COACH USA INC
424B1, 1997-08-20
LOCAL & SUBURBAN TRANSIT & INTERURBAN HWY PASSENGER TRANS
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                                3,500,000 SHARES


                               [GRAPHIC OMITTED]
                                   COACH USA




                                  COMMON STOCK
                             -----------------------

     This  Prospectus  relates  to the offer and sale from time to time by Coach
USA, Inc. (the  "Company") of up to 3,500,000  shares of common stock,  $.01 par
value (the "Common Stock"), in connection with acquisitions of other businesses,
properties, or securities.

     The Company intends to concentrate on acquisitions  which would  complement
its  current  mix  of  motorcoach  holdings.  The  consideration  for  any  such
acquisition may consist of Common Stock, cash, notes or other evidences of debt,
assumptions of liabilities or a combination thereof. The Common Stock covered by
this  Prospectus  may be  issued  in  exchange  for  shares  of  capital  stock,
partnership  interests  or other  assets  representing  an  interest,  direct or
indirect,  in other companies or other entities,  in exchange for assets used in
or related  to the  business  of such  entities  or  otherwise  pursuant  to the
agreements  providing for such acquisitions.  The terms of such acquisitions and
of the issuance of Common Stock under  acquisition  agreements will generally be
determined by direct  negotiations with the owners or controlling persons of the
business or  properties to be acquired or, in the case of entities that are more
widely held, through exchange offers to stockholders or documents soliciting the
approval  of  statutory  mergers,  consolidations  or  sales  of  assets.  It is
anticipated  that the Common Stock issued in any such acquisition will be valued
at a price reasonably  related to the market value of the Common Stock either at
the time of agreement on the terms of an  acquisition or at the time of delivery
of the Common Stock.

     It is not expected that underwriting  discounts or commissions will be paid
by the  Company  in  connection  with  issuances  of  Common  Stock  under  this
Prospectus. However, finders' fees or brokers' commissions may be paid from time
to time in  connection  with  specific  acquisitions,  and such fees may be paid
through the  issuance of Common  Stock  covered by this  Prospectus.  Any person
receiving  such a fee may be deemed to be an  underwriter  within the meaning of
the Securities Act of 1933.

     As of August 5, 1997 the Company had 19,517,974  shares of its Common Stock
outstanding,  10,329,604 of which are registered and available for  unrestricted
trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE").  The shares of Common Stock
offered  hereby have been  approved for trading on the NYSE. On August 13, 1997,
the  closing  price of the  Common  Stock on the NYSE was $29 7/16 per  share as
published in The Wall Street Journal on August 14, 1997.

     The  Company is a Delaware  corporation  and all  references  herein to the
Company refer to the Company and its subsidiaries.

     SEE "RISK FACTORS" BEGINNING ON PAGE 4 FOR A DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN FACTORS
THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED CAREFULLY BY PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS IN THE
COMMON STOCK OFFERED HEREBY.

   THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
        EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
            SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES
                  COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY
                  OF THIS PROSPECTUS.  ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE
                          CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

                 The date of this Prospectus is August 20, 1997.



<PAGE>



                              AVAILABLE INFORMATION

         The  Company  is  subject  to  the  information   requirements  of  the
Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934  (the  "Exchange  Act"),  and  in  accordance
therewith  files  reports,  proxy  statements  and  other  information  with the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission  (the  "Commission").  Such reports,  proxy
statements  and other  information  can be  inspected  and  copied at the public
reference  facilities  maintained by the Commission at Judiciary Plaza Building,
450 Fifth  Street,  N.W.,  Room 1024,  Washington,  D.C.  20549 and its regional
offices  located at 7 World Trade Center,  13th Floor,  New York, New York 10048
and Citicorp  Center,  500 West Madison Street,  Suite 1400,  Chicago,  Illinois
60661-2511.  Copies of such  materials  can be obtained  from the  Commission at
Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20549, at prescribed
rates.  The  Commission  maintains an Internet Web site that  contains  reports,
proxy and information  statements and other  information  regarding issuers that
file  electronically   with  the  Commission.   The  address  of  that  site  is
http://www.sec.gov.

         The Company has filed with the Commission a  Registration  Statement on
Form S-4 under the  Securities  Act with  respect  to the Common  Stock  offered
hereby.  This  Prospectus  does not contain all the information set forth in the
Registration  Statement  and the exhibits  and  schedules  thereto.  For further
information with respect to the Company and such Common Stock, reference is made
to  such  Registration  Statement  and  exhibits.  A copy  of  the  Registration
Statement  on file with the  Commission  may be obtained  from the  Commission's
principal office in Washington,  D.C. upon payment of the fees prescribed by the
Commission or through the Commission's Internet Web site.

