Procedural Background
Silverado filed Application 04-07-033 (Application) on July 15, 2004. Central Coast Shuttle, Inc. (CCS), Santa Barbara Airbus (Airbus) and American Star Tours (AST), competing passenger stage carriers (collectively, protestants), argue that granting Silverado's requested authority would result in unnecessary competition, damage existing carriers, and harm public convenience and necessity.
The Assigned Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) convened a prehearing conference (PHC) on November 8, 2004 in San Luis Obispo. At the PHC, AST, Airbus, and CCS expressed a number of concerns regarding competition, the financial ability of Silverado to provide the requested PSC service, and the nature of the service proposed by Silverado. As neither Silverado, nor the protestants were familiar with Commission rules and practices, nor represented by attorneys, the ALJ referred parties to various Commission publications and the Commission's website as sources of information. The ALJ also recommended that parties discuss participation in Commission proceedings with the Public Advisor's Office.
On November 22, 2004, an Assigned Commissioner's Ruling and Scoping Memo established the category, scope and schedule for the proceeding. This schedule proposed the filing of intervenors' testimony February 7, 2005, the filing of rebuttal testimony February 22, 2005, evidentiary hearings beginning March 21, 2005, and proposed submittal in May, 2005. However, following a series of motions3 regarding discovery issues and resolution through ALJ rulings, intervenors' testimony was filed March 11, 2005, and Silverado's rebuttal testimony was filed May 20, 2005. Evidentiary hearings were held June 1-2, 2005 and June 23, 2005. On July 29, 2005, Silverado filed a Motion to Amend Application requesting that the balance sheets included in its original Application be replaced with corrected balance sheets.4
Silverado, CCS, Airbus and AST filed opening briefs and reply briefs on July 28, 2005, and August 11, 2005, respectively. The matter was deemed submitted on August 11, 2005.
3 All motions not otherwise ruled on are denied.
4 This motion is unopposed and is granted. The corrected balance sheets attached to Silverado's Motion were previously provided to parties on January 21, 2005, in response to a January 18, 2005 ALJ Ruling.
