[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 121 (Monday, June 24, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37882-37883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14948]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board


Information Collection Activities; End-of-Year Railroad Service 
Outlook

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT.

ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments.

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

SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
3501-3519 (PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) gives 
notice of its intent to seek from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) approval of the information collection resulting from the Board's 
annual request that Class I carriers and other rail carriers that are 
members of the American Shortline and Regional Railroad Association 
(ASLRRA) provide the Board with information about the plans and 
preparations that these rail carriers have made in anticipation of the 
increased demand for rail service during the fall peak demand season.
    Comments are requested concerning: (1) The accuracy of the Board's 
burden estimates; (2) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information collected; (3) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on the respondents, including the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology when appropriate; and (4) whether the collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Board, including whether the collection has practical utility. 
Submitted comments will be summarized and included in the Board's 
request for OMB approval.

Description of Collection

    Title: End-of-Year Railroad Service Outlook.
    OMB Control Number: 2140-XXXX.
    STB Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Existing collection in use without an OMB control 
number.
    Respondents: The Class I rail carriers and carriers that are 
members of ASLRRA.
    Number of Respondents: An average of 11 carriers respond to this 
request to voluntarily provide this information.
    Frequency: Once per year.
    Total Burden Hours (annually including all respondents): We 
estimate a total of 333 hours for all responding carriers (30.3 hours 
per response x 11 respondents).
    Total ``Non-hour Burden'' Cost: Because respondents email their 
response letters to the Board, there are no non-hour costs to 
respondents.
    Needs and Uses: The shipping community and our economy as a whole 
depend on reliable and efficient freight rail service. The Board and 
rail shippers need to understand how carriers plan to meet the 
increased demand for rail service during the fall peak demand season, 
including capital plans for relieving bottlenecks. For several years, 
the STB has asked Class I railroads, along with the American Short Line 
and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) member railroads, to provide 
a forward-looking assessment of their ability to meet end-of-year 
business demands for rail service, which typically increase during the 
fall shipping season. The Board uses this information to monitor 
efforts by the country's rail carriers to meet the increased fall peak 
demand for rail service. The Congressional Budget Office has praised 
the Board's efforts in monitoring the fall peak seasonal demand for 
rail service and has said that it ``may have prompted the railroads to 
enhance their efforts to meet demand.''

DATES: Comments on this information collection should be submitted by 
August 23, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Marilyn Levitt, Surface 
Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001, or 
to [email protected]. When submitting comments, please refer to 
``End-of-Year Railroad Service Outlook.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marilyn Levitt at (202) 245-0269 or at 
[email protected]. [Assistance for the hearing impaired is available 
through the Federal Information Relay Service

[[Page 37883]]

(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.] This collection, as well as instructions for 
the collection, are available on the Board's Web site at <http://www.stb.dot.gov/PeakLetters1.nsf/2012?OpenPage.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA, a Federal agency conducting 
or sponsoring a collection of information must display a currently 
valid OMB control number. A collection of information, which is defined 
in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c), includes agency requirements 
or requests that persons submit reports, keep records, or provide 
information to the agency, third parties, or the public. Under Sec.  
3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, Federal agencies are required to provide, 
prior to an agency's submitting a collection to OMB for approval, a 60-
day notice and comment period through publication in the Federal 
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including 
each proposed extension of an existing collection of information.

    Dated: June 18, 2013.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2013-14948 Filed 6-21-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P