[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 236 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71238-71240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-20936]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[DOT Docket No. NHTSA-06-26554]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection of 
information.

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SUMMARY: This notice solicits public comment on continuation of the 
requirements for the collection of information on safety standards. 
Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the 
public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit 
public comment on proposed collections of information, including 
extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections.
    This document describes a collection of information associated with 
49 CFR Part 574, Tire Identification and Recordkeeping.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 6, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket notice number cited at the 
beginning of this notice and be submitted to Docket Management, Room 
PL-401, 400 Seventh St., SW., Washington, DC 20590. It is requested, 
but not required, that 2 copies of the comment be provided. The Docket 
Section is open on weekdays from 10 am to 5 pm except for Federal 
holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of each request for 
collection of information may be obtained from Mr. George Soodoo, NVS-
122, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Mr. Soodoo's telephone number is: 
(202) 366-5274.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before a proposed collection of information is submitted to OMB for 
approval, Federal agencies msut first publish a document in the Federal 
Register providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with 
members of the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed 
collection of information. The OMB has promulgated regulations 
describing what must be included in such a document. Under OMB's 
regulation (at 5 CFR 1320.8(d)), an agency must ask for public comment 
on the following:
    (i) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (ii) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (iv) How to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological

[[Page 71239]]

collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public 
comment on the following proposed collection of information:
    Title: 49 CFR Part 574, Tire Identification and Recordkeeping.
    OMB Control Number: 2127-0050.
    Form Number: None.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from the 
approval date.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Summary of the Collection of Information: 49 U.S.C. 30117(b) 
requires each tire manufacturer to collect and maintain records of the 
names and addresses of the first purchasers of new tires. To carry out 
this mandate, 49 CFR Part 574 requires tire dealers and distributors to 
record the names and addresses of retail purchasers of new tires and 
the identification number(s) of the tires sold. A specific form is 
provided to tire dealers and distributors by tire manufacturers for 
recording this information. The completed forms are returned to the 
tire manufacturers where they are to remain for three years after the 
date received by the manufacturer. Additionally, motor vehicle 
manufacturers are required to record the names and addresses of the 
first purchasers of new motor vehicles, together with the 
identification numbers of the tires on the new vehicles.
    The Motor Vehicle Safety and Cost Savings Authorization Act of 1982 
(P.L. 97-311) prohibited NHTSA from enforcing the mandatory tire 
registration provisions in 49 CFR Part 574 against dealers and 
distributors whose business is not owned or controlled by a tire 
manufacturer (hereinafter referred to as ``independent dealers''). For 
independent dealers, Congress specified that a voluntary registration 
system would take effect as soon as this agency specified the format 
and content of the voluntary tire registration forms and standardized 
the information for all independent dealers.
    The previously specified mandatory tire registration requirements 
remain applicable to all dealers and distributors other than 
independent dealers and that the requirements for tire and vehicle 
manufacturers are unchanged.
    Description of the Need for the Information and the Proposed Use of 
the Information: The information is used by a tire manufacturer, when 
it determines that some of its tires either fail to comply with an 
applicable safety standard or contain a safety related defect. With the 
information, the tire manufacturer can notify the first purchaser of 
the tire and provide the purchaser with any necessary information or 
instructions.
    Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number 
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information): 
It is estimated that this collection of information affects 10 million 
respondents annually. This group consists of approximately 8 tire 
manufacturers, 12,000 new tire dealers and distributors, and 10 million 
consumers who choose to register their tire purchasers with the tire 
manufacturers. A response is required by motor vehicle manufacturers 
upon each sale of a new vehicle and by non-independent tire dealers 
with each sale of a new tire. A consumer may elect to respond when 
purchasing a new tire from an independent dealer.
    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden 
Resulting from the Collection of Information: The estimated burden is 
as follows:

New tire dealers and distributors......  12,000.
Consumers..............................  10,000,000.
Total tire registrations (manually)....  54,000,000.
Total registration hours (manual)......  225,000 hours.
Recordkeeping hours (manual)...........  25,000 hours.
Total annual tire registration and       250,000 hours.
 recordkeeping hours.
 

    In addition, before this collection of information is approved, OMB 
has asked NHTSA to respond to the following questions:
    1. Solicit public comment on how NHTSA can cost-effectively reduce 
the collection of information burden and enhance the practical utility 
of this information collection.
    2. Estimate the percentage of individual purchasers of replacement 
tires for which contact information is maintained that is adequate to 
contact them, for two recent years of tire purchases. For comparison, 
similarly estimate the percentage of new vehicles for which there is 
adequate contact information maintained for tire recalls, for two 
recent years of vehicle purchases.
    3. Provide each NHTSA evaluation of the success of procedures for 
keeping records on first purchasers of tires, under 49 U.S.C. 
30117(b)(3), including ``the extent to which distributors and dealers 
have encouraged first purchasers of tires to register the tires'' and a 
``detailed statement of the decision and an explanation of the reasons 
for the decision.'' Also, estimate the extent to which such mandated 
recordkeeping is or is not cost-effective.
    4. Respond to the following: Does 49 CFR 574.7 specify a form to be 
used? Why is a form set in a final rule? If that form is actually 
required or offered, provide it to OMB. It should include a currently 
valid control number and the consequences of failure to provide a valid 
number. Include any such form in the notices--which should specify 
collecting information for tire recalls-- and solicit comment on: (a) 
Whether that is an efficient and effective way to collect the 
information needed for recalls; (b) whether electronic or telephonic 
collection of information would be more efficient; and (c) generally, 
what form(s) of information collection would most efficiently and 
effectively encourage tire sellers and purchasers to provide recall 
information.
    5. Determine whether or not, under 49 U.S.C. 3017(b) or otherwise, 
the DOT Secretary has the authority by rule or otherwise to allow 
electronic (e.g., via the Internet) or telephonic collection--in lieu 
of paper-based collection--of the information pertinent to that 
provision. In the opinion of DOT/NHTSA can such information collection 
procedures change without a change in this rule? Please explain why or 
why not. If new rulemaking is needed, shouldn't that occur to better 
achieve the goals of both the authorizing statute and the PRA?
    6. Clarify whether, under the statute and regulation, this 
collection of information is voluntary or mandatory for the tire dealer 
and similarly, for the tire purchaser.
    7. Refer to the letter of July 18, 2003 from the NHTSA Chief 
Counsel to Ann Wilson of the Rubber Manufacturers Association. Kindly 
explain why telephone or electronic registration may be a supplement to 
the required mail-in form, but not in lieu of it Since burden is 
properly estimated by the actual time taken, not by whether any 
approach is voluntary or not, wouldn't registration that only 
supplements a paper form lead to additional burdens? At the same time

[[Page 71240]]

couldn't an alternative--not a supplementary--approach reduce total 
burden and be more effective?
    8. Verify whether or not the statute and rule require the contact/
registration information be kept for at least five years, not three 
years.
    Comments on these issues raised by OMB are solicited. NHTSA will 
take these comments into consideration in its submission to OMB asking 
for an extension of OMB Clearance No. 2127-0050.

    Authority:  44 U.S.C.3506(c); delegation of authority at 49 CFR 
1.50.

    Issued on: December 5, 2006.
H. Keith Brewer,
Director, Crash Avoidance Standards.
[FR Doc. E6-20936 Filed 12-7-06; 8:45 am]
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