[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40715-40716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15120]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA-2004-18530]


Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Collection

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration 
(FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend 
the following currently approved information collection: United We Ride 
State Coordination Grants.

DATES: Comments must be submitted before September 7, 2004.

ADDRESSES: All written comments must refer to the docket number that 
appears at the top of this document and be submitted to the United 
States Department of Transportation, Central Dockets Office, Pub. L. 
401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. All comments 
received will be available for examination at the above address from 10 
a.m. to 5 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Solomon, United We Ride 
Initiative, (202) 366-0242.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested parties are invited to send 
comments regarding any aspect of this information collection, 
including: (1) The necessity and utility of the information collection 
for the proper performance of the functions of the FTA; (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 approval of 
this information collection.
    Title: United We Ride State Coordination Grants.
    Background: The U.S. Departments of Transportation (DOT), Health 
and Human Services (HHS), Labor (DOL) and Education (DoED), have 
launched United We Ride (UWR), a five part initiative to enhance the 
coordination on human service transportation. UWR intends to break down 
the barriers between programs and set the stage for local and state 
partnerships that generate common sense solutions and deliver A-plus 
performance for those individuals who depend on transportation services 
to participate fully in community life. The UWR five initiatives 
include: (1) The Framework for Action, (2) A National Leadership Forum 
on Human Service Transportation Coordination, (3) State Leadership 
Awards, (4) State Coordination Grants, and (5) Help Along the Way.
    The Congress and the Executive Branch are interested in ensuring 
that various human service transportation activities funded by various 
federal programs are better coordinated. The General Accounting Office 
(GAO) issued a report on ``Transportation Disadvantaged Populations'' 
(June 2003) that identified 62 different federal programs across eight 
federal agencies that provide funding that may be used to support 
community transportation services. The report points out that there are 
multiple public and private agencies that provide human service 
transportation in any one community, and services vary greatly in terms 
of eligibility requirements, hours or scope of operation, specific 
destinations and quality. Given the multiplicity of programs and the 
significant dollar amounts spent, more effective

[[Page 40716]]

coordination is needed to ensure better service to more people. This is 
especially true when federal, state, and local budgets for human 
service activities are under extreme financial pressure.
    As also indicated by GAO, many objectives have been achieved; 
however, the fragmentation and lack of coordination within supporting 
agencies continue to be a challenge. On February 24, 2004, President 
Bush signed an Executive Order Number 13330 on Human Service 
Transportation Coordination establishing the Federal Interagency 
Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility and requiring attention to 
the obstacles outlined by GAO. The President's Executive Order requires 
agencies to identify and implement strategies for enhancing coordinated 
services within a one-year period. The United We Ride initiative 
includes a State Coordination Grant that provides support to help 
states address the issues outlined both by GAO and by the President in 
the Executive Order.
    FTA requested an emergency approval from OMB for the United We Ride 
State Coordination Grant Initiative in a Federal Register Notice dated 
May 21, 2004. OMB approved the request on June 22, 2004. The OMB 
Control Number is 2132-0562. FTA will publish a Federal Register Notice 
soliciting proposals for the State Coordination Grants shortly.
    Respondents: State government.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 10 hours for each of the 50 
respondents.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 500 hours.
    Frequency: Annual.

    Issued: June 29, 2004.
Rita L. Wells,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-15120 Filed 7-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P