[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 23, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17873-17874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9982]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

1997 Economic Census Covering Trucks, Automobiles, and Buses; 
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activity, Comment Request

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 24, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, Acting 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Robert Crowther, Bureau of the Census, Room 2754, 
Building 3, Washington, DC 20233, (301) 457-2797.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau is the preeminent collector and provider of 
timely, relevant, and quality data about the people and economy of the 
United States. Economic data are the Census Bureau's primary program 
commitment during nondecennial census years. The economic census, 
conducted under authority of Title 13 U.S.C., is the primary source of 
facts about the structure and functioning of the Nation's economy and 
features unique industry and geographic detail. Economic census 
statistics serve as part of the framework for the national accounts and 
provide essential information for government, business and the general 
public. The 1997 Economic Census will cover virtually every sector of 
the U.S. economy.
    The 1997 Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey, a component of the 
Economic Census, will produce basic statistics on the physical and 
operational characteristics of the nation's trucks, automobiles, and 
buses. It also will yield a variety of subject statistics, including 
vehicles by annual miles, major use, fuel type, miles per gallon, and 
products carried. The Census Bureau will publish truck estimates at the 
state and national level, and automobile and bus estimates at the 
national level.
    Primary strategies for reducing burden in the Vehicle Inventory and 
Use Survey data collections include employing a stratified random 
sample to use the least number of sampling units required to produce 
reliable statistics, separate vehicle-type specific questionnaires, 
check boxes with ranges in lieu of specific responses, accepting 
estimates, and utilizing a short form for light trucks with homogeneous 
characteristics.

II. Method of Collection

    The Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey will survey a sample of 
private and commercial trucks, automobiles, and buses registered in the 
50 States and the District of Columbia. Government vehicles will not be 
sampled. Trucks will be divided into 5 different groups: ``pick-up,'' 
``van,'' ``single-unit light,'' ``single-unit heavy,'' and ``truck 
tractors.'' Automobiles will be divided into 2 different groups: 
``station wagon'' and ``other automobiles.'' Buses will be divided into 
4 different groups: ``buses,'' ``transit buses,'' ``school buses,'' and 
``large van-type buses.'' All vehicles will be selected at random with 
equal probabilities of selection within a group. For each selected 
vehicle, a questionnaire will be mailed to the owner identified in the 
vehicle registration records. The owner will be asked to respond only 
for the vehicle identified by the registration information imprinted on 
the questionnaires, regardless of whether or not he still owns the 
vehicle.
    Mail selection procedures will distinguish the following groups of 
vehicles:

A. Light Trucks

    A sample of ``pickups'' and ``vans'' (including panel trucks, 
minivans, sport utility vehicles, and station wagons built on truck 
chassis) will be selected. We estimate that the census mail canvass for 
1997 will include

[[Page 17874]]

approximately 35,000 light trucks of the estimated over 55 million 
privately and commercially registered light trucks.

B. Medium and Heavy Trucks

    Selection procedures will assign all single-unit trucks (excluding 
those in the pickup and van strata) with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) 
of 26,000 pounds or less to the ``single-unit light'' stratum, the 
remaining single unit trucks to the ``single-unit heavy'' stratum, and 
truck tractors to the ``truck tractor'' stratum. We estimate that the 
census mail canvass for 1997 will include approximately 93,000 medium 
and heavy trucks of the estimated over 4 million privately and 
commercially registered medium and heavy trucks.

C. Automobiles

    Selection procedures will assign automobiles to either the 
``station wagon'' or ``other automobiles'' strata based on the 
vehicle's identification number (VIN). We estimate that the census mail 
canvass for 1997 will include approximately 3,100 automobiles of the 
estimated over 132 million automobiles.

D. Buses

    Selection procedures will assign all non-government buses to one of 
the following groups: ``intercity buses'' consisting of tour/charter 
buses, ``transit buses'' consisting of public transportation buses, 
``school buses'' consisting of privately-owned school buses, and 
``large van-type buses'' consisting of all remaining buses. We estimate 
that the census mail canvass for 1997 will include approximately 710 of 
the estimated over 250,000 non-government buses.

III. Data

OMB Number: Not Available.
Form Number:
    TC-9501: Light Trucks
    TC-9502: Medium and Heavy Trucks
    TC-9503: Automobiles
    TC-9504: Buses
Type of Review: Regular Review.
Affected Public: Individuals, Farms, Businesses and Other For-profit, 
Non-profit Institutions, Small Businesses or Organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
    TC-9501: (Light Trucks): 35,190
    TC-9502: (Medium and Heavy Trucks): 92,797
    TC-9503: (Automobiles): 3,100
    TC-9504: (Buses): 710
    Total Number of Respondents--131,797
Estimated Time Per Response:
    TC-9501: (Light Trucks): .5 hours
    TC-9502: (Medium and Heavy Trucks): .83 hours
    TC-9503: (Automobiles): .5 hours
    TC-9504: (Buses): .83 hours
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:
    TC-9501: (Light Trucks): 17,595
    TC-9502: (Medium and Heavy Trucks): 77,022
    TC-9503: (Automobiles): 1,550
    TC-9504: (Buses): 589
    Total Annual Burden Hours--96,756
Estimated Total Annual Cost: The cost to the government for this work 
is included in the total cost of the 1997 Economic Census, estimated to 
be $218 million.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: April 18, 1996.
Linda Engelmeier,
Acting Departmental Forms Clearance Officer Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 96-9982 Filed 4-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P