[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 92 (Thursday, May 14, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22800-22801]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-11204]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-2009-0096]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements: Agency 
Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

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

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SUMMARY: 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 reinstatements of previously approved collections. This 
document describes one collection of information for which NHTSA 
intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 13, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Refer to the docket notice number cited at the beginning of 
this notice and send your comments by any of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M- 30, 
West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., 
Washington, DC 20590.
    Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M- 30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charlene Doyle, Contracting Officer's 
Technical Representative, Office of Regulatory Analysis and Evaluation, 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., 
SE., NVS-431, Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Doyle's phone number is 202-
366-1276 and her e-mail address is [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB 
for approval, it must 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 regulations (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 collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses. In 
compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks public comment on the 
following proposed collection of information:
    Title: Tire Pressure Monitoring System--Special Study.
    Type of Request: New information collection requirement.
    OMB Clearance Number: None.
    Form Number: This collection of information uses no standard forms.
    Required Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from the date of 
approval by OMB (i.e., estimated date of September 2012).
    Abstract: Improperly inflated tires pose a safety risk, increasing 
the chance of skidding, hydroplaning, longer stopping distances, and 
crashes due to flat tires and blowouts. Congress passed the 
Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation 
(TREAD) Act on November 1, 2000, as a direct consequence of hearings 
before the Committee on Energy and Commerce on the safety of Firestone 
tires and related matters. Section 13 of the TREAD Act directs NHTSA to 
conduct rulemaking actions to revise and update the Federal motor 
vehicle safety standards for tires, to improve labeling on tires, and 
to require a system in new motor vehicles that warns the operator when 
a tire is significantly underinflated.
    In response to Section 13 of the TREAD Act, NHTSA's National Center 
for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) conducted the Tire Pressure Special 
Study (TPSS) in February 2001. The TPSS was designed to assess to what 
extent passenger vehicle operators are aware of the recommended tire 
pressures for their vehicles, the frequency and the means they use to 
measure their tire pressure, and how significantly the actual measured 
tire pressure differed from the manufacturer's recommended tire 
pressure. The TPSS found that 26 percent of the cars and 29 percent of 
LTVs had at least one tire more than 25 percent below the pressure 
recommended by the manufacturer, as specified on the placard located on 
the inside of the driver side door.
    In an effort to decrease the number of vehicles with improperly 
inflated tires, Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) were mandated 
in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 138, so that 
drivers are warned when the pressure in one or more of the vehicle's 
tires has fallen to 25 percent or more below the placard pressure, or a 
minimum level of pressure specified in the standard, whichever pressure 
is higher. To meet FMVSS No. 138, TPMS must indicate which of the four 
tires is underinflated. As of September 1, 2007, TPMS was required on 
all new light vehicles (i.e., passenger cars, trucks, multipurpose 
passenger vehicles, and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 
10,000 pounds or less, except those

[[Page 22801]]

vehicles with dual wheels on an axle). A phase-in period began on 
October 5, 2005, requiring that 20 percent of MY 2006 light vehicles be 
equipped with TPMS. This phase-in was stepped up to 70 percent for MY 
2007, leading to 100 percent for MY 2008.
    Executive Order 12866 requires Federal agencies to evaluate their 
existing regulations and programs and measure their effectiveness in 
achieving their objectives. However, since the phase-in of TPMS, there 
has not been any evaluation of TPMS. The purpose of this survey, Tire 
Pressure Monitoring System--Special Study (TPMS-SS), is to evaluate 
whether the frequency of underinflated tires has decreased in vehicles 
with TPMS in comparison to vehicles of the same age without TPMS. In 
addition, the survey will collect data on the drivers' familiarity with 
the type of warning given by their TPMS and the action(s) that they 
have taken after the warning has been given.
    Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number, 
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information): 
To minimize the survey start-up cost and to provide a trained cadre of 
data collectors, field data collection will be conducted through the 
infrastructure of the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) 
Crashworthiness Data System (CDS). The NASS CDS consists of 24 Primary 
Sampling Units (PSUs) that are a probability sample selected from a 
sample frame of 1,195 PSUs. The sample was selected based on the number 
of fatal and injury motor vehicle crashes occurring in the PSUs.
    Within each of NASS CDS 24 PSUs, 3 eligible gas stations (i.e., gas 
stations with more than one gas island) will be selected from each of 
seven randomly eligible Zip codes (i.e., Zip codes with at least 3 gas 
stations with more than one gas island) for a total of 21 gas stations 
per PSU. The 21 selected gas stations will be assigned to one of the 21 
days of the data collection period.
    The universe under study in the National Automotive Sampling System 
(NASS) Tire Pressure Monitoring System--Special Study (TPMS-SS) 
consists of passenger vehicles equipped with tire pressure monitoring 
systems (TPMS) and a set of peer vehicles that are not equipped with 
TPMS in the continental United States for the model years 2004 and 
newer. Data to be collected shall include in-person collection of 
vehicle profile data, tire data, and driver profile data for at least 
10,000 passenger vehicles, as well as supplemental data on TPMS use for 
600 of these vehicles. For an additional 450 passenger vehicles, 
supplemental data on TPMS use will be collected from the driver via one 
of the following 3 methods: (1) Filling out a hard copy survey form; 
(2) Completing the form on-line; or (3) Being called back by the field 
researcher at a later date.
    Additionally, each respondent will receive a card on which the NASS 
Data Collectors will have recorded the Manufacturers Recommended Tire 
Pressure and the Tire Pressure the Data Collectors read for each of the 
vehicle's tires. Consequently, the respondent is receiving benefit in 
return for his/her participation.
    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden 
Resulting From the Collection of Information: NHTSA estimates that the 
average time to collect vehicle, tire, and driver data will be slightly 
over 10 minutes for each interview (or a total of 1750 hours) for the 
10,000 respondents plus an additional 10 minutes each (or a total of 
175 hours) for the 1,050 respondents who will be asked supplemental 
questions on TPMS use. Consequently, the total respondent burden hours 
is estimated to be 1,925 hours.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. Section 3506(c)(2)(A).

James F. Simons,
Director, Office of Regulatory Analysis and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. E9-11204 Filed 5-13-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P