         The Company's  Common Stock is traded on the NYSE. Proxy statements and
other information concerning the Company can also be inspected at the offices of
the NYSE, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.


                 INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The  following  documents  filed with the  Commission  pursuant  to the
Exchange Act are incorporated herein by reference.

         (i)      the  Company's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                  December 31, 1996;

         (ii)     the  Company's  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended March 31, 1997;

         (iii)    the  Company's  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended June 30, 1997;

         (iv)     the description of the Common Stock contained in the Company's
                  registration  statement on Form 8-A (File No.  1-12939)  filed
                  with the  Commission  on April 29, 1997 pursuant to Section 12
                  of the Exchange Act;

         (v)      the Company's report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on
                  September  13, 1996,  as amended by the  Company's  Form 8-K/A
                  filed with the Commission on November 12, 1996; and

         (vi)     the Company's report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on
                  August 8, 1997.

         All  documents  filed by the Company  with the  Commission  pursuant to
Section 13(a),  13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of
this Prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of the shares shall
be deemed to be  incorporated  herein by reference  and to be a part hereof from
the date of filing of such documents.

         Any statement contained herein or in a document  incorporated or deemed
to be  incorporated  by  reference  herein  shall be  deemed to be  modified  or
superseded  for  purposes  of this  Prospectus  to the extent  that a  statement
contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is
deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference  herein  modifies or  supersedes  such
statement.  Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,  except
as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.

         The Company  will  furnish  without  charge to each person to whom this
Prospectus is delivered, upon the written or oral request of such person, a copy
of the documents, including exhibits to such documents (unless such exhibits are
specifically incorporated by reference into such documents).  Requests should be
made to:  Coach USA,  Inc.,  One  Riverway,  Suite 600,  Houston,  Texas  77056,
Attention: Corporate Secretary; telephone 1-888-COACH-US.


                                        2

<PAGE>



                                   THE COMPANY

         The Company is the largest  provider of  motorcoach  charter,  tour and
sightseeing  services  and one of the five  largest  non-municipal  providers of
commuter and transit motorcoach  services in the United States. The Company also
provides  airport  ground  transportation,  paratransit  and  taxicab  and other
related passenger ground  transportation  services.  The Company operates across
the U.S.,  serving a broad customer base (no single customer  accounted for more
than 3% of revenues in 1996) with a fleet of  approximately  3,400  motorcoaches
and other high occupancy vehicles.

         The motorcoach  industry is highly fragmented with approximately  5,000
motorcoach operators which collectively  generated  approximately $20 billion in
revenues in 1995.  The  motorcoach  industry in the United States can be broadly
divided into three types of services:  (i)  recreation  and excursion  (charter,
tour and sightseeing);  (ii) commuter and transit; and (iii) regularly scheduled
intercity services.  The Company operates primarily in the first two categories,
which collectively generated  approximately $19 billion in revenues in 1995. The
Company  believes  there will be increasing  demand for recreation and excursion
services, commuter and transmit motorcoach services and airport related services
for a broad range of customers based on a number of factors, including:  growing
travel and tourism industry, privatization,  outsourcing, expanding metropolitan
areas and increasing airport congestion.

         The Company enjoys a number of business  attributes that position it to
benefit, both financially and operationally,  from the consolidation of a highly
fragmented  industry.  The  Company  believes  that it can  continue  to achieve
significant  economies  of  scale  as  it  acquires  and  integrates  additional
motorcoach  operators  (such  as  savings  in  insurance,  equipment  purchases,
financing and the  centralization of certain  administrative  functions),  which
should provide  continued margin  expansion.  The Company also believes that the
centralization of these attention-diverting administrative and support functions
will allow the  management  of the operating  companies  and any other  acquired
businesses  to  focus on  pursuing  new  business  opportunities  and  improving
equipment utilization and yields. The Company is diversified from the standpoint
of geography, customer base and type of business,  characteristics which provide
it with insulation from disruption in any particular area, customer or business.
In addition, the Company benefits from a strong balance sheet as a result of its
two 1996 equity offerings in which it raised $96.6 million,  as well as from its
strategy  of using its  common  stock,  par value  $.01 per share  (the  "Common
Stock"), as a significant component of the consideration for its acquisitions.

         The Company's  objective is to be the largest  provider of regional and
local  motorcoach  and passenger  ground  transportation  services in the United
States by  implementing a growth strategy which  concentrates  on  acquisitions,
internal growth and economies of scale.




