[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 231 (Thursday, December 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74845-74846]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30912]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket Number NHTSA-2011-0164]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Request for public comment on extension of a currently approved 
collection of information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 reinstatement of previously approved collections. This 
document describes an existing collection of information for 49 CFR 
part 574, Tire Identification and Recordkeeping, for which NHTSA 
intends to seek renewed OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 30, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket number cited at the 
beginning of this notice, and may be submitted by any of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility, M-30, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building, Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. 
Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. 
Telephone: 1-800-647-2251.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the docket number for 
this document. Please identify the collection of information for which 
a comment is provided by referencing the OMB Control Number, 2127-0050. 
Note that all comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. 
Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jeffrey Woods, NHTSA, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Room W43-467, NVS-122, Washington, DC 20590. Mr. 
Woods' telephone number is (202) 366-6206.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB 
for approval, it must first 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 regulation (at 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)), an agency must ask for public comment on the following:
    (1) 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;
    (2) 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;
    (3) How to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information to be collected;
    (4) 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 
submission of responses).
    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public 
comments on the following collection of information:
    Title: Tire Identification and Recordkeeping.
    OMB Control Number: 2127-0050.
    Form Number: This collection of information uses no standard form.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection of 
information.
    Summary of the Collection of Information: 49 U.S.C. 30117(b) 
requires each tire manufacturer to collect and maintain records of the 
first purchasers of new tires. To carry out this mandate, 49 CFR part 
574, Tire Identification and Recordkeeping, requires tire dealers and 
distributors to record the names and addresses of retail purchasers of 
new tires and the identification numbers(s) of the tires sold. A 
specific form is provided to tire dealers and distributors by tire 
manufacturers for recording this information. The completed forms are 
returned to the tire manufacturers where they are retained for no less 
than five years. Part 574 requires independent tire dealers and 
distributors to provide a registration form to consumers with the tire 
identification number(s) already recorded and information identifying 
the dealer/distributor. The consumer can then record his/her name and 
address and return the form to the tire manufacturer via U.S. mail, or 
alternatively, the consumer can provide this information electronically 
on the tire manufacturer's Web site if the tire manufacturer provides 
this capability. Additionally, motor vehicle manufacturers are required 
to record the names and addresses of the first purchasers (for purposes 
other than resale), together with the identification numbers of the 
tires on the new vehicle, and retain this information for no less than 
five years.
    Description of the Need for the Information and the Use of the 
Information: The information is used by a tire manufacturer after it or 
the agency determines that some of its tires either fail to comply with 
an applicable safety standard or contain a safety related defect. With 
the information, the tire manufacturer can notify the first purchaser 
of the tire and provide them with any necessary information or 
instructions to remedy the non-compliance situation or safety defect.
    Without this information, efforts to identify the first purchaser 
of tires that have been determined to be defective or nonconforming 
pursuant to Sections 30118 and 30119 of Title 49 U.S.C. would be 
impeded. Further, the ability of the purchasers to take appropriate 
action in the interest of motor vehicle safety may be compromised.
    Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number 
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information): 
We estimate that the collection of information affects 10 million 
respondents annually. This group consists of approximately 20 tire

[[Page 74846]]

manufacturers, 59,000 new tire dealers and distributors and 10 million 
consumers who choose to register their tire purchases with tire 
manufacturers. A response is required by motor vehicle manufacturers 
upon each sale of a new vehicle and by non-independent tire dealers 
with each sale of a new tire. A consumer may elect to respond when 
purchasing a new tire from an independent tire dealer.
    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden 
Resulting from the Collection of Information: The estimated burden is 
as follows:
    New tire dealers and distributors: 59,000.
    Consumers: 10,000,000.
    Total tire registrations (manual): 54,000,000.
    Total tire registration hours (manual): 225,000.
    Recordkeeping hours (manual): 25,000.
    Total annual tire registration and recordkeeping hours: 250,000.
    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: November 23, 2011.
Christopher J. Bonanti,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2011-30912 Filed 11-30-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P