[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 20, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56976-56978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24181]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. OST-96-1436]


Docket Management System (DMS)

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Notice requesting comments.

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

SUMMARY: The Office of the Secretary (OST) is requesting the public to 
comment on the DOT Docket Management System (DMS). Five years ago, DOT 
consolidated nine separate docket facilities and converted from a 
paper-based system to an electronic storage system that we later placed 
on the Internet. We have continued to make improvements and would like 
public comment on the current system and our plans for future changes.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by November 20, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Mail or hand deliver comments to the US Department of 
Transportation, Docket Management Facility, Docket No. OST-96-1436, 
Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590, or submit 
electronically at http://dmses.dot.gov/submit/. The Docket Management 
Facility, Room PL-401, is open for public inspection and copying of 
comments from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, except Federal 
Holidays. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional information on 
comment acknowledgment and electronic submission.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Dorothy Y. Beard, Chief, Docket 
Operations and Media Management, SVC-124, (202) 366-5149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    This notice is intended to inform the public about, and to solicit 
public comment on, the features and functions of the DMS. Five years 
ago, DOT consolidated nine separate docket facilities and converted 
from a paper-based system to an optical ``imaging'' system, which keeps 
a picture of the document, for more efficient storage, management, and 
retrieval of docketed information. The new system now provides the 
public with 24-hour access and electronic filing of comments through 
the world-wide web. DOT would like to take this opportunity to obtain 
additional suggestions and feedback on the DMS.

Comment Acknowledgement

    Any person wishing acknowledgement of comment receipt should 
include a self-addressed stamped postcard, or print the acknowledgement 
page after submitting comments electronically.

Electronic Access and Filing

    You may submit comments online through the DMS at http://dmses.dot.gov/submit/. Acceptable formats include: MS Word (Versions 
95-97), MS Word for Mac (Versions 6-8), Rich Text File (RTF), American 
Standard Code Information Interchange (ASCII)(TXT), Portable Document 
Format (PDF), and Word Perfect (WPD) (Versions 7-8). Electronic 
Submission Help and Guidelines are available under the Help section of 
the web site.

[[Page 56977]]