                                        3

<PAGE>



                                  RISK FACTORS

         An  investment in the Company  involves a  significant  degree of risk.
Prospective  investors  should  consider  carefully  the  following  factors  in
addition to other  information  included  in this  Prospectus  before  making an
investment  in  the  Common  Stock.  This  Prospectus  contains  forward-looking
statements  concerning  the  Company's  operations,   economic  performance  and
financial condition,  including, in particular,  the likelihood of the Company's
success in developing  and expanding its business.  These  statements  are based
upon a number of  assumptions  and  estimates  that are  inherently  subject  to
significant  uncertainties  and  contingencies,  many of which  are  beyond  the
control of the Company,  and reflect future business  decisions that are subject
to  change.  Some of these  assumptions  inevitably  will not  materialize,  and
unanticipated events will occur that will affect the Company's results.

EFFECTS OF LEVERAGE

         The  Company  is  highly  leveraged.  The  Company's  ability  to  make
scheduled  payments  of  principal  of,  or to pay the  interest  or  liquidated
damages,  if any,  on, or to  refinance,  its  indebtedness,  or to fund planned
capital   expenditures  or  future   acquisitions  will  depend  on  its  future
performance,  which,  to a certain  extent,  is  subject  to  general  economic,
financial,  competitive,  legislative,  regulatory  and other  factors  that are
beyond its control.  Based upon the current level of operations and  anticipated
cost  savings  and  revenue  growth,  management  believes  that  cash flow from
operations  and available  cash,  together with available  borrowings  under the
Company's  revolving  Credit  Facility,  will be adequate to meet the  Company's
anticipated   future   requirements  for  working   capital,   budgeted  capital
expenditures,  acquisitions and scheduled  payments of principal and interest on
its indebtedness for the next several years. The Company may,  however,  need to
refinance all or a portion of the principal of its  indebtedness  on or prior to
maturity.  There can be no assurance  that the Company's  business will generate
sufficient  cash flow from  operations or that  anticipated  revenue  growth and
operating  improvements  will be  realized  or that  future  borrowings  will be
available  under the  Credit  Facility  in an amount  sufficient  to enable  the
Company to service its indebtedness,  make anticipated  capital  expenditures or
fund  future  acquisitions.  In  addition,  there can be no  assurance  that the
Company will be able to effect any such  refinancing on commercially  reasonable
terms or at all.

LIMITED COMBINED OPERATING HISTORY

         The Company was founded in September  1995 but  conducted no operations
and generated no revenues prior to the closing of the initial public offering in
May 1996. The Company acquired six founding companies (the "Founding Companies")
simultaneously  with the closing of the initial public offering.  Prior to their
acquisition  by  the  Company,   the  Founding   Companies  and  all  subsequent
acquisitions  operated as  separate  independent  entities,  and there can be no
assurance that the Company will be able to successfully integrate the operations
of  these  businesses  or  institute  the  necessary  Company-wide  systems  and
procedures to successfully manage the combined enterprise on a profitable basis.
The Company's  management group has been assembled for  approximately 18 months,
and  there  can be no  assurance  that  the  management  group  will  be able to
effectively  manage the combined  entity or effectively  implement the Company's
internal  growth  strategy and  acquisition  program.  The historical  financial
results of the Company,  the Founding Companies and the subsequent  acquisitions
cover  periods  when the  Company,  the Founding  Companies  and the  subsequent
acquisitions were not under common control or management and, therefore, may not
be  indicative  of the  Company's  future  financial or operating  results.  The
inability of the Company to  successfully  integrate the Founding  Companies and
the  subsequent  acquisitions  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations and would make
it  unlikely  that  the  Company's  acquisition  program  could  continue  to be
successful.

HOLDING COMPANY STRUCTURE

         The  Company  conducts  all of  its  operations  through  subsidiaries.
Accordingly,  the  Company  relies  on  dividends  and  cash  advances  from its
subsidiaries to provide funds necessary to meet its obligations.  The ability of
any such  subsidiary  to pay  dividends  or make cash  advances  is  subject  to
applicable  laws and  contractual  restrictions,  including  restrictions  under
credit agreements between such subsidiaries and third party lenders.


                                        4

<PAGE>



CAPITAL AVAILABILITY RISKS RELATED TO ACQUISITION FINANCING

         The  Company  intends to  continue to finance  future  acquisitions  by
issuing  shares of its  Common  Stock for all or a  substantial  portion  of the
consideration to be paid. In the event that the Common Stock does not maintain a
sufficient  market  value,  or potential  acquisition  candidates  are otherwise
unwilling to accept  Common Stock as part of the  consideration  for the sale of
their  businesses,  the  Company  may be  required  to utilize  more of its cash
resources,  if available,  in order to maintain its acquisition  program. If the
Company does not have  sufficient  cash  resources,  its growth could be limited
unless  it  is  able  to  obtain  additional  capital  through  debt  or  equity
financings. Although the Company has established a line of credit which provides
for aggregate  credit  capacity of $380 million,  there can be no assurance that
the Company will be able to obtain all the  financing it will need in the future
on terms the Company deems acceptable.

