[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22503-22504]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-08148]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey

AGENCY: Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment on a 
proposed revision to the Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey, prior to the 
submission of the information collection request (ICR) to OMB for 
approval.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before June 14, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
email to [email protected]. Please reference Vehicle Inventory 
and Use Survey in the subject line of your comments. You may also 
submit comments, identified by Docket Number USBC-2022-0008, to the 
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. All comments 
received are part of the public record. No comments will be posted to 
http://www.regulations.gov for public viewing until after the comment 
period has closed. Comments will generally be posted without change. 
All Personally Identifiable Information (for example, name and address) 
voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do 
not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or 
protected information. You may submit attachments to electronic 
comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Kelly Holder, VIUS Branch Chief, (301)763-3462, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The 2021 VIUS collects data to measure the physical and operational 
characteristics of trucks from a sample of approximately 150,000 
trucks. These trucks are selected from more than 190 million private 
and commercial trucks registered with motor vehicle departments in the 
50 states and the District of Columbia. The Census Bureau is collecting 
the data for the sampled trucks from the registered truck owners.
    The VIUS is the only comprehensive source of information on the 
physical and operational characteristics of the Nation's truck 
population. The VIUS provides unique, essential information for 
government, business, and academia. The U.S. Department of 
Transportation, State Departments of Transportation, and transportation 
consultants compliment VIUS microdata as extremely useful and flexible 
to meet constantly changing requests that cannot be met with 
predetermined tabular publications. The planned microdata file will 
enable them to cross-tabulate data to meet their needs.
    Due to an oversight, the materials submitted to OMB for review in 
the original request for clearance of the VIUS did not include the 
complete legal authority for the mandatory collection of the VIUS. 
Currently our collection authority cites that title 13, United States 
Code, sections 131 and 182, authorizes the collection and sections 224 
and 225 make the collection mandatory. However, sections 224 and 225 
only apply to respondents who are part of a company, business, or 
organization. Section 221 also needs to be cited to require mandatory 
response for individual owners of personal vehicles who are included in 
the VIUS sample. Including the correct citation will allow us to make 
VIUS mandatory for individuals who own personal vehicles, as intended.
    The Census Bureau is separately pursuing clearance under the 
emergency processing provisions of the PRA so that we may implement 
this change immediately. In the interest of maintaining transparency 
with the public, this notice announces our intention to also seek 
approval for this change under the normal clearance procedures of the 
PRA.

II. Method of Collection

    The Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey uses two modes of data 
collection: Electronic instrument and paper questionnaire. All 
respondents will receive an initial letter with instructions to log 
into the electronic instrument. Respondents will be encouraged to use 
the electronic instrument method, however, a paper questionnaire will 
be sent as part of the non-response follow-up operation.
    Data are collected via two questionnaires based on truck type, one 
for light trucks (pickups, SUVs, minivans) and one for heavy trucks 
(including truck tractors). Content differs somewhat between the two 
forms.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0892.
    Form Number(s): TC-9501 (Light Trucks) and TC-9502 (Heavy Trucks).
    Type of Review: Regular submission, Revision of a Currently 
Approved Collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals and businesses.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 150,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 65 minutes per vehicle.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 162,500.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 (This is not the cost of 
respondents' time, but the indirect costs respondents may incur for 
such things as purchases of specialized software or hardware needed to 
report, or expenditures for accounting or records maintenance services 
required specifically by the collection.)
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 131 and 182 authorize 
the collection of VIUS data. Sections 221, 224 and 225 of Title 13 
U.S.C. make reporting mandatory for all respondents, including both 
individuals and businesses.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a)

[[Page 22504]]

Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is necessary for 
the proper functions of the Department, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy of 
our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed collection, 
including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) 
Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden on 
those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include, or summarize, each comment in our 
request to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, 
phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information 
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly 
available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold 
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2022-08148 Filed 4-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P