[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 76 (Thursday, April 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16968-16969]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9562]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
[FHWA Docket No. MC-96-14]


Notice of Request for Reinstatement of an Expired Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the 
intention of the FHWA to request the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) to reinstate the expired information collection that documents 
the qualification of commercial motor vehicle drivers and the expired 
information collection that notifies the FHWA of a new motor carrier.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 17, 1996.

ADDRESSES: All signed, written comments should refer to the docket 
number that appears at the top of this document and must be submitted 
to HCC-10, room 4232, Office of the Chief Counsel, Federal Highway 
Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. All 
comments received will be available for examination at the above 
address from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. Those desiring notification of receipt of 
comments must include a self-addressed, stamped postcard/envelope.
    Interested parties are invited to send comments regarding any 
aspect of these information collections, including, but not limited to: 
(1) The necessity and utility of the information collection for the 
proper performance of the functions of the FHWA; (2) the accuracy of 
the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways to minimize the 
collection burden without reducing the quality of the collected 
information. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be 
summarized and/or included in the request for OMB reinstatement of this 
information collection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Peter C. Chandler, Office of Motor 
Carrier Research and Standards, (202)

[[Page 16969]]

366-5763, Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation, 
400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 
7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Driver Qualification Files.
    OMB Number: 2125-0065.
    Background: The authority for driver qualification files is 
contained in 49 U.S.C. 504, 31133, 31136, and 31502, and 49 CFR 1.48, 
with penalty provisions in 49 U.S.C. 521 and 522. 49 CFR 391.51 
requires a motor carrier to maintain a driver qualification file for 
each regularly employed driver and each intermittent, casual, and 
occasional driver. The file contains the minimum amount of information 
necessary to document that a driver is qualified to drive a commercial 
motor vehicle in interstate commerce. A driver qualification file is 
used by the FHWA and motor carrier to ensure that a driver who operates 
a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce, can by reason of 
experience and/or training, safely operate a type of commercial motor 
vehicle; has been issued an appropriate driver's license; and has not 
been disqualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle. Public demand 
for highway safety requires that the hiring of commercial motor vehicle 
drivers be restricted to those drivers with records which prove their 
ability to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle.
    Respondents: Motor Carriers.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 34 minutes for newly hired 
drivers; 8 minutes for drivers employed longer than one year; 1 minute 
for intermittent, casual, and occasional drivers.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 1,047,749 hours.
    Frequency: The requirements pertaining to driver qualification 
files are recordkeeping requirements. A driver qualification file must 
be kept by a motor carrier as long as the driver is employed by such 
motor carrier and for 3 years thereafter.

    Title: Motor Carrier Identification Report.
    OMB Number: 2125-0544.
    Background: Section 206 of the Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1984 
requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish minimum safety 
standards for commercial motor vehicle safety. 49 U.S.C. 504 provides 
the Secretary of Transportation authority to require special reports 
containing answers to questions asked by the Secretary and to prescribe 
the form of records. Authority pertaining to commercial motor vehicle 
safety has been delegated to the FHWA. In order to administer its 
safety standards, the FHWA needs to possess a database of entities that 
are subject to the agency's standards. A database necessitates that 
entities subject to the FHWA's standards notify the agency of their 
existence. Therefore, 49 CFR 385.21 requires all motor carriers 
beginning operations to file the Motor Carrier Identification Report, 
Form MCS-150, within 90 days of beginning operations.
    Respondents: Motor Carriers.
    Average Burden per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2,917 hours.
    Frequency: One-time reporting requirement.

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; sec. 3506(c)(2)(A) of Pub.L. 104-13; 
49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: April 8, 1996.
Rodney E. Slater,
Federal Highway Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-9562 Filed 4-17-96; 8:45 am]
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