Consolidated Feedback

    The next several paragraphs include consolidated feedback from our 
on-line feedback forms, previously solicited comments, telephone 
callers, and frequent customers. Each subject area includes a 
description and a solution with the anticipated completion time.
    DMS Search Function: http://dms.dot.gov/search/.
    Description: This area received the greatest amount of feedback. 
The issues raised by commenters concerned the difficulty of locating 
desired information when searching in the various options provided, 
determining which docket number to use, and determining which fields to 
complete to conduct searches. The search area is comprised of three 
options: (a) Docket Search Form, (b) Docket Number, and (c) Keyword 
Search. The Docket Search Form is an advanced search option and allows 
users to search for information in numerous docket and document level 
data fields. (``Docket'' refers to the file containing all of the 
documents for a particular rulemaking; and ``Document'' refers to the 
individual items in the docket, such as a proposed rule or a public 
comment on the proposed rule.) The Docket Number search is a quick 
search for users who know the last four digits of the DMS assigned 
docket number. The Keyword Search is a search that simultaneously 
searches the data in the Docket Subject, Docket Title, and Document 
Title fields for key words.
    Solution: Completed improvements include search tips, examples, and 
user-friendly built in help mechanisms. DOT plans to add additional 
online help, user-friendly drop down menus, date range search 
capabilities, and more informative search tips with examples to make 
the search features easier to use. These are planned for implementation 
by the end of December 2000.
    Document Images:
    Description: The DMS displays two images for each document 
processed. The first image type, Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), is a 
true picture copy of the original document submitted to DOT. The second 
image type, Portable Document Format (PDF), is a manually converted 
image using Adobe Capture software to create a smaller text document. 
Some documents processed prior to 1997 included incomplete TIFF images. 
The documents displayed a bad link or corrupt file message when 
displayed in TIFF or PDF formats.
    Solution: Completed adjustments to the DMS Web applications 
eliminated the file access problems. The implementation of a new file 
integrity check added to the quality assurance application and 
procedures and eliminates any incomplete or missing images. New 
documents received electronically are immediately processed into PDF to 
provide easier access and hard copy documents are typically processed 
into PDF within one day.
    Image Integrity:
    Description: The PDF conversion performs an Optical Character 
Recognition (OCR) process. In cases where the application cannot 
recognize the text, an image of the text is substituted for the 
characters which causes subtle variations in the look of the document 
(i.e., font changes, character bolding, character replacement, etc.). 
In order to maintain document integrity, DMS provides links to both the 
``original'' document in TIFF or one of the Electronic Submission 
formats. The PDF copy is for convenience and faster downloading.
    Solution: Future enhancement plans include an explanation of the 
PDF issues to provide additional guidance for the Dockets users and 
explain the technical limitations of the PDF files. A disclaimer, 
telling users to treat the TIFF image as the official record, warns 
users of PDF limitations. The PDF Image and Text format will be used to 
provide a text layer for future full text search capabilities and 
provide a document identical to the original TIFF image. Implementation 
of more informative explanations of the PDF file technical limitations 
and improved online help is planned for availability by the end of 
December 2000.
    TIFF Image Byte Size Not Displayed:
    Description: The DMS displays the file size (byte size) for both 
the TIFF and PDF files to assist users in determining download times. 
On many of the older images the TIFF file size appears as ** and the 
number of bytes is missing.
    Solution: Completed updates to the database now include the byte 
size of all TIFF images. This provides the user with both the number of 
pages in the document, and the size of the file.
    Viewers and Browser ``Plug Ins'':
    Description: Since TIFF is not an image format automatically 
available with popular internet browsers, installation of a ``plug-in'' 
is needed to allow image viewing. The Help section of the DMS includes 
instructions for ``plug-in'' installation and provides links to 
vendors, but users continue to have problems configuring the image 
viewers in their browsers. In some instances, networks restrict access 
to ``configured'' web sites, blocking access to the DMS.
    Solution: Implementation is complete for extensive descriptions and 
online help for configuring browsers for the various viewer 
configurations. A specific help section (Frequently Asked Questions) is 
currently available for configuring the Wang Imaging and Kodak viewers 
that come with Windows 95 (Win95) and Windows NT for popular browsers. 
Completed improvements to the user interface provide a user-friendly 
environment to assist in finding the help and FAQ technical support 
information. Enhancements include instructions for configuring Win95, 
NT, and additionally to provide links to newer commercial products. 
Where networks restrict access to ``configured'' web sites, we will 
continue to work with the network support staff from each organization 
experiencing the problem to pinpoint the communications failures.
    Printing Multiple Documents:
    Description: Many users want to review all comments or an entire 
docket on paper rather than browsing through the web site. The current 
application requires each individual document to be viewed and printed 
one at a time, which is very time consuming for large dockets. Printing 
of the large images is time intensive and sometimes causes severe 
performance problems.
    Solution: A new online Docket printing request form is planned to 
allow Web users to request DOT staff print all of the documents within 
a docket. The form will provide the user with the cost for the 
printing/mailing services and track payment by check. The Dockets 
printing request form is planned for completion in December 2000.
    Reports: http://dms.dot.gov/reports/.
    Description: The DMS Web site is configured to only display 
documents that have a corresponding document image saved into the 
system. The Daily Filing Report, which lists items filed each day, 
displays all document records regardless of the availability of the 
images. Users become frustrated when they see a document on The Daily 
Filing Report, but can not view the document on the DMS web site, 
because it is being processed and has not been saved on the system.
    Solution: A modification is planned which will enable users to view 
document data in the data fields of the document record while the image 
is pending processing. A message display will indicate that document 
image processing is pending when the image is not available. 
Implementation is planned for completion by December 2000.

[[Page 56978]]

    Online Support and Feedback:

http://152.119.239.10/feedback/
http://152.119.239.10/support/

    Description: Although there are pull down menus, most users use 
``other'' to describe any problems in the support system. Users 
frequently submit comments via this area instead of in the required 
Electronic Submission section. Additionally, users call the 800-number 
rather than submit feedback or support requests online.
    Solution: More descriptive categories exist in both the feedback 
and support systems to adequately describe the problem types. Callers 
utilizing the 800-number service receive notification of the online 
capability. We completed changes to the Online Support and Feedback 
functions in February 2000.
    We are soliciting any thoughts or ideas regarding the information 
provided within this notice. We welcome DMS enhancement suggestions, 
other potential service areas of interest, and user feedback regarding 
the need for a DMS training course.

    Issued in Washington, DC on September 14, 2000.
Neil R. Eisner,
Assistant General Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 00-24181 Filed 9-19-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P