[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 87 (Tuesday, May 6, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25984-25986]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10330]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket Number NHTSA-2014-0041]


Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements

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

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

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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 one collection of information for Part 541 
and Part 542 for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 7, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket notice numbers cited at 
the beginning of this notice and be submitted to Docket Management, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590 by any of the following methods.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    Instructions: For detailed instructions on submitting comments and 
additional information on the rulemaking process, see the Supplementary 
Information section of this document. 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.

[[Page 25985]]

    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 (65FR 19477-78) or you may visit http://Docket 
Info.dot.gov.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to the street address listed above. The internet 
access to the docket will be at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
online instructions for accessing the dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of each request for 
collection of information may be obtained at no charge from Deborah 
Mazyck, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Room W43-443, NVS-131, 
Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Mazyck's telephone number is (202) 366-4139. 
Please identify the relevant collection of information by referring to 
its OMB Control Number.

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:
    (i.) 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;
    (ii.) 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;
    (iii.) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected and;
    (iv.) 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 proposed collections of information:
    Title: Consolidated Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard 
and Procedures for Selecting Lines To Be Covered by the Theft 
Prevention Standard for 49 CFR Part 541 and 542 (OMB Clearance Number 
2127-0539).
    OMB Control Number: 2127-0539.
    Affected Public: Vehicle manufacturers.
    Form Number: The collection of this information uses no standard 
form.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from approval 
date.
    Abstract: For Parts 541 and 542.

Part 541

    The Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act was amended by 
the Anti-Car Theft Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-519). The enacted Theft Act 
requires specified parts of high-theft vehicle to be marked with 
vehicle identification numbers. In a final rule published on April 6, 
2004, the Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard was extended 
to include all passenger cars and multipurpose passenger vehicles with 
a gross vehicle weight rating of 6,000 pounds or less, and to light 
duty trucks with major parts that are interchangeable with a majority 
of the covered major parts of multipurpose passenger vehicles. Each 
major component part must be either labeled or affixed with the VIN and 
its replacement component part must be marked with the DOT symbol, the 
letter (R) and the manufacturers' logo. The final rule became effective 
September 1, 2006. Due to expansion of the Federal Motor Vehicle Theft 
Prevention Standard (Part 541), all passenger cars, and multipurpose 
passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 6,000 pounds 
or less, and light duty trucks with major parts that are 
interchangeable with a majority of the covered major parts of 
multipurpose passenger vehicles, are required to be parts marked.

Part 542

    Manufacturers of light duty trucks must identify new model 
introductions that are likely to be high-theft lines as defined in 49 
U.S.C. Sec.  33104. In 1984, Congress enacted the Motor Vehicle Theft 
Law Enforcement Act (the 1984 Theft Act). As a means to prevent the 
theft of motor vehicles for their parts, the 1984 Theft Act required 
vehicle manufacturers to mark the major parts of ``high-theft'' 
passenger cars and the major replacement parts for those cars. The Anti 
Car Theft Act of 1992 (ACTA) amended the 1984 Theft Act to extend its 
provisions to multipurpose passenger vehicles (MPVs) and light duty 
trucks (LDTs).
    The 1984 Theft Act, as amended by ACTA, requires NHTSA to 
promulgate a theft prevention standard for the designation of high-
theft vehicle lines. The specific lines are to be selected by agreement 
between the manufacturer and the agency. If there is a disagreement of 
the selection, the statute states that the agency shall select such 
lines and parts, after notice to the manufacturer and an opportunity 
for written comment. NHTSA's procedures for selecting high theft 
vehicle lines are contained in 49 CFR Part 542.
    In a final rule published on April 6, 2004, the Federal Motor 
Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard was extended to include all passenger 
cars and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight 
rating of 6,000 pounds or less, regardless of whether they were likely 
to be high or low theft, and to light duty trucks with major parts that 
are interchangeable with a majority of the covered major parts of 
multipurpose passenger vehicles. The final rule became effective 
September 1, 2006.
    As a result of this amendment, determination of high theft status 
is required only for LDTs manufactured on or after that date. There are 
seven vehicle manufacturers who produce LDTs. Generally, these 
manufacturers would not introduce more than one new LDT line in any 
year. NHTSA estimates the maximum number of responses to be two.

Estimated Total Cost Burden and Annual Burden Hour

Part 541

    To meet the Theft Prevention Standard, the agency estimates that 
the time to number and affix 14 labels to each vehicle is approximately 
2 minutes. Approximately 8 million vehicles will be covered. NHTSA 
estimates the hourly burden for labeling 8 million motor vehicles would 
be 266,666 hours (8 million cars x 2 minutes per car/60 minutes in an 
hour).
    The other option is to stamp the engine and transmission. The 
agency estimates that the time to stamp both the engine and 
transmission will take approximately 1 minute. Approximately 8 million 
vehicles will be covered; the total burden for stamping is estimated to 
total 133,333 hours (8 million cars x 1 minute per car/60 minutes in an 
hour). Please note that in this analysis each vehicle would either have 
its major parts labeled or stamped, but not both.

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NHTSA will use the highest hour number in the hour burden estimate.
    Each manufacturer of vehicles that are required to be parts-marked 
must submit reports of the target area locations for the labels or 
stamping. NHTSA estimates that the maximum number of submissions to be 
30. The average time to prepare and submit the target area submissions 
will be 20 hours for each submission at a cost of $60 per hour. The 
burden hour for submissions will be 600 hours (30 submissions x 20 
hours) with an annual estimated cost burden of $36,000.00 ($60.00 x 20 
hours x 30 submissions).
    The total burden hours equal 266,666 + 600 = 267,266. The estimated 
total cost associated with the burden hours is approximately 
$16,035,960 (267,266 x $60.00/hr).
    NHTSA assumes that most manufacturers will use the less expensive 
method of labeling the major parts on vehicles, and not stamp the VINs 
onto major parts. NHTSA estimates that the average cost to label the 14 
parts is $10.24 per vehicle, broken down into $5.33 for material and 
$4.91 for labor. At present, 8 million motor vehicles annually must 
have its major parts marked. At present, the total annual fleet costs 
are estimated at $81,920,000 for label identifiers ($10.24 x 8 million 
vehicles). NHTSA estimates the total annual cost of meeting Part 541 
will be $81,920,000 (lable) + $36,000 (target area submission) = 
$81,956,000.00 (approximately $82 million).

Part 542

    NHTSA estimates that the average hours per submittal are 45, for a 
total annual burden of 90 hours. NHTSA estimates that the cost 
associated with the burden hours is $36.00 per hour, for a total cost 
of approximately $3,234.
    NHTSA estimates the total annual cost of meeting Part 542 require 
no additional costs to the respondents.
    Therefore, NHTSA estimates the grand total cost for Part 541 and 
Part 542 will be $81,956,000.00 (approximately $82 million).
    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.

Claude H. Harris,
Acting Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2014-10330 Filed 5-5-14; 8:45 am]
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