[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 140 (Thursday, July 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42818-42819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17922]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Innovative Technology Administration


Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; 
Collection of Safety Culture Data for Program Evaluation

AGENCY: Research & Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), Bureau 
of Transportation Statistics (BTS), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) described below is being forwarded to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval for a new 
information collection related to the evaluation of a demonstration/
research program on voluntary reporting of close calls and near misses 
in the rail environment. The ICR describes the nature of the 
information collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register 
notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the 
following collection of information was published on March 12, 2010 (75 
FR 11988) and the comment period ended on May 11, 2010. The 60-day 
notice produced no comments.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by August 23, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Demetra V. Collia, E-34, Room 302, 
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Research and Innovative Technology 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20590; (202) 
366-1610; Fax (202) 366-3676; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Collection of Safety Culture Data for 
Program Evaluation.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    OMB Control Number: New.
    Affected Public: Employees in the railroad industry.
    Number of Respondents: 3,600 (to be surveyed in three years).
    Number of Responses: 3,600 (to be collected in three years).
    Average Annual Burden: 600 hours (based on average time of 30 
minutes to complete a survey and an average annual sample of 1,200 
survey responses).
    Abstract: Collecting data on the nation's transportation system is 
an important component of BTS' responsibility to the transportation 
community and is authorized in BTS statutory authority (49 U.S.C. 
111(c)(1) and (2)) and 49 U.S.C. 111(c)(5) (j). Further, BTS and the 
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) share a common interest in 
promoting rail safety based on better data. In recognition of the need 
for new approaches to improving safety, the FRA is conducting a 
research program called the Confidential Close Call Reporting System 
(C\3\RS) designed to identify safety issues and promote corrective 
actions based on voluntary reports of close calls submitted to BTS.
    While C\3\RS is being implemented with the participation of the 
FRA, railroad labor, and railroad management, there are legitimate 
questions about whether it is being implemented in the most effective 
way, and whether it will have its intended effect. Further, even if 
C\3\RS is successful, it will be necessary to know if it is successful 
enough to implement on an industry-wide scale. To address these 
important questions, the FRA has developed an evaluation model which 
includes a formative evaluation component to guide program development, 
a summative evaluation component to assess impact, and a sustainability 
evaluation component to determine how C\3\RS can continue after the 
test period is over. The evaluation model requires data derived from 
several sources including data collected through the proposed survey 
which is to be administered three times during the timeframe of the 
C\3\RS project (i.e., baseline, mid-term and end-of-project). Baseline 
survey data were collected under a separate OMB control number (2139-
0011). BTS is seeking a separate OMB approval for the collection of the 
remaining safety culture surveys because of changes to the data 
collection instruments and legal authority for this data collection. 
BTS will no longer invoke the Confidential Information and Statistical 
Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA) to protect the confidentiality of these 
data, rather the agency will conduct the survey data collection under 
its own statute (49 U.S.C. 111(i)).
    Employees of three railroad sites (pilot sites) will be asked to 
fill out a questionnaire which will be made available to them at their 
workplace and mail back to BTS. Data will be collected from the entire 
population of affected workers (estimated number of participating 
employees: 3,600 or less). The survey will ask respondents to provide 
information on: (a) Beliefs about rail safety; (b) issues and personal 
concerns related to implementation of safety programs in their work 
environment; (c) knowledge and views

[[Page 42819]]

on voluntary reporting of unsafe events; and (d) opinions and 
observations about the operation of C\3\RS at their work site. It is 
estimated that the survey will take no more than 30 minutes to complete 
for a maximum total burden of 1,800 hours (3,600 respondents*30 
minutes/60 = 1,800 hours). The survey will be administered at three 
pilot sites within three to four years resulting in an average annual 
burden of 600 hours (1,800/3).

ADDRESSES: The agency seeks public comments on its proposed information 
collection. Comments should address whether the information will have 
practical utility; the accuracy of the agency'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. Send comments to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: RITA/BTS Desk Officer.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on this 16th day of July 2010.
Steven D. Dillingham,
Director, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Research and Innovative 
Technology Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-17922 Filed 7-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-HY-P