[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 50 (Thursday, March 14, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16357-16358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-05835]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA 2013-0002-N-5]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) 
abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of 
the information collection and their expected burden. The Federal 
Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the 
following collection of information was published on December 31, 2012.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 15, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of Safety, 
Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 17, Washington, DC 
20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6292), or Ms. Kimberly Toone, Office of 
Information Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 
New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: 
(202) 493-6132). (These telephone numbers are not toll-free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Public Law 104-13, Section 2, 109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified as revised 
at 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 
1320, require Federal agencies to issue two notices seeking public 
comment on information collection activities before OMB may approve 
paperwork packages. 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5, 1320.8(d)(1), 
1320.12. On December 31, 2012, FRA published a 60-day notice in the 
Federal Register soliciting comment on the ICR for which the agency was 
seeking OMB approval. 77 FR 77181. FRA received no comments in response 
to this notice.
    Before OMB decides whether to approve a proposed collection of 
information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. 44 U.S.C. 
3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.12(d). Federal law requires OMB to approve or 
disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 60 days after the 30 day 
notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507 (b)-(c); 5 CFR 1320.12(d); see also 
60 FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB believes that the 30 day notice 
informs the regulated community to file relevant comments and affords 
the agency adequate time to digest public comments before it renders a 
decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. Therefore, respondents should 
submit their respective comments to OMB within 30 days of publication 
to best ensure having their full effect. 5 CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60 
FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995.
    The summary below describes the nature of the information 
collection request (ICR) and the expected burden, and is being 
submitted for clearance by OMB as required by the PRA.
    Title: Electronic Device Distraction (EDD) Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-NEW.
    Type of Request: Regular approval of a new collection of 
information.
    Affected Public: Railroad Employees.
    Abstract: Operating railroad equipment while being distracted by 
the use of electronic devices (e.g., phones, game consoles, personal 
computers, etc.) is known to be a factor in some accidents and 
suspected of being the cause of many others in the railroad industry. 
It is also known that such use is dangerous, as evidenced by several 
high profile accidents in the railroad industry, and by research on 
distraction in other transportation modes. Consequently, the Department 
of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 
have a keen interest in devising counter measures to reduce the 
incidence of electronic device distraction (EDD) in the railroad 
industry. In order to devise effective countermeasures, FRA believes a 
survey of select rail employees would be extremely beneficial. 
Therefore, FRA proposes to sample railroad employees spread across the 
jobs of conductors, engineers, signalmen, maintenance of way, car 
repair personnel, machinists, and supervisors. The agency's interest is 
shared by rail labor and management representatives, who are strongly 
supporting this survey and cooperating in its administration. All 
involved realize that effective counter measures to EDD must be based 
on a trustworthy understanding of the following: (1) Who is engaged in 
EDD, (2) under what circumstances they use these devices, (3) which 
devices are used, (4) reasons for use, and (5) frequency of use for 
each kind of device. Effective interventions cannot be designed, 
implemented, or evaluated without accurate information on these topics. 
The proposed survey is designed to provide this information, first as a 
baseline, and, in four

[[Page 16358]]

subsequent years, as a way of tracking and evaluating change. For 
reasons of effectiveness and efficiency, the survey will be conducted 
primarily via the Web, augmented as needed with email communications.
    Form Number(s): FRA F 6180.158
    Annual Estimated Burden Hours: 1,245 hours.
    Addressee: Send comments regarding this information collection to 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget, 725 Seventeenth Street, NW., Washington, DC, 20503, 
Attention: FRA Desk Officer. Comments may also be sent electronically 
via email to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) at 
the following address: [email protected]
    Comments are invited on the following: 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.
    A comment to OMB is best assured of having its full effect if OMB 
receives it within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

    Issued in Washington, DC on March 8, 2013 .
Michael Logue,
Associate Administrator for Administration, Federal Railroad 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-05835 Filed 3-13-13; 8:45 am]
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