         The Credit Facility contains customary restrictive covenants, including
requiring the Company to maintain:  consolidated  Net Worth, as defined therein,
plus  consolidated  Subordinated  Debt, as defined therein,  at a level not less
than (i) the greater of 90% of the  consolidated  Net Worth of the Company as of
June 30, 1996, or $35,000,000,  plus (ii) 90% of the Company's cumulative annual
consolidated  net earnings,  plus (iii) 100% of the net proceeds  resulting from
sales or issuances of stock or subordinated debt; Tangible Net Worth, as defined
therein,  of the Company at not less than 40% of the  consolidated  Net Worth of
the Company,  a ratio of consolidated  Funded Debt, as defined  therein,  of the
Company less the Subordinated  Debt, as defined  therein,  of the Company to the
consolidated  EBITDA, as defined therein,  of the Company of no greater than 3.0
to 1.0; and a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, as defined therein,  of not less than
1.25 to 1.0.

RISKS RELATED TO THE COMPANY'S ACQUISITION STRATEGY

         The  Company  intends  to  continue  to  grow  primarily   through  the
acquisition of additional  motorcoach and other passenger ground  transportation
businesses.  Increased  competition for acquisition  candidates may develop,  in
which  event  there  may be fewer  acquisition  opportunities  available  to the
Company as well as higher acquisition prices. There can be no assurance that the
Company  will be able to  continue to  identify,  acquire or  profitably  manage
additional  businesses or successfully  integrate acquired  businesses,  if any,
into the Company  without  substantial  costs,  delays or other  operational  or
financial  problems.  Further,  acquisitions  involve a number of special risks,
including possible adverse effects on the Company's operating results, diversion
of  management's  attention,  failure to retain key  acquired  personnel,  risks
associated with unanticipated events or liabilities and amortization of acquired
intangible assets,  some or all of which could have a material adverse effect on
the  Company's  business,  financial  condition  and results of  operations.  In
addition,  there can be no assurance that the Founding Companies, the subsequent
acquisitions or other businesses acquired in the future will achieve anticipated
revenues and earnings.

LABOR RELATIONS

         A majority of the Company's employees are motorcoach  drivers.  Many of
the  Company's  employees  are members of various  labor  unions.  The Company's
inability  to  negotiate  acceptable  contracts  with these  unions as  existing
agreements  expire could result in strikes by the affected workers and increased
operating  costs as a result of higher wages or benefits paid to union  members.
If the unionized employees were to engage in a strike or other work stoppage, or
other  employees  were to become  unionized,  the  Company  could  experience  a
significant  disruption of its operations and higher ongoing labor costs,  which
could have a material  adverse  effect on the Company's  business and results of
operations.

SUBSTANTIAL SEASONALITY OF THE MOTORCOACH BUSINESS

         The   motorcoach   business  is  subject  to  seasonal   variations  in
operations. During the winter months, operating costs are higher due to the cold
weather and demand for motorcoach services is lower,  particularly  because of a
decline in tourism. As a result, the Company expects its revenues and results of
operations  to be lower in the first and fourth  quarters than in the second and
third quarters of each year.


                                        5

<PAGE>



FUEL PRICES AND TAXES

         Fuel is a significant  cost to the Company.  Fuel prices arc subject to
sudden  increases as a result of  variations  in supply  levels and demand.  Any
sustained  increase in fuel prices could adversely affect the Company's  results
of operations  unless it were able to increase prices.  From time to time, there
are efforts at the Federal or state level to increase fuel or highway use taxes,
which,  if  enacted,  also  could  adversely  affect  the  Company's  results of
operations.

INSURANCE COSTS; CLAIMS

         The Company's cost of maintaining personal injury,  property damage and
workers'  compensation  insurance is significant.  The Company could  experience
higher insurance premiums as a result of adverse claims experience or because of
general increases in premiums by insurance carriers for reasons unrelated to the
Company's  own claims  experience.  As an  operator  of  motorcoaches  and other
vehicles,  the  Company is exposed  to claims for  personal  injury or death and
property damage as a result of accidents.  The Company is  self-insured  for the
first $100,000 of losses per incident involving a motorcoach and is self-insured
for the first  $250,000  of losses per  incident  involving  a  taxicab.  If the
Company were to  experience a  significant  increase in the number of claims for
which it is  self-insured  or  claims in excess  of its  insurance  limits,  its
results of operations and financial condition would be adversely affected.

CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS

         The  Company's  operations  require  significant  capital  in  order to
maintain a modem  fleet of  motorcoaches  and to achieve  internal  growth.  The
Company has historically  financed the acquisition of new motorcoaches with debt
financing.  A new  motorcoach  costs in excess of $300,000,  and there can be no
assurance  that  adequate  financing  will be  available  in the future on terms
favorable  to  the  Company  to  enable  the  Company  to  efficiently  maintain
operations  and implement any  expansion of service  through a larger fleet.  In
addition,  as motorcoaches age, they require  increasing  amounts of maintenance
and,  therefore,  are more  expensive  to operate.  The  Company's  inability to
obtain,  or a material  delay in obtaining,  the financing  necessary to acquire
replacement motorcoaches as needed would have an adverse effect on the Company's
results of operations due to higher operating costs associated with operating an
aging fleet.

GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES

         Payments  to the  Company  under a number of its  commuter  and transit
contracts are funded through  Federal or state subsidy  programs,  and,  without
these  subsidies,  the state or local  transit  authority  may be  unwilling  to
continue  to  renew  these  contracts.  In  addition,  many of the  motorcoaches
provided at nominal rent to the Company under these contracts are purchased with
funds provided by Federal  programs.  If funding for these Federal programs were
eliminated  or  curtailed,  the Company  would be  required to operate  existing
motorcoaches  longer  than  economically  practicable  or be forced  to  acquire
replacement  equipment.  Either  alternative  could result in an increase in the
Company's  costs of operations or could cause the Company to decide not to renew
some of its contracts.

SIGNIFICANT REGULATION

         As a  result  of the  enactment  of the ICC  Termination  Act of  1995,
interstate motorcoach operations previously regulated by the Interstate Commerce
Commission  became  subject,  as of January 1, 1996, to regulatory  requirements
administered  by the Federal  Highway  Administration  (the  "FHWA") and the new
Surface  Transportation  Board,  both units of the United  States  Department of
Transportation.  Motorcoach  operators  subject  to  FHWA  are  required  to  be
registered  with the FHWA and to  maintain  minimum  amounts of  insurance.  The
Surface   Transportation   Board  (the  "STB")   must   approve  or  exempt  any
consolidation or merger of two or more regulated interstate motorcoach operators
or the acquisition of one such operator by another.  As of May 15, 1997, the STB
had exempted  from  regulatory  approval  requirements  each of the  acquisition
transactions  involving  federally-regulated   interstate  motorcoach  operators
entered  into  by the  Company  through  February  1997.  However,  acquisitions
subsequent  to  March 1,  1997  and  future  acquisitions  of  other  motorcoach
operators must be approved or exempted from the need for regulatory  approval by
the STB.  There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain such
approval or exemption with respect to such  acquisitions.  Motorcoach  operators
are also subject to extensive safety  requirements  and requirements  imposed by
environmental laws, workplace safety and anti-discrimination laws, including the
Americans with Disabilities Act. Safety, environmental and vehicle accessibility
requirements  for motorcoach  operators have increased in recent years, and this
trend could continue. The FHWA and state regulatory agencies have broad power to
suspend, amend or revoke the


                                        6

<PAGE>



Company's  operating   authorizations  for  failure  to  comply  with  statutory
requirements,  including safety and insurance requirements.  A number of states,
such as New Jersey,  Nevada and Pennsylvania,  require  motorcoach  operators to
obtain authority to operate over certain specified  intrastate  routes,  and, in
some instances,  such authority  cannot be obtained if another  operator already
has  obtained  authority  to operate on that  route.  As a result,  there may be
regulatory  constraints  on the expansion of the  Company's  operations in these
states.  Furthermore,  the Company  currently has a competitive  advantage  with
respect  to  certain  of its  existing  route  authorities  as a result  of this
regulatory posture.  Therefore,  if New Jersey or another highly regulated state
in which the Company has operations were to reduce the level of regulation,  the
Company's  competitive  advantage  arising from such  regulation  could be lost.
Similarly,  the Company's taxicab service operations are regulated  primarily at
the local municipality  level. Local regulations  applicable to taxicab services
focus on the  entry of new  operators  into the  marketplace  and the  aggregate
number of  vehicles  which will have  authority  to operate as well as the fares
that can be charged for providing  transportation  services via taxicabs.  These
regulations  may limit the  Company's  ability to expand the size of its taxicab
fleet.

POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITIES

         The Company's operations are subject to various  environmental laws and
regulations,  including those dealing with air emissions,  water  discharges and
the storage,  handling and disposal of petroleum and hazardous  substances.  The
motorcoach  and ground  passenger  transportation  services  industry may in the
future  become  subject to  stricter  regulations.  There  have been  spills and
releases of hazardous  substances,  including  petroleum and  petroleum  related
products,  at several of the  Company's  operating  facilities in the past. As a
result of past and future  operations  at these  facilities,  the Company may be
required  to  incur  remediation  costs  and may be  subject  to  penalties.  In
addition, although the Company intends to conduct appropriate due diligence with
respect to environmental  matters in connection with future acquisitions,  there
can be no assurance  that the Company will be able to identify or be indemnified
for all potential environmental liabilities relating to any acquired business.

SUBSTANTIAL COMPETITION

         The   motorcoach   and  ground   transportation   industry   is  highly
competitive, fragmented and subject to rapid change, particularly with regard to
recreational and excursion services and commuter and transit services. There are
numerous other companies that provide these  services,  a number of which are as
large or larger than the Company on a national or regional  basis and  thousands
of which are small,  independent and serve local  populations.  Certain of these
competitors operate in several of the Company's existing or target markets,  and
others may choose to enter  those  markets in the  future.  The  majority of the
Company's  competition is made up of smaller  regional or local operators with a
strong presence in their respective local markets. As a result of these factors,
the Company may lose customers or have difficulty in acquiring new customers.

RELIANCE ON KEY PERSONNEL

         The Company's  operations are dependent on the continued efforts of its
executive  officers and the senior  management  of the  operating  subsidiaries.
Furthermore,  the Company will likely be dependent on the senior  management  of
any businesses acquired in the future. If any of these persons becomes unable to
continue in his or her present  role, or if the Company is unable to attract and
retain other qualified  employees,  the Company's business or prospects could be
adversely affected.  Although the Company or an operating subsidiary has entered
into an employment  agreement with each of the Company's  executive officers and
key managers, there can be no assurance that any individual will continue in his
present  capacity with the Company or operating  subsidiary  for any  particular
period of time.  The  Company  does not intend to obtain key man life  insurance
covering any of its executive officers or other members of senior management.



                                        7

<PAGE>



                 PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK AND DIVIDEND POLICY

         The Company's  Common Stock traded on the Nasdaq  National  Market from
May 14, 1996 to May 8, 1997,  when it began  trading on the NYSE.  The following
table sets forth the high and low last sale prices for the Common  Stock for the
period from May 14, 1996, the date of the initial public offering.



1996                                                High          Low
                                                    ----          ---
Second quarter (from May 14)................. $     22 3/4 $     17 5/8
Third quarter................................       27 1/2           18
Fourth quarter...............................           32           25
1997
First Quarter................................       34 1/4           28
Second Quarter...............................       30 1/4       25 1/4
Third quarter (through August 13)............     29 15/16     24 15/16


         At August 6, 1997, there were  approximately 178 stockholders of record
of the Company's  Common Stock. On August 13, 1997, the last reported sale price
of the Common Stock on the NYSE was $29 7/16 per share.

         The Company  intends to retain all of its earnings,  if any, to finance
the  expansion  of its business and for general  corporate  purposes,  including
future  acquisitions,  and does not anticipate  paying any cash dividends on its
Common Stock for the foreseeable  future. In addition,  the Company's  revolving
credit facility includes,  and any additional lines of credit established in the
future may include,  restrictions on the ability of the Company to pay dividends
without the consent of the lender.


                                       8
                                                         

<PAGE>



                      SECURITIES COVERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS


         The Common Stock  covered by this  Prospectus  are available for use in
future  acquisitions  of  businesses,  properties  or  securities of entities or
persons   engaged  in  the   motorcoach,   taxicab  and  other  related   ground
transportation  businesses.  The  consideration  offered by the  Company in such
acquisitions,  in addition to the Common Stock offered by this  Prospectus,  may
include cash, debt or other Company securities,  or assumption by the Company of
liabilities of the businesses being acquired,  or a combination  thereof.  It is
contemplated   that  the  terms  of  each  acquisition  will  be  determined  by
negotiations  between the Company and the management or the owners of the assets
to be  acquired  or  the  owners  of  the  securities  (including  newly  issued
securities) to be acquired,  with the Company taking into account the quality of
management,  the past and  potential  earning  power and growth of the assets or
securities to be acquired,  and other relevant  factors.  It is anticipated that
the Common  Stock  issued in  acquisitions  hereunder  will be valued at a price
reasonably  related to the market  value of the Common  Stock either at the time
the terms of the acquisition are tentatively agreed upon or at or about the time
or times of delivery of the shares.


                                  LEGAL MATTERS

         The validity of the  issuance of the shares of Common Stock  offered by
this  Prospectus  has been  passed  upon for the  Company by  Douglas M.  Cerny,
General Counsel to the Company.

