[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 68 (Monday, April 10, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21230-21231]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-07438]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

[Docket Number: RITA-2008-002]


Agency Information Collection Activity; Notice of Request for 
Public Comment and Submission to OMB for Information Collection: 
Confidential Close Call Transit Data for the Washington Metropolitan 
Area Transit Authority (WMATA)

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

ACTION: Notice to continue to collect confidential close call transit 
data.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, BTS announces the intention of 
the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) to request the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to use the approved OMB Number 2138-0044, 
and to continue to collect the following information: Confidential 
Close Call Transit Data for the Washington

[[Page 21231]]

Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA or the Authority), which 
includes but is not limited to the collection of data from Rail, Bus, 
Information Technology, and Command Center personnel. This data 
collection effort supports a multi-year program focused on improving 
the Authority in its entirety, by collecting and analyzing data and 
information on close calls and other unsafe occurrences within WMATA. 
The program is co-sponsored by WMATA and labor leadership including: 
the President/Business Agent of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 
Local 689, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Local 922 
and Office & Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 
2. The Close Call program is designed to identify safety issues and 
propose preventive actions based on voluntary reports of a close call 
submitted confidentially to BTS, an Agency within the U.S. Department 
of Transportation. This information collection is necessary for 
systematically analyzing data to identify root causes of potentially 
unsafe events. On January 23, 2023, BTS published Federal Register 
notice, allowing for a 60-day comment period on the ICR. The comment 
period closed on March 24, 2023. The agency received no comments. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow 30 days for public comment to OMB on 
this collection from all interested individuals and organizations.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by May 10, 2023.

ADDRESSES: The agency seeks public comments on its proposed information 
collection. Comments should address whether the information will have 
practical utility; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Demetra V. Collia, Bureau of 
Transportation Statistics, Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Research and Technology, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of 
Safety Data and Analysis, RTS-31, E36-302, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001; Phone No. (202) 366-1610; Fax No. (202) 366-
3383; email: [email protected]. Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 
5 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Data Confidentiality Provisions: The confidentiality of Close Call 
data is protected under the BTS confidentiality statute (49 U.S.C. 
6307) and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical 
Efficiency Act (CIPSEA) of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-435 Foundations for 
Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, Title III). In accordance with 
these confidentiality statutes, only statistical (aggregated) and non-
identifying data will be made publicly available by BTS through 
reports. BTS will not release to WMATA or any other public or private 
entity any information that might reveal the identity of individuals 
who have submitted a report.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. The Data Collection

    The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35; as 
amended) and 5 CFR part 1320 require each Federal agency to obtain OMB 
approval to continue an information collection activity. BTS is seeking 
OMB approval for the following BTS information collection activity:
    Title: Confidential Close Call Transit Data.
    OMB Control Number: 2138-0044.
    Type of Review: Continue to Collect.
    Respondents: WMATA employees.
    Number of Respondents: 150 (per annum).
    Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour.
    Frequency: Intermittent for 3 years. (Reports are submitted when 
there is a qualifying event
    Total Annual Burden: 150 hours.

Demetra V. Collia,
Office Director.
[FR Doc. 2023-07438 Filed 4-7-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-HY-P