[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 55 (Friday, March 21, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15795-15797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06159]



[[Page 15795]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2014-0011-N-6]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its 
implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 
hereby announces that it is seeking renewal of the following currently 
approved information collection activities. Before submitting the 
information collection request (ICR) below for clearance by the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on 
specific aspects of the activities identified below.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than May 20, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on any or all of the following 
proposed activities by mail to either: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of 
Safety, Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 
20590, or Ms. Kimberly Toone, Office of Information Technology, RAD-20, 
Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 
35, Washington, DC 20590. Commenters requesting FRA to acknowledge 
receipt of their respective comments must include a self-addressed 
stamped postcard stating, ``Comments on OMB control number 2130-0005.'' 
Alternatively, comments may be transmitted via facsimile to (202) 493-
6216 or (202) 493-6479, or via email to Mr. Brogan at 
[email protected], or to Ms. Toone at [email protected]. 
Please refer to the assigned OMB control number in any correspondence 
submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in response to this 
notice in a subsequent notice and include them in its information 
collection submission to OMB for approval.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of 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, sec. 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 provide 60-days notice to the public 
for comment on information collection activities before seeking 
approval for reinstatement or renewal by OMB. 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 
5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), 1320.10(e)(1), 1320.12(a). Specifically, FRA 
invites interested respondents to comment on the following summary of 
proposed information collection activities regarding (i) whether the 
information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly 
execute its functions, including whether the activities will have 
practical utility; (ii) the accuracy of FRA's estimates of the burden 
of the information collection activities, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used to determine the estimates; (iii) ways 
for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
being collected; and (iv) ways for FRA to minimize the burden of 
information collection activities on the public by automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology (e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses). See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)(i)-(iv); 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)(1)(i)-(iv). FRA believes that soliciting public comment will 
promote its efforts to reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens 
associated with the collection of information mandated by Federal 
regulations. In summary, FRA reasons that comments received will 
advance three objectives: (i) Reduce reporting burdens; (ii) ensure 
that it organizes information collection requirements in a ``user 
friendly'' format to improve the use of such information; and (iii) 
accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce 
information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
    Below is a brief summary of currently approved information 
collection activities that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as 
required under the PRA:
    Title: Hours of Service Regulations.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0005.
    Abstract: FRA amended its hours of service recordkeeping 
regulations, to add substantive hours of service regulations, including 
maximum on-duty periods, minimum off-duty periods, and other 
limitations, for train employees (e.g., locomotive engineers and 
conductors) providing commuter and intercity rail passenger 
transportation on August 12, 2011. See 76 FR 50359. The new substantive 
regulations require that railroads employing such train employees 
analyze and mitigate the risks for fatigue in the schedules worked by 
these train employees, and that the railroads submit to FRA for its 
approval the relevant schedules and fatigue mitigation plans. This 
final rule also made corresponding changes to FRA's hours of service 
recordkeeping regulation to require railroads to keep hours of service 
records and report excess service to FRA in an manner consistent with 
the new substantive requirements. This regulation was authorized by the 
Rail Safety Improvement Act (RSIA) of 2008. The information collected 
under this rule is used by FRA and its inspectors to ensure compliance 
with the Hours of Service Laws and the requirements of this regulation. 
In particular, the new information collected as a result of new Subpart 
F is used by FRA to verify that the employees of covered commuter and 
intercity passenger railroads do not exceed maximum on-duty periods, 
abide by minimum off-duty periods, and adhere to other limitations set 
forth in this regulation to enhance rail safety and reduce the risk of 
accidents/incidents caused by train employee fatigue, as well as those 
accident/incidents where fatigue of train employees served as a 
contributory factor.
    Form Number(s): FRA F 6180.3.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: 768 railroads/signal contractors.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion/monthly.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                          Total annual       Average time per      Total annual
          CFR section             Respondent universe       responses            response          burden  hours
