[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 75 (Tuesday, April 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23079-23080]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08998]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Docket No. DOT-OST-2016-0007]


Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology 
(OST-R) Notice of Request for Clearance of a Revision of a Currently 
Approved Information Collection: National Census of Ferry Operators

AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), DOT.

ACTION: Notice

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the 
intention of the BTS to request the Office of Management and Budget's 
(OMB's) approval for an information collection related to the nation's 
ferry operations. The information collected will be used to produce a 
descriptive database of existing ferry operations. A summary report of 
survey findings will also be published by BTS on the BTS Web page.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 19, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janine L. McFadden, (202) 366-2468, 
NCFO Project Manager, BTS, OST-R, Department of Transportation, 1200 
New Jersey Ave. SE., Room E34-411, Washington, DC 20590. Office hours 
are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO)

[[Page 23080]]

    Type of Request: Approval modifications to an existing information 
collection.
    Affected Public: There are approximately 260 ferry operators 
nationwide.
    Abstract: The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-
21) (Pub. L. 105-178), section 1207(c), directed the Secretary of 
Transportation to conduct a study of ferry transportation in the United 
States and its possessions. In 2000, the Federal Highway Administration 
(FHWA) Office of Intermodal and Statewide Planning conducted a survey 
of approximately 260 ferry operators to identify: (1) Existing ferry 
operations including the location and routes served; (2) source and 
amount, if any, of funds derived from Federal, State, or local 
governments supporting ferry construction or operations; (3) potential 
domestic ferry routes in the United States and its possessions; and (4) 
potential for use of high speed ferry services and alternative-fueled 
ferry services. The Safe, Accountable, Flexible Efficient 
Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) Pub. L. 109-
59, Section 1801(e)) required that the Secretary, acting through the 
BTS, shall establish and maintain a national ferry database containing 
current information regarding routes, vessels, passengers and vehicles 
carried, funding sources and such other information as the Secretary 
considers useful. MAP-21 legislation [Moving Ahead for Progress in the 
21st Century Act (Pub. L. 112-141),] continued the BTS mandate to 
conduct the NCFO and also required that the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA) use the NCFO data to set the specific formula for 
allocating federal ferry funds. The funding allocations were based on a 
percentage of the number of passenger boardings, vehicle boardings, and 
route miles served.
    BTS conducted the first Census of Ferry Operators in 2006. The 
Census was conducted again in 2008, 2010, 2014, and is scheduled for 
the spring 2016. These information collections were originally approved 
by OMB under Control Number 2139-0009. The recently enacted FAST Act 
legislation [Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (Pub. L. 114-
94, sec. 1112)] continues the BTS mandate to conduct the NCFO on a 
biennial basis, and extended the requirement that the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA) use the NCFO data to set the specific formula for 
allocating federal ferry funds based on a percentage of the number of 
passenger boardings, vehicle boardings, and route miles served. The 
overall length of the revised questionnaire for the 2018 NCFO will 
remain consistent with that of previous years.
    The survey will be administered to the entire population of ferry 
operators (estimate 260 or less). The survey will request the 
respondents to provide information such as: the points served; the type 
of ownership; the number of passengers and vehicles carried in the past 
12 months; vessel descriptions (including type of fuel), federal, state 
and local funding sources, and intermodal connectivity. All data 
collected in 2018 will be added to the existing NCFO database.
    Data Confidentiality Provisions: The National Census of Ferry 
Operators may collect confidential business information. The 
confidentiality of these data will be protected under 49 CFR 7.29. In 
accordance with this regulation, only statistical and non-sensitive 
business information will be made available through publications and 
public use data files. The statistical public use data are intended to 
provide an aggregated source of information on ferry boat operations 
nationwide. Business sensitive information may be shared with FHWA to 
support FAST Act funding allocations.
    Frequency: This survey will be updated every other year.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: The burden per respondent is 
estimated to be an average of 30 minutes. This average is based on an 
estimate of 20 minutes to answer new questions and an additional 10 
minutes to review.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: The total annual burden (in the year 
that the survey is conducted) is estimated to be just under 130 hours 
(that is 30 minutes per respondent for 260 respondents equals 7,800 
minutes).
    Response to Comments: A 60 day notice requesting public comment was 
issued in the Federal Register on February 3, 2016. No comments were 
received.
    Public Comments Invited: Interested parties are invited to send 
comments regarding any aspect of this information collection, 
including, but not limited to: (1) The necessity and utility of the 
information collection for the proper performance of the functions of 
the DOT; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, clarity and content of the collected information; 
and (4) ways to minimize the collection burden without reducing the 
quality of the collected information. Send comments to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725-17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: BTS Desk Officer.

    Issued in Washington, DC on this 12th day of April, 2016.
Patricia Hu, Director,
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of the Assistant Secretary 
for Research and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2016-08998 Filed 4-18-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P