[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38219-38220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-09893]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2023-0179]


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

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department 
of Transportation (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) requesting 
a renewal of an approved information collection for review and 
approval. This ICR applies to: 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 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: Comments on this notice must be received on or before June 6, 
2024.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jeffrey Secrist, Office of 
Registration, Chief, Registration Division, DOT, FMCSA, West Building 
6th Floor, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; (202) 385-
2367; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: No comments were received from the