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228.11--Hours of Duty Records..  768 railroads/signal   27,429,750        1 min./.5 min./10            2,856,125
                                  contractors.           records.          minutes.
228.17--Dispatcher's Records of  150 Dispatch Offices.  200,750 records.  3 hours...............         602,250
 Train Movements.
228.19--Monthly Reports of       300 railroads........  2,670 reports...  2 hours...............           5,340
 Excess Service.
228.103--Construction of         50 railroads.........  1 petition......  16 hours..............              16
 Employee Sleeping Quarters--
 Petitions to Allow
 Construction near Work Area.
228.203--Program Components--    9 railroads..........  5 modifications.  120 hours.............             600
 Electronic Recordkeeping--
 Modification for Daylight
 Savings Time.
--System Security/Individual     9 railroads..........  1 program with    720 hours.............             720
 User I.D./ Program Logic                                system security
 Capabilities/Search                                     etc..
 Capabilities.
228.205--Access to Electronic    768 railroads/signal   100 electronic    30 minutes............              50
 Records--System Access           contractors.           records access
 Procedures for Inspectors.                              procedures.
228.207--Training in Use of      768 railroads/signal   47,000 trained    1 hour................          47,000
 Electronic System--Initial       contractors.           employees.
 Training.
--Refresher Training...........  768 railroads/signal   2200 trained      1 hour................           2,200
                                  contractors.           employees.
49 U.S.C. 21102(b)--The Federal  10 railroads.........  2 petition......  10 hours..............              20
 Hours of Service Laws--
 Petitions for Exemption from
 Laws.
228.403--Exemption Requests      280 railroads........  5 exemption       8 hours...............              40
 from Passenger/Commuter                                 requests.
 Railroads.
--Initial Exemption Requests     140 railroads........  10 exemption      2 hours...............              20
 from Tourist/Excursion                                  requests.
 Railroads.
--Renewal Exemption Requests     140 railroads........  5 exemption       30 minutes............               3
 from Tourist/Excursion                                  requests.
 Railroads.
228.407--Analysis of Work        168 railroads........  28 analyses.....  8 hours...............           2,240
 Schedules Submissions.
--Reports to FRA of Work         168 railroads........  20 reports......  2 hours...............              40
 Schedules that Violate Fatigue
 Threshold.
--Fatigue Mitigation Plans       168 railroads........  15 plans........  4 hours...............              60
 Submitted to FRA.
--Submission of Work Schedules   168 railroads........  15 submissions..  4 hours...............              60
 Using Validation Model
 Violating Threshold that can
 Be Mitigated by Tools.
--Submission of Work Schedules   168 railroads........  5 submissions...  4 hours...............              20
 Using Validation Model
 Violating Threshold that
 cannot Be Mitigated by Tools.
--Railroad Determination of      168 railroads........  20 decisions....  2 hours...............              40
 Necessary Schedules.
--Railroad Declaration that No   168 railroads........  148 written       1 hour................             148
 Work Schedule Needs to Be                               declarations.
 Submitted to FRA for Violating
 Fatigue Threshold.
--Corrected Work Schedules/Etc.  168 railroads........  2 documents.....  2 hours...............               4
--Submission of Follow-Up        168 railroads........  28 analyses.....  4 hours...............             112
 Analysis by Railroad Due to
 Work Schedule Change.
--Corrected Work Schedules/Etc.  168 railroads........  2 documents.....  2 hours...............               4
--Updated Fatigue Mitigation     168 railroads........  28 plans........  4 hours...............             112
 Plans.
--Railroad Consultation with     168 railroads........  20 consults.....  4 hours...............              80
 Employees.
--Filed Statements with FRA by   Railroad Employees/    5 statements....  2 hours...............              10
 Employees and Employee           Employee
 Organizations Unable to Reach    Organizations.
 Consensus with Railroad on
 Work Schedules or Mitigation
 Tools.
228.411--Training Programs.....  168 railroads........  29 programs.....  20 hours..............             580
--Employee Initial Training....  168 railroads........  10,200 trained    1 hour................          10,200
                                                         employees.
--New Employees Initial          168 railroads........  150 trained       1 hour................             150
 Training.                                               employees.
--Records of Training..........  168 railroads........  10,350 records..  5 minutes.............             863
--Written Declaration by         140 railroads........  100 written       1 hour................             100
 Tourist Railroads for                                   declarations.
 Exclusion from This Section's
 Requirements.
--Appendix D: Guidance on        168 railroads........  4 plans.........  15 hours..............              60
 Fatigue Management Plan.
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    Estimated Annual Burden: 3,529,267 hours.
    Status: Extension of a Currently Approved Collection:
    Pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b), 
1320.8(b)(3)(vi), FRA informs all interested parties that it may not 
conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.


[[Page 15797]]


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

Rebecca Pennington,
Chief Financial Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-06159 Filed 3-20-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P