         Mr.  Cerny owns 89,000  shares of Common Stock of the Company and holds
options  to  purchase  100,000  shares  of  Common  Stock,  20,000  of which are
exercisable  within  the next 60 days and  80,000 of which  are not  exercisable
within the next 60 days.


                                       9


                                                    

<PAGE>





================================================================================


         No person has been  authorized in connection with this offering to give
any information or to make any  representations not contained in this Prospectus
and, if given or made such  information  or  representations  must not be relied
upon as  having  been  authorized  by the  Company.  This  Prospectus  does  not
constitute  an  offer  to sell or a  solicitation  of an offer to buy any of the
securities  offered  hereby to any  person or by anyone in any  jurisdiction  in
which it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation. Neither the delivery
of this Prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall,  under any  circumstances,
create any implication  that the information  contained  herein is correct as of
any time subsequent to the date hereof.








                               ------------------






                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                      Page

Available Information................................   2
Incorporation of Certain Documents by
   Reference.........................................   2
The Company..........................................   3
Risk Factors.........................................   4
Price Range of Common Stock and Dividend
   Policy............................................   9
Securities Covered by this Prospectus ...............  10
Legal Matters........................................  10





================================================================================




================================================================================




                                3,500,000 SHARES




                               [GRAPHIC OMITTED]
                                   COACH USA












                                  COMMON STOCK









                             ----------------------


                                   PROSPECTUS

                             ----------------------





                                 August 20, 1997
         


================================================================================



<PAGE>





              [ALTERNATE PAGE FOR SELLING STOCKHOLDERS PROSPECTUS]


                                3,500,000 SHARES


                               [GRAPHIC OMITTED]
                                   COACH USA



                                  COMMON STOCK
                             -----------------------

    This Prospectus, as appropriately amended or supplemented,  may be used from
time to time  principally  by  persons  (the  "Selling  Stockholders")  who have
received shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock"),
of Coach,  USA, Inc. (the  "Company") in connection  with the acquisition by the
Company of securities or assets held by such persons, or their transferees,  and
who wish to offer and sell such shares of Common Stock in  transactions in which
they and any broker-dealer through whom such shares are sold may be deemed to be
Underwriters  within the meaning of the  Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"), as more fully described herein. The Company will receive none
of the proceeds from any such sale. Any commissions paid or concessions  allowed
to any  broker-dealer,  and,  if any  broker-dealer  purchases  such  shares  as
principal,  any profits received on the resale of such shares,  may be deemed to
be underwriting  discounts and commissions  under the Securities Act.  Printing,
certain legal and accounting, filing and other similar expenses of this offering
will be paid by the Company.  The Selling  Stockholders  will generally bear all
other expenses of this offering,  including  brokerage fees and any underwriting
discounts or commissions.


    The  Registration  Statement of which this Prospectus is a part also relates
to the offer and issuance by the Company  from time to time of 3,500,000  shares
of Common Stock in connection  with its acquisition of the securities and assets
of other businesses.

     As of August 5, 1997 the Company had 19,517,974  shares of its Common Stock
outstanding,  10,329,604 of which are registered and available for  unrestricted
trading  on the NYSE.  The  shares  of Common  Stock  offered  hereby  have been
approved for trading on the NYSE.  On August 13, 1997,  the closing price of the
Common  Stock on the NYSE was $29 7/16 per share as published in The Wall Street
Journal on August 14, 1997.

    The  Company  is a Delaware  corporation  and all  references  herein to the
Company refer to the Company and its subsidiaries.

     SEE "RISK FACTORS"  BEGINNING ON PAGE 4 FOR A DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN FACTORS
THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED CAREFULLY BY PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS IN THE COMMON STOCK
OFFERED HEREBY.

 THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
      EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
          SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES
                COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY
                OF THIS PROSPECTUS.  ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE
                        CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.


                 The date of this Prospectus is August 20, 1997.


                                      II-1

<PAGE>



              [ALTERNATE PAGE FOR SELLING STOCKHOLDERS PROSPECTUS]

