A New York City “hop on, hop off” tour bus line asked the US Supreme Court to revive claims that its larger rivals bullied top tourist attractions into a boycott, stating that two lower courts adopted an “overly restrictive” framework that leaves out “inherently logical” antitrust allegations, reported Bloomberg Law.
The courts rigidly required Go New York Tours to plead “recognized plus factors” instead of taking a holistic view of robust circumstantial evidence that doesn’t fit neatly into those categories, according to the petition asking the justices to take up the case.
In the lawsuit, filed in 2012, state and federal officials said City Sights and Gray Line New York, operated by Coach USA, created Twin America to eliminate competition and allow them to push up prices.
The companies formed Twin America in 2009 and then raised prices by about 10%, according to the suit. In the past few years, other tour bus companies have not been able to obtain bus stop authorizations near major attractions from the city’s Transportation Department because City Sights and Gray Line New York had locked up the best locations, the Justice Department stated.
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
