[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 20, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35479-35480]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-9669]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA-2006-25082]


Notice of Request for the Extension of Currently Approved 
Information Collections

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration invites public comments 
about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's 
(OMB) approval to renew the following information collections:
    (1) Bus Testing Program.
    (2) Transit Research, Development, Demonstration and Deployment 
Projects.

    The collections involve our Bus Testing and Transit Research 
Programs. The information to be collected for the Bus Testing Program 
is necessary to ensure that buses have been tested at the Bus Testing 
Center for maintainability, reliability, safety, performance, 
structural integrity, fuel economy, emissions, and noise. The 
information to be collected for Transit Research, Development, 
Demonstration and Deployment Projects is necessary to determine 
eligibility of applicants and ensure mass transportation service at a 
minimum cost. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal 
Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Comments must be submitted before August 21, 2006.

ADDRESSES: 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. All comments 
should include the docket number in this notice's heading. All comments 
may be examined and copied at the above address from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. If you desire a 
receipt, you must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope or 
postcard or, if you submit your comments electronically, you may print 
the acknowledgement page.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
--Mr. Marcel Belanger, FTA Office of Research, Demonstration and 
Innovation, (202) 366-0725, for the Bus Testing Program.
--Mr. Bruce Robinson, FTA Office of Research, Demonstration and 
Innovation, (202) 366-4209, for Transit Research, Development, 
Demonstration and Deployment Projects.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested parties are invited to send 
comments regarding any aspect of these information collections, 
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 
these information collections.
    Title: Bus Testing Program.
    OMB Control No.: 2132-0550.
    Background: 49 U.S.C. 5323(c) provides that no Federal funds 
appropriated or made available after September 30, 1989, may be 
obligated or expended for the acquisition of a new bus model (including 
any model using alternative fuels) unless the bus has been tested at 
the Bus Testing Center (Center) in Altoona, Pennsylvania. 49 U.S.C. 
5318(a) further specifies that each new bus model is to be tested for 
maintainability, reliability, safety, performance (including braking 
performance), structural integrity, fuel economy, emissions, and noise.
    The operator of the Bus Testing Center, the Pennsylvania 
Transportation Institute (PTI), has entered into a cooperative 
agreement with FTA. PTI operates and maintains the Center, and 
establishes and collects fees for the testing of the vehicles at the 
facility. Upon completion of the testing of the vehicle at the Center, 
a test report is provided to the manufacturer of the new bus model. The 
bus manufacturer certifies to an FTA grantee that the bus the grantee 
is purchasing has been tested at the Center. Also, grantees about to 
purchase a bus use this report to assist them in making their 
purchasing decisions. PTI maintains a reference file for all the test 
reports which are made available to the public.
    Respondents: Bus manufacturers.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 30 testing determinations @ 
3 hours each; 18 tests @ 3 hours each; and 520 requirements @ 0.5 hours 
each.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 404 hours.
    Frequency: On occasion.

    Title: 49 U.S.C. Section 5312(a) Transit Research, Development, 
Demonstration and Deployment Projects
    OMB Control No.: 2132-0546
    Background: 49 U.S.C. 5312(a) authorizes the Secretary of 
Transportation to make grants or contracts for research, development, 
demonstration and deployment projects, and evaluation of technology of 
national significance to public transportation, that the Secretary 
determines will improve mass transportation service or help 
transportation service meet the total urban transportation needs at a 
minimum cost. In carrying out the provisions of this section, the 
Secretary is also authorized to request and receive

[[Page 35480]]

appropriate information from any source.
    The information collected is submitted as part of the application 
for grants and cooperative agreements and is used to determine 
eligibility of applicants. Collection of this information also provides 
documentation that the applicants and recipients are meeting program 
objectives and are complying with FTA Circular 6100.1B and other 
federal requirements.
    Respondents: FTA grants recipients.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 56 hours for each of the 
200 respondents.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 11,240 hours.
    Frequency: Annual.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection is necessary for FTA's performance; (2) the accuracy of the 
estimated burden; (3) ways for FTA 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; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: June 15, 2006.
Ann Linnertz,
Acting Associate Administrator for Administration.
 [FR Doc. E6-9669 Filed 6-19-06; 8:45 am]
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