                               MANNER OF OFFERING

         This Prospectus, as appropriately amended or supplemented,  may be used
from time to time  principally  by persons  who have  received  shares of Common
Stock in connection  with  acquisitions  by the Company of securities and assets
held by such persons, or their transferees,  and who wish to offer and sell such
shares  of Common  Stock  (such  persons  are  herein  referred  to as  "Selling
Stockholders") in transactions in which they and any broker-dealer  through whom
such shares are sold may be deemed to be Underwriters  within the meaning of the
Securities  Act. The Company  will  receive  none of the proceeds  from any such
sales.  There  presently  are  no  arrangements  or  understandings,  formal  or
informal, pertaining to the distribution of the shares of Common Stock described
herein.  Upon the  Company  being  notified  by a Selling  Stockholder  that any
material  arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer for the sale of
shares of Common Stock bought through a block trade, special offering,  exchange
distribution or secondary distribution, a supplemented Prospectus will be filed,
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act,  setting forth (i) the name of
each Selling Stockholder and the participating broker-dealer(s), (ii) the number
of shares  involved,  (iii) the price at which the shares  were  sold,  (iv) the
commissions  paid  or the  discounts  allowed  to such  broker-dealer(s),  where
applicable,  (v) that such broker-dealer(s) did not conduct any investigation to
verify the  information set out in this Prospectus and (vi) other facts material
to the transaction.

         Selling Stockholders may sell the shares being offered hereby from time
to time in transactions  (which may involve crosses and block  transactions)  on
the NYSE, in negotiated  transactions or otherwise,  at market prices prevailing
at the time of the sale or at negotiated prices.  Selling  Stockholders may sell
some or all of the shares in transactions involving broker-dealers,  who may act
solely  as  agent  and/or  may  acquire  shares  as  principal.   Broker-dealers
participating in such transactions as agent may receive commissions from Selling
Stockholders  (and, if they act as agent for the purchaser of such shares,  from
such purchaser),  such commissions  computed in appropriate  cases in accordance
with the applicable  rules of the NYSE,  which  commissions may be at negotiated
rates where permissible under such rules. Participating broker-dealers may agree
with Selling  Stockholders to sell a specified  number of shares at a stipulated
price per share and, to the extent such  broker-dealer is unable to do so acting
as an agent for the Selling  Stockholder,  to purchase as  principal  any unsold
shares at the price  required  to  fulfill  the  broker-dealer's  commitment  to
Selling  Stockholders.  In  addition  or  alternatively,  shares  may be sold by
Selling  Stockholders  and/or by or  through  other  broker-dealers  in  special
offerings,  exchange distributions or secondary distributions pursuant to and in
compliance  with the governing  rules of the NYSE,  and in connection  therewith
commissions in excess of the customary  commission  prescribed by such governing
rules may be paid to  participating  broker-dealers,  or, in the case of certain
secondary distributions, a discount or concession from the offering price may be
allowed to participating  broker-dealers in excess of the customary  commission.
Broker-dealers who acquire shares as principal may thereafter resell such shares
from  time to  time  in  transactions  (which  may  involve  crosses  and  block
transactions  and which may involve  sales to or through  other  broker-dealers,
including  transactions of the nature  described in the preceding two sentences)
on  the  NYSE,  in  negotiated  transactions  or  otherwise,  at  market  prices
prevailing at the time of sale or at negotiated  prices,  and in connection with
such  resales  may pay to or  receive  commissions  from the  purchaser  of such
shares.

         The Company  may agree to  indemnify  each  Selling  Stockholder  as an
Underwriter  under the Securities  Act against  certain  liabilities,  including
liabilities  arising  under the  Securities  Act. Each Selling  Stockholder  may
indemnify any broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving sales of
the shares against certain liabilities,  including liabilities arising under the
Securities Act.

         The Selling  Stockholders  may resell the shares offered hereby only if
such  securities  are qualified for sale under  applicable  state  securities or
"blue  sky"  laws  or  exemptions  from  such   registration  and  qualification
requirements are available.




                                       10

<PAGE>


              [ALTERNATE PAGE FOR SELLING STOCKHOLDERS PROSPECTUS]





================================================================================


         No person has been  authorized in connection with this offering to give
any information or to make any  representations not contained in this Prospectus
and, if given or made such  information  or  representations  must not be relied
upon as  having  been  authorized  by the  Company.  This  Prospectus  does  not
constitute  an  offer  to sell or a  solicitation  of an offer to buy any of the
securities  offered  hereby to any  person or by anyone in any  jurisdiction  in
which it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation. Neither the delivery
of this Prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall,  under any  circumstances,
create any implication  that the information  contained  herein is correct as of
any time subsequent to the date hereof.








                               ------------------






                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                       Page

Available Information................................    2
Incorporation of Certain Documents by
   Reference.........................................    2
The Company..........................................    3
Risk Factors.........................................    4
Price Range of Common Stock and Dividend
   Policy............................................    9
Manner of Offering ..................................   10
Legal Matters........................................   11





================================================================================


================================================================================

                

                                3,500,000 SHARES




                               [GRAPHIC OMITTED]
                                   COACH USA












                                  COMMON STOCK









                             ----------------------


                                   PROSPECTUS

                             ----------------------





                                 August 20, 1997



================================================================================





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