[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 167 (Monday, August 31, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44899-44900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20982]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. 2009-0042]


Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration invites public comment 
about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's 
(OMB) approval to reinstate the following information collections:
    (1) Bus Testing Program.
    (2) Transit Research, Development, Demonstration and Deployment 
Projects.
    The information 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. The Federal Register 
with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments was published on June 
1, 2009.

DATES: Comments must be submitted before September 30, 2009. A comment 
to OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of 
publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sylvia L. Marion, Office of

[[Page 44900]]

Administration, Office of Management Planning, (202) 366-6680.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Bus Testing Program.
    Abstract: 49 U.S.C. 5323(c) provides that no federal funds that are 
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 Thomas D. Larson 
Pennsylvania Transportation Institute (LTI), has entered into a 
cooperative agreement with FTA. LTI operates and maintains the Center, 
and establishes and collects fees for the testing of the vehicles at 
the facility. A test report is given to the manufacturer of the new bus 
model after the vehicle has been tested at the Center. The bus 
manufacturer certifies to an FTA grantee that the bus the grantee is 
purchasing has been tested at the Center. Also, grantees who are 
considering the purchase of a bus use this report to assist them in 
making their purchasing decisions. LTI maintains a reference file for 
all the test reports which are made available to the public.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 404 hours.
    Title: 49 U.S.C. 5312(a) Transit Research, Development, 
Demonstration and Deployment Projects.
    Abstract: 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 appropriate 
information from any source. As an example, FTA's United We Ride 
Program is funded under the Transit Research Program. Research for the 
United We Ride Program is being conducted to gather information on how 
the objectives of Executive Order 13330 on Human Services 
Transportation Coordination are being achieved.
    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.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 11,240 hours.
ADDRESSES: All written comments must refer to the docket number that 
appears at the top of this document and be submitted to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FTA Desk 
Officer.
    Comments Are Invited On: Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

    Issued on: August 26, 2009.
Ann M. Linnertz,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-20982 Filed 8-28-09; 8:45 am]
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