(a) A party may request interim approval of the operation of the properties sought to be acquired through the proposed transaction, for a period of not more than 180 days pending determination of the application. This request may be included in the application or may be submitted separately after the application is filed (e.g., once a comment opposing the application has been filed). An additional filing fee is required, whether the request for interim approval is included in the application or is submitted separately at a later time. See 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(5) for the additional filing fee.

(b) A request for interim approval of the operation of the properties sought to be acquired in the application must show that failure to grant interim approval may result in destruction of or injury to those properties or substantially interfere with their future usefulness in providing adequate and continuous service to the public.

(c) If a request for interim approval is submitted after the application is filed, it must be served on each person who files or has filed a comment in response to the published notice of the application. Service must be simultaneous upon those commenters who are known when the request for interim approval is submitted; otherwise, service must be within 5 days after the comment is received by applicants or their representative.

(d) Because the basis for requesting interim approval is to prevent destruction of or injury to motor passenger carrier properties sought to be acquired under 49 U.S.C. 14303,the. The Board has no obligation to give public notice of requests for interim approval, and such requests are decided without hearing or other formal proceeding.

(1) If a request for interim approval is included in the application, the Board's decision with regard to interim approval will be served in conjunction with the notice accepting the application.

(2) If an application is rejected, the request for interim approval will be denied.

(3) If an application is denied, after comments in opposition are submitted, any interim approval will terminate 30 days after service of the decision denying the application.

(e) A petition to reconsider a grant of interim approval may be filed only by a person who has filed a comment in opposition to the application.

(1) A petition to reconsider a grant of interim approval must be in writing and shall state the specific grounds upon which the commenter relies in opposing interim approval. The petition shall certify that a copy has been served on applicants' representative.

(2) The petition to reconsider a grant of interim approval shall be filed with the Board, and one copy of the petition shall be served on applicants' representative(s).

(f) The Board may act on a petition to reconsider a grant of interim approval either separately or in connection with the final decision on the application.