    [Federal Register Volume 85, Number 168 (Friday, August 28, 2020)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 53434-53435]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 2020-18934]

    [[Page 53434]]

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    DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

    Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

    [Docket No. FMCSA-2020-0160]

    Agency Information Collection Activities; Renewal of a Currently-
    Approved Information Collection: Licensing Applications for Motor
    Carrier Operating Authority

    AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

    ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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    SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA
    announces its plan to submit the information collection request (ICR)
    described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its
    review and approval and invites public comment. FMCSA requests approval
    to renew the ICR titled ``Licensing Applications for Motor Carrier
    Operating Authority,'' OMB Control No. 2126-0016. This ICR applies to:
    (1) Existing registrants (i.e., entities that already have a USDOT
    number and/or operating authority) that are subject to FMCSA's
    licensing, registration, and certification regulations that wish to
    apply for additional authorities; and (2) Mexico-domiciled carriers
    that wish to operate beyond the U.S. municipalities on the U.S.-Mexico
    border and their commercial zones. Existing registrants seeking
    additional authorities must use forms OP-1, OP-1(P), OP-1(FF), and OP-
    1(NNA), to apply for such authority. Mexico-domiciled carriers seeking
    the authority described above must apply for such authority using Form
    OP-1(MX).

    DATES: We must receive your comments on or before October 27, 2020.

    ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Federal Docket
    Management System (FDMS) Docket Number FMCSA-2020-0160 using any of the
    following methods:
         Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
         Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
         Mail: Docket Operations; U.S. Department of
    Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor,
    Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
         Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of
    Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor,
    Room W12-140, Washington, DC, 20590-0001 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
    e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
        Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and
    docket number. For detailed instructions on submitting comments, see
    the Public Participation heading below. 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.
        Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
    comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov, and follow the
    online instructions for accessing the dockets, or go to the street
    address listed above.
        Privacy Act: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits
    comments from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT
    posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information
    the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the
    system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at
    www.dot.gov/privacy.
        Public Participation: The Federal eRulemaking Portal is available
    24 hours each day, 365 days each year. You can obtain electronic
    submission and retrieval help and guidelines under the ``help'' section
    of the Federal eRulemaking Portal website. If you want us to notify you
    that we received your comments, please include a self-addressed,
    stamped envelope or postcard, or print the acknowledgement page that
    appears after submitting comments online. Comments received after the
    comment closing date will be included in the docket and will be
    considered to the extent practicable.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jeff Secrist, Office of
    Registration and Safety Information, Chief, East and South Division,
    Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety
    Administration, West Building 6th Floor, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
    Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: 202-385-2367; email:
    jeff.secrist@dot.gov.

    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Background

        FMCSA registers for-hire motor carriers of regulated commodities
    and of passengers, under 49 U.S.C. 13902(a); surface freight
    forwarders, under 49 U.S.C. 13903; property brokers, under 49 U.S.C.
    13904; and certain Mexico-domiciled motor carriers, under 49 U.S.C.
    13902(c). These motor carriers may conduct transportation services in
    the United States only if they are registered with FMCSA. Each
    registration is effective from the date specified and remains in effect
    for such period as the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary)
    determines by regulations.
        Prior to 2015, all entities seeking authority (both first-time
    applicants and registered entities seeking additional authorities) were
    required to apply for such authority using the OP-1 series of forms,
    including OP-1, OP-1(P), OP-1(FF), OP-1(NNA), and OP-1(MX) (for Mexico-
    domiciled carriers only).
        The Final Rule titled ``Unified Registration System,'' (78 FR
    52608) dated August 23, 2013, implemented statutory provisions for an
    online registration system for entities that are subject to FMCSA's
    licensing, registration, and certification regulations. The Unified
    Registration System (URS) streamlines the registration process and
    serves as a clearinghouse and repository of information on motor
    carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, intermodal equipment providers,
    hazardous materials safety permit applicants, and cargo tank facilities
    required to register with FMCSA. When developing URS, FMCSA planned
    that the OP-1 series of forms--except for OP-1(MX)--would ultimately be
    folded into one overarching electronic application (MCSA-1), which
    would be used by all motor carriers seeking authority.
        FMCSA began a phased rollout of URS in 2015. The first phase, which
    went into effect on December 12, 2015, impacts only first-time
    applicants seeking an FMCSA-issued registration. FMCSA had planned
    subsequent rollout phases for existing registrants; however, there have
    been substantial delays, and subsequent phases have not been rolled out
    to date.
        On January 17, 2017, FMCSA issued a Final Rule titled ``Unified
    Registration System; Suspension of Effectiveness,'' which indefinitely
    suspended URS effectiveness dates for existing registrants only (82 FR
    5292). Pursuant to this Final Rule, FMCSA is still accepting forms OP-
    1, OP-1(P), OP-1(FF), and OP-1(NNA) for existing registrants wishing to
    apply for additional authorities. Separately, FMCSA requires Form OP-
    1(MX) for new and existing Mexico-domiciled motor carriers that wish to
    operate beyond the U.S. municipalities on the U.S.-Mexico border and
    their commercial zones. Information collected through the URS system,
    utilizing the MCSA-1, does not accept registration form OP-1(MX) and
    continue to remains a paper form outside the URS.
        Forms in the OP-1 series request information to identify the
    applicant,

