[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 244 (Monday, December 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79418-79419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31991]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. 2015-0032]


Notice of Request for the Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration 
(FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to renew the 
following information collection:

49 U.S.C. Section 5312(a) Transit Research, Development, 
Demonstration and Training Projects
OMB Control No.: 2132-0546


[[Page 79419]]


    Background: 49 U.S.C. 5312(a) authorizes the Secretary of 
Transportation to make grants or contracts for research, development, 
demonstration and deployment projects, and for evaluation of technology 
of national significance to public transportation, that the Secretary 
determines will improve mass transportation service or help 
transportation service meet the total urban transportation needs at a 
minimum cost. In carrying out the provisions of this section, the 
Secretary is also authorized to request and receive appropriate 
information from any source. The information collected is submitted as 
part of the application for grants and cooperative agreements and is 
used to determine eligibility of applicants. Collection of this 
information also provides documentation that the applicants and 
recipients are meeting program objectives and are complying with FTA 
Circular 6100.1D and other federal requirements

DATES: Comments must be submitted before February 19, 2016.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that your comments are not entered more than once 
into the docket, submit comments identified by the docket number by 
only one of the following methods:
    1. Web site: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the U.S. Government electronic docket site. 
(Note: The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) electronic 
docket is no longer accepting electronic comments.) All electronic 
submissions must be made to the U.S. Government electronic docket site 
at www.regulations.gov. Commenters should follow the directions below 
for mailed and hand-delivered comments.
    2. Fax: 202-493-2251.
    3. Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9:00 a.m. and 
5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
    Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket number 
for this notice at the beginning of your comments. Submit two copies of 
your comments if you submit them by mail. For confirmation that FTA has 
received your comments, include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Note 
that all comments received, including any personal information, will be 
posted and will be available to Internet users, without change, to 
www.regulations.gov. You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement in the Federal Register published April 11, 2000, (65 FR 
19477), or you may visit www.regulations.gov. Docket: For access to the 
docket to read background documents and comments received, go to 
www.regulations.gov at any time. Background documents and comments 
received may also be viewed at the U.S. Department of Transportation, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9:00 a.m. 
and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jamie Pfister, Office of Research, 
Demonstration and Innovation (202) 366-5424, or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested parties are invited to send 
comments regarding any aspect of this information collection, 
including: (1) The necessity and utility of the information collection 
for the proper performance of the functions of the FTA; (2) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways to 
minimize the collection burden without reducing the quality of the 
collected information. Comments submitted in response to this notice 
will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of 
this information collection.
    In addition to 49 U.S.C. 5312, FTA intends to amend this 
information collection to include other related programs which support 
Transit Research, Technical Assistance and Standards, and Human 
Resources and Training. Once amended and issued, this information 
collection will cover: (1) Research, Development, Demonstration, and 
Deployment program(49 U.S.C. 5312), which supports applied research, 
data collection, analyses, demonstration and deployment activities and 
evaluations related to transit system; (2) Transit Cooperative Research 
Program (49 U.S.C. 5313) which provides funds to the National Academy 
of Sciences to conduct investigative research on subjects related to 
public transportation; (3) Technical Assistance and Standards 
Development (49 U.S.C. 5314) program which will allow FTA to partner 
with national non-profits and other organizations to provide technical 
assistance to communities; and (4) Human Resources and Training (49 
U.S.C. 5322) program to fund the National Transit Institute and to 
build new Ladders of Opportunity by creating new employment pathways 
into the transit industry, improving employment training, pursuing 
outreach to increase minority and female employment in the public 
transportation sector, conducting research on the skill needed to 
operate and maintain increasingly complex transit vehicle and equipment 
systems, and supporting training and assistance for minority business 
owners, as well as other topics.
    Respondents: FTA grant and cooperative agreement recipients.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 90 hours for each of the 
175 respondents.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 20,590 hours at application stage, 
post award and project management activities.
    Frequency: Every two years.

William Hyre,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. 2015-31991 Filed 12-18-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P