[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 166 (Wednesday, August 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52657-52659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18683]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2020-0027-N-17]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

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

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its 
implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below. Before submitting this ICR 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is 
soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities 
identified below.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
October 26, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
ICR to either: Ms. Qiana Swayne, Information Collection Clearance 
Officer, at [email protected] or (202) 493-0414. 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.

[[Page 52658]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 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 to allow comment on information 
collection activities before seeking OMB approval of the activities. 
See 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. Specifically, 
FRA invites interested parties to comment on the following ICR 
regarding: (1) Whether the information collection activities are 
necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether 
the activities will have practical utility; (2) 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; (3) ways for FRA to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (4) ways 
for FRA to minimize the burden of information collection activities on 
the public, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5 
CFR 1320.8(d)(1).
    FRA believes that soliciting public comment may reduce the 
administrative and paperwork burdens associated with the collection of 
information that Federal regulations mandate. In summary, FRA reasons 
that comments received will advance three objectives: (1) Reduce 
reporting burdens; (2) organize information collection requirements in 
a ``user-friendly'' format to improve the use of such information; and 
(3) accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce 
information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
    The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB 
clearance as the PRA requires:
    Title: Workforce Development Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0621.
    Abstract: FRA has statutory responsibility to ensure the safety of 
railroad operations under 49 U.S.C. 20103. To conduct safe railroad 
operations, the workforce must have the requisite knowledge and skills 
to operate equipment and utilize technologies. FRA therefore seeks to 
promote workforce development policy and standards to ensure the 
workforce has the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct safe 
railroad operations. Due to an increasingly dynamic and maturing 
workforce, combined with continual changes in knowledge and skills 
required to use new technologies, there is an increasing risk of not 
having the necessary talent pools to fill critical railroad operational 
positions.
    Since 2011, FRA has routinely performed a comprehensive overview of 
the railroad industry workforce. The Railroad Industry Modal Profile 
was a response to the DOT National Transportation Workforce Development 
Initiative that required each DOT Operating Administration to produce 
an analysis of its industry workforce. The most recent published update 
in April 2016, Railroad Industry Modal Profile: An Outline of the 
Railroad Industry Workforce Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities, 
highlighted numerous workforce challenges including age, diversity, 
knowledge management and succession planning, work-life balance, 
recruitment, and the impact of evolving technology.
    The prevailing workforce concerns during the early stages of the 
DOT National Transportation Workforce Development Initiative were the 
large number of retirement-eligible employees in transportation-related 
fields and the national shortage of science, technology, engineering, 
and math graduates. Because the railroad industry had done very little 
hiring in the late 1980s and throughout most of the 1990s, the 
retirement-eligible population became quite large, even beyond that of 
most other industries and transportation modes (each of which was also 
grappling with similar retirement population concerns).
    These workforce challenges persist. Although the industry has 
recognized the need to focus on recruitment and retention strategies, 
it continues to face risks in maintaining a viable workforce and 
building a pipeline of diverse talent. To take effective and efficient 
action to minimize these risks, FRA requires reliable information on 
current workforce development challenges, strategies, and outcomes. 
Initial data collected for the Railroad Industry Modal Profile 
established a baseline understanding of the risks and status. However, 
to confirm and further develop the understanding of the risks, 
potential solutions, and best practices that have been implemented by 
railroad stakeholders, this revised survey is proposed. With this 
submission, FRA is requesting permission to gather the needed 
information about the railroad industry workforce.
    Type of Request: Revision to a currently approved information 
collection.
    Affected Public: Class I freight and passenger railroads, short 
line and regional railroads, labor unions, major associations, 
academia, and specialty experts.
    Form(s): FRA F 240.
    Respondent Universe: 847.
    Frequency of Submission: One-time.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                                   Average time                    Total annual
      Workforce development         Respondent     Total annual    (minutes) per   Total annual     dollar cost
          professionals              universe        responses       response      burden hours     equivalent
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Passenger Railroads.............              35              12           25.00            5.00         $204.95
Class 1 Freight Railroads.......               7              50           25.00           20.83          853.96
Short Line & Regional Railroads.             752             125           25.00           52.08        2,134.90
Labor Unions (with specific                   15               7           25.00            2.92          119.55
 focus on workforce membership
 and railroad programs).........
Associations (with specific                   20              10           25.00            4.17          170.79
 focus on railroad workforce
 membership and the rail
 industry)......................
Academia (Learning institutions               18               9           25.00            3.75          153.71
 with dedicated curriculum and
 training programs for railroad
 industry)......................
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    Total.......................             847             213          150.00           88.75        3,637.86
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    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 213.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 88.75 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$3,637.86.
    Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b) and 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

[[Page 52659]]

displays a currently valid OMB control number.

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

Brett A. Jortland,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020-18683 Filed 8-25-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P