    [[Page 53435]]

    the nature and scope of its proposed operations, a narrative
    description of the applicant's safety policies and procedures, and
    information regarding the drivers and vehicles it plans to use in U.S.
    operations. The OP-1 series also requests information on the
    applicant's familiarity with relevant safety requirements, the
    applicant's willingness to comply with those requirements during its
    operations, and the applicant's willingness to meet any specific
    statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to its proposed
    operations. Information collected through these forms aids FMCSA in
    determining the type of operation a company may run, the cargo it may
    carry, and the resulting level of insurance coverage the applicant will
    be required to obtain and maintain to continue its operating authority.

    Changes From Previous Estimates

        The previously approved version of this ICR estimated the average
    annual burden to be 147,124 annual burden hours, with 73,538 total
    annual respondents. For this renewal the estimated average annual
    burden is 162,476, with 81,213 total average annual respondents. The
    annual burden hourly increase of 15,352 is due to the increase in
    average annual respondents. This increase is in line with a growing
    U.S. economy and U.S. population for calendar years 2017, 2018 and
    2019.
        As discussed above, FMCSA has experienced delays in rolling out
    Phase II of URS (which applies to existing registrants) and has
    indefinitely suspended the effective date of URS requirements for such
    entities. Until further notice, existing registrants must still use the
    OP-1 series of forms to apply for additional authorities. FMCSA is
    assuming that this will be the case for the 3-year period covered by
    this ICR.
        As described above, only first-time applicants seeking an FMCSA-
    issued registration must apply via URS. Under URS, all forms in the OP-
    1 series, except OP-1(MX), are folded into Form MCSA-1. Information
    collection activities associated with MCSA-1 are covered under a
    different ICR, titled ``FMCSA Registration/Updates,'' OMB Control
    Number 2126-0051.
        Title: Licensing Applications for Motor Carrier Operating
    Authority.
        OMB Control Number: 2126-0016.
        Type of Request: Renewal of a currently approved collection.
        Respondents: Carrier compliance officer or equivalent from motor
    carriers, motor passenger carriers, freight forwarders, brokers, and
    certain Mexico-domiciled motor carriers subject to FMCSA's licensing,
    registration and certification regulations.
        Estimated Number of Respondents: 81,213.
        Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours for forms OP-1, OP-1(P), and
    OP-1(FF); 4 hours for forms OP-1(MX) and OP-1(NNA).
        Expiration Date: March 31, 2021.
        Frequency of Response: Other (as needed).
        Estimated Total Annual Burden: 162,476 hours.
        Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of
    this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed
    collection is necessary for the performance of FMCSA's functions; (2)
    the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways for FMCSA to enhance the
    quality, usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4)
    ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of
    the collected information. The Agency will summarize or include your
    comments in the request for OMB's clearance of this information
    collection.

        Issued under the authority of 49 CFR 1.87.
    Kenneth Riddle,
    Acting Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Registration.
    [FR Doc. 2020-18934 Filed 8-27-20; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P