<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
THIS  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION  EXTRACTED  FROM  THE
CONSOLIDATED  BALANCE SHEET AND THE CONSOLIDATED  STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND IS
QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                    1,000
<CURRENCY>                                 US DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                   DEC-31-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                1
<CASH>                                         39,028
<SECURITIES>                                   2,044
<RECEIVABLES>                                  368,410
<ALLOWANCES>                                   41,527
<INVENTORY>                                    0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               415,190
<PP&E>                                         864,335
<DEPRECIATION>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,993,107
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          357,641
<BONDS>                                        365,000
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       24
<OTHER-SE>                                     534,841
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   1,993,107
<SALES>                                        1,434,695
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               1,434,695
<CGS>                                          0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  1,324,043
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                               0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             64,110
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                111,480
<INCOME-TAX>                                   63,715
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            47,765
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                2,327
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   46,334
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  1.97
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  1.78