UNITED STATES
                   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549
                                 _______________

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 24, 2005

                         THE PEPSI BOTTLING GROUP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

   Delaware                               1-14893                13-4038356
  (State or other jurisdiction          (Commission           (IRS Employer
  of incorporation)                     File Number)         Identification No.)

                         One Pepsi Way, Somers, NY 10589
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (914) 767-6000

                                       N/A
                                     -------
         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[]   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
     (17 CFR 230.425)

[]   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
     (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[]   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[]   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02  Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of
           Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers.

On January 31, 2005, The Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc. (the "Company") filed a Form
8-K reporting  that John A. Quelch had been elected a director of the Company on
January 28, 2005 by the Board of Directors (the "Board"). On March 24, 2005, the
Board  appointed  Mr.  Quelch to the  Compensation  and  Management  Development
Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.


Item 8.01 Other Events

The  Company  announced  on March 24,  2005 that its  Board had  authorized  the
repurchase of an additional 25 million shares of the Company's common stock. The
Company  also  announced  that its  Board  had  authorized  an  increase  in the
Company's annual dividend from $0.20 to $0.32.


Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)  Exhibits.

     99.1   Press Release dated March 24, 2005 issued by the Company.









                                    SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                             THE PEPSI BOTTLING GROUP, INC.
                                                     (Registrant)
Date: March 24, 2005                               /s/ Steven M. Rapp
      --------------                              -------------------
                                                      (Signature)
                                          Steven M. Rapp, Senior Vice President,
                                              General Counsel and Secretary