[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35300-35301]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12361]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA-2007-28563]


Notice of Request for the Revision of Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 35001 et seq.), this notice announces the intention of the 
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to request the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the revision of the currently 
approved information collection: 49 U.S.C. 5335(a) and (b) National 
Transit Database NTD). FTA would like to add the collection of rural 
transit data under the NTD to this collection, as mandated by the Safe, 
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy 
for Users (SAFETEA-LU), enacted August 10, 2005.

[[Page 35301]]


DATES: Comments must be submitted before August 27, 2007.

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. Comments may also be faxed 
to (202) 493-2251; or submitted 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: John D. Giorgis, National Transit 
Database Contracting Officer's Technical Representative, Office of 
Budget and Policy, FTA, phone: 202-366-5430, fax: 202-366-7989, or e-
mail: [email protected] or you may contact Shauna J. Coleman, Office 
of Chief Counsel, FTA, phone: 202-366-4063, fax: 202-366-3809, or e-
mail: [email protected].

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: 49 U.S.C. 5335(a) and (b) National Transit Database.
    (OMB Number: 2132-0008).
    Background: Title 49 U.S.C. 5335(a) and (b) requires the Secretary 
of Transportation to maintain a reporting system by uniform categories 
to accumulate mass transportation financial and operating information 
using a uniform system of accounts and records. Congress created the 
NTD to be the repository of transit data for the nation, on which to 
base public transportation service planning. Section 3033 of SAFETEA-LU 
amended 49 U.S.C. 5335 to require recipients of 49 U.S.C. 5311 grants 
to submit an annual report containing total annual revenue; sources of 
revenue; total annual operating costs; total annual capital costs; 
fleet size and type; and related facilities: Revenue vehicle miles and 
ridership. The addition of this requirement for recipients of 49 U.S.C. 
5311 does not affect the existing NTD data collection from urbanized 
area agencies, including the mandatory NTD reporting requirement for 
recipients of 49 U.S.C. 5307 grants (Urbanized Area Formula grants).
    FTA will not require these smaller rural agencies to submit the 
same level of detail to the NTD as a system in an urbanized area. FTA 
will only require the State Department of Transportation (DOT) to 
submit a one-page form for each rural agency in the State that is the 
recipient or beneficiary of grants under 49 U.S.C. 5311. Most State 
DOTs already produce reports for their State legislatures with this 
summary data. Additionally, FTA will require each State DOT to report 
the number of counties in the State that are served by recipients of 
grants under 49 U.S.C. 5311. For purposes of this data collection, 
Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands will report as States (by 49 U.S.C. 5307(1). The U.S. 
Virgin Islands is an urbanized area for purposes of FTA grantmaking and 
does not receive grants under 49 U.S.C. 5311. Additionally, FTA will 
require this report from federally-recognized Native American tribes 
that are direct recipients of grants under 49 U.S.C. Section 5311 and 
whose information is not included in a report of a State DOT. The 
reporting requirements for this program have been developed after years 
of consultation with State DOTs and rural transit agencies.
    On November 30, 2005, FTA published in the Federal Register (70 FR 
71950, November 30, 2005) the procedures and start dates for mandatory 
annual reporting that State DOTs must follow when submitting rural 
transit data to FTA. The rural transit data reporting procedures are 
specified in the Rural NTD Module Reporting Manual which contains 
detailed reporting instructions for this data collection. It can be 
reviewed on the NTD Web site at http://www.ntdprogram.gov. and will be 
submitted for notice and comment in a future Federal Register 
announcement. For 2006, many States have reported data to the NTD for 
approximately 1,600 rural systems under a voluntary pilot program. The 
majority of States reported all of their data without any formal 
training.
    FTA is requesting a revision of the currently approved NTD 
information collection (OMB Control Number 2132-008) to include the 
addition of rural reporting.
    Rural Respondents: State DOTs and some tribal governments.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: Approximately one hour is 
required to complete the one-page form for each of the 1,600 recipients 
of grants under 49 U.S.C. 5311. The average for each State DOT that 
files on behalf of the grant recipients is less than 31 hours each 
year.
    Estimated Total Annual Rural Burden: 1,600 hours.
    Frequency: Annual reports.
    Urban reporting is currently included in the approved NTD 
information collection.
    Urban Respondents: The respondents are primarily public transit 
authorities that are agencies of State and local governments. Reporters 
also include entities under contract to public transit agencies, such 
as, business or other for-profit institutions, non-profit institutions, 
and small business organizations.
    Estimated Annual Urban Burden on Urban Respondents: There are 660 
total potential respondents, of which 80 very small systems seek 
exemptions from filing. Annually, about 580 entities file detailed 
reports. The annual burden on each of the 580 respondents is 395 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Urban Burden: 229,100 hours.
    Frequency: Primarily annual, with monthly safety, security and 
ridership reports.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden for Rural and Urban Respondents: 
230,700 hours.

    Issued: June 20, 2007.
Ann M. Linnertz,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
 [FR Doc. E7-12361 Filed 6-26-07; 8:45 am]
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