. TBL Group has submitted the information
required by 49 CFR 1182.2, including information demonstrating that the
proposed transaction is consistent with the public interest under 49
U.S.C. 14303(b), see 49 CFR 1182.2(a)(7), and a jurisdictional
statement under 49 U.S.C. 14303(g) that the aggregate gross operating
revenues of the involved carriers exceeded $2 million during a
consecutive 12-month period ending not more than 6 months before the
date of the agreement of the parties, see 49 CFR 1182.2(a)(5).
TBL Group does not expect the proposed transaction to have any
detrimental impact on the adequacy of transportation services available
for the public in Kaptyn's service area. (Appl. 10.) TBL Group
anticipates that services available to the public will increase as
additional capacity is made available and operating efficiencies are
realized. (Id.) TBL Group states that after the transaction, Echo
Nevada will provide the services currently provided by Kaptyn for the
foreseeable future, doing business under the names that Kaptyn used
prior to the proposed transaction. (Id. at 10-11.) TBL Group asserts
that its passenger carrier management capacity and experience in the
market segments that Kaptyn serves will lead to improved operating
efficiencies, increased equipment utilization rates, and cost savings
derived from economies of scale. (Id. at 11.) TBL Group further states
that acquiring Kaptyn's assets will enhance the viability of TBL Group
and the Affiliated Carriers. (Id.) TBL group therefore asserts that the
proposed transactions will help ensure the ongoing availability of
adequate passenger transportation service to the public. (Id.)
TBL Group concedes that the proposed transaction will increase
fixed charges in the form of interest expense, explaining that funds
will be borrowed to finance the transaction. (Id. at 11-12.) However,
TBL Group states that the increase in fixed charges will not affect the
provision of transportation to the public. (Id. at 12.) Additionally,
the transaction is not expected to have substantial negative impacts on
employees or labor conditions because TBL Group intends to continue
Kaptyn's current operations under Echo Nevada. (Id.) Although TBL Group
acknowledges that staffing redundancies may result in limited
downsizing of back office or managerial level personnel, the
application states that TBL Group intends for Echo Nevada to offer
employment to substantially all of Kaptyn's current employees without
any negative changes to compensation levels or benefits. (Id.)
TBL Group states that there is strong demand for passenger surface
transportation in Kaptyn's service area, with many service options
available to passengers. (Id. at 13.) According to the application,
Kaptyn competes directly with dozens of other car and limousine
providers, and also faces competition from charter bus providers,
passenger transportation network providers such as Uber and Lyft, and
public transportation. (Id.) The application asserts that Kaptyn's
service area is geographically dispersed from the service areas of the
Affiliated Carriers, with no overlap in customer bases. (Id.) The
application concludes that the impact of the proposed transaction on
the regulated motor carrier industry will be minimal at most, and that
neither competition nor the public interest will be adversely affected.
(Id. at 14.)
Based on TBL Group's representations, the Board finds that the
transaction proposed in the application is consistent with the public
interest. The application will be tentatively approved and authorized.
If any opposing comments are timely filed, these findings will be
deemed vacated, and, unless a final decision can be made on the record
as developed, a procedural schedule will be adopted to reconsider the
application. See 49 CFR 1182.6. If no opposing comments are filed by
the 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 <a href="http://www.stb.gov">www.stb.gov</a>.
It is ordered:
1. The proposed transaction is approved and authorized, subject to
the filing of opposing comments.
2. If opposing comments are timely filed, the findings made in this
notice will be deemed vacated.
3. This notice will be effective on November 15, 2025, unless
opposing comments are filed by November 14, 2025. If any comments are
filed, TBL Group may file a reply by December 1, 2025.
4. A copy of this notice will be served on: (1) the U.S. Department
of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; (2) the U.S. Department of
Justice, Antitrust Division, 10th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20530; and (3) the U.S. Department of Transportation,
Office of the General Counsel, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington,
DC 20590.
Decided: September 24, 2025.
By the Board, Board Members Fuchs, Hedlund, and Schultz.
Regena Smith-Bernard,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2025-18916 Filed 9-29-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 30, 2025.
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