[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 26, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61877-61878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-21397]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2005-22650]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Request for Comment; 
Clearance of a New Information Collection: Commercial Driver's License 
Policies and Practices Among the 51 Jurisdictions

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public about FMCSA's intention to 
request Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for a new 
information collection concerning the Commercial Driver's License (CDL) 
policies and practices among the 50 States and the District of Columbia 
(referred to as the 51 jurisdictions). This information is needed to 
identify where problems exist within the CDL Program and how to address 
those problems through new or revised safety initiatives. This notice 
is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 27, 2005.

ADDRESSES: All comments should reference Docket No. FMCSA-2005-22650. 
You may mail or hand deliver comments to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Dockets Management Facility, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590; telefax comments to 202/493-2251; or 
submit electronically at http://dms.dot.gov.
    You may examine and copy all comments received at the above address 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. If you desire your comment to be acknowledged, you must 
include a self-addressed stamped envelope or postcard or, if you submit 
your comments electronically, you may print the acknowledgment.

[[Page 61878]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Glenda Davis, phone (202) 366-
5209; FAX (202) 366-7298; or e-mail [email protected]; Federal 
Motor Carrier Safety Administration, DOT, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590. For additional information and copies of the 
information collection instrument and instructions, contact Ms. Lorena 
F. Truett, National Transportation Research Center, 2360 Cherahala 
Boulevard, Room I-32, Knoxville, TN 37932; phone (865) 946-1306; FAX 
(865) 946-1314; or e-mail: [email protected]. Office hours are from 
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Commercial Driver's License Policies and Practices Among the 
51 Jurisdictions.
    OMB Control No: 2126-XXXX.
    Background: In 1986, the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act 
(CMVSA) (Public Law 99-570, Title XII, 100 Stat. 3207-170 (October 27, 
1986)) was passed in an effort to improve highway safety as it related 
to commercial motor vehicle drivers. The CDL program was created as a 
result of that Act. The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act (MCSIA) of 
1999 (Public Law 106-159,113 Stat. 1748 (December 9, 1999)) further 
strengthened the CDL Program through more vehicle and driver 
inspections and carrier compliance reviews, stronger enforcement, 
expedited completion of rules, and effective CDL testing, record 
keeping, and sanctions. The goal of both the CMVSA and MCSIA was to 
improve highway safety by ensuring that drivers of commercial vehicles 
were qualified to operate those vehicles and to remove unsafe and 
unqualified drivers from the highways.
    The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), within the 
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), conducts Compliance Reviews 
(CRs) of the 50 States and the District of Columbia in Washington, DC, 
to ensure that the States are complying with the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). Additional objectives of the State CRs 
include the following: identifying technical, operational, and 
administrative deficiencies in State CDL programs; establishing a 
mechanism for identifying and correcting serious program deficiencies; 
and identifying opportunities for CDL fraud.
    FMCSA conducted CRs on every State. Based on the results of the 
State CRs, some States had fewer compliance issues than others. It 
appears, however, that each State was in non-compliance to some degree 
at the time the CR was conducted in the State. It is necessary for 
FMCSA to understand why the States are in non-compliance. While there 
is anecdotal evidence that the fault may lie with the various processes 
within the States, or a failure by FMCSA to provide adequate guidance, 
or even with the Federal regulations, there has been no systematic 
effort to determine the cause of State non-compliance with the CDL 
requirements. For FMCSA to find a solution which brings the States into 
compliance with the CDL Federal regulations and increases commercial-
vehicle safety, FMCSA must obtain input from the States.
    The primary means for obtaining information from the State 
officials will be via a password-protected Web site. In the 
introduction (``welcome screen'') to the questionnaire, the respondent 
will be provided alternatives for taking the survey via a paper copy or 
over the phone with an FMCSA contractor. If the respondent indicates a 
preference for the paper copy or phone survey, arrangements will be 
made for administering the survey in the desired format. In addition, 
any respondents who prefer to be interviewed via a phone call will also 
be provided an e-mail address so they may submit additional comments if 
desired.
    Respondents: Each of the 51 jurisdictions (50 States plus the 
District of Columbia) will be contacted.
    Frequency: Once.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 1 hour per response.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 51 hours (51 jurisdictions x 1 
hour per response).

Public Comments Invited

    You are asked to comment on any aspect of this information 
collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed collection is necessary 
for the FMCSA's performance; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; 
(3) ways for the FMCSA to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity 
of the collected information; and (4) ways that the burden could be 
minimized without reducing the quality of the collected information. 
The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request 
for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; Pub. L. 99-570, Title XII, 100 Stat. 3207-
170 (October 27, 1986); Pub. L. 106-159, 113 Stat. 1748 (December 9, 
1999); and 49 CFR Sec.  1.73.

    Issued on: October 21, 2005.
Annette M. Sandberg,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05-21397 Filed 10-25-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P