[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 62 (Monday, April 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15753-15754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5741]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2007-27209]


Notice of Request for Comments on New Information Collection: 
Survey of Medical Examiners Who Certify the Physical Qualifications of 
Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers

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

ACTION: Notice; request for information.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA 
announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) 
described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and approval. The ICR describes a proposed collection activity and its 
expected cost and burden. The Federal Register notice allowing for a 
60-day comment period on the ICR was published on June 19, 2006 (71 FR 
35324). Four comments were received in response to the notice. Two 
individuals supported the proposed information collection and two 
commented on matters outside of the scope of the proposed information 
collection. These comments are addressed in the ICR that will be 
submitted to OMB.

DATES: Please send your comments by May 2, 2007. OMB must receive your 
comments by this date in order to act quickly on the ICR.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 Seventeenth 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: DOT/FMCSA Desk Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Mary D. Gunnels, Office of Bus and 
Truck Standards and Operations, Physical Qualifications Division, 
Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. 
Telephone: 202-366-4001, e-mail [email protected]. Office 
hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Survey of Medical Examiners Who Certify the Physical 
Qualifications of Commercial Motor Rehicle Drivers.
    OMB Control Number: 2126-xxxx.
    Type of Request: New information collection.

[[Page 15754]]

    Respondents: Medical examiners: Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs), 
Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs), Doctors of Osteopathy (DOs), Medical 
Doctors (MDs), and Physician Assistants (PAs) who are currently 
performing FMCSA physical examinations of CMV drivers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,300 respondents [4,000 
respondents for the survey + 300 respondents (150 medical examiners + 
150 drivers per on-site observation) = 4,300 respondents].
    Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes to complete the survey and 
5 minutes each for the medical examiner and driver to complete the 
observation consent forms.
    Expiration Date: N/A. This is a new information collection.
    Frequency of Response: This is a one-time survey.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2,025 hours. The estimated annual 
burden is 2,000 hours for the completion of the survey based on the 
following requirement for statistical significance: 800 responses from 
each of at least five of the medical examiner professional categories; 
[4,000 respondents per survey x 30 minutes/60 minutes per respondent = 
2,000 hours]. Observation consent forms--The estimated annual burden is 
25 hours for the completion of the observation consent forms based on 
the following requirement for statistical significance: [300 
respondents (150 medical examiners + 150 drivers) x 5 minutes/60 
minutes per on-site observation = 25 hours]. The estimated total annual 
burden is 2,025 hours [2,000 hours for completion of the survey + 25 
hours for completion of the observation consent forms = 2,025 hours].

Background

    FMCSA estimates that there are approximately four to five million 
active interstate drivers subject to FMCSA's medical standards. 
Interstate CMV drivers are required to have a medical examination every 
two years at a minimum or more frequently at the discretion of the 
medical examiner. A medical certificate is typically valid for two 
years after the date of examination, so it is estimated that a minimum 
of two to three million medical examinations are conducted each year. 
In the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity 
Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 109-59, 119 Stat. 1144; 
August 10, 2005) Congress supports comprehensive improvements in the 
FMCSA medical program, including improving the quality of the 
interstate CMV driver physical qualification examination. There has 
been no research to date that captures the decisionmaking and 
performance of medical examiners who determine the physical 
qualifications of CMV drivers operating throughout the United States. 
In addition, there has been no systematic consideration of medical 
examiner perceptions of difficulties or uncertainties associated with 
the examination process.
    A Working Integrated Product Team (WIPT) of medical examiner peers 
experienced in conducting CMV driver physical qualification 
examinations will review the methodology and materials for the study, 
and data gained from 150 direct observations of physical examinations 
of CMV drivers. Results of the Medical Examiner Performance Study would 
ultimately be used to develop recommendations for improving the overall 
physical qualification process and achieve FMCSA's goals of reducing 
crash rates, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses.
    This initiative is separate from the earlier National Registry of 
Certified Medical Examiner survey announced on September 29, 2005 (70 
FR 56964), the primary intent of which is to identify those tasks most 
critical to competent job performance via a role delineation study.
    Public Comments Invited: We particularly request comments on: The 
necessity of the collection of information for FMCSA to meet its goal 
of reducing truck and bus crashes and its usefulness to this goal; the 
accuracy of the estimate of the burden of the information collection; 
ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information 
collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents, including using automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.

    Issued on: March 20, 2007.
Rose A. McMurray,
Chief Safety Officer, Assistant Administrator.
[FR Doc. E7-5741 Filed 3-30-07; 8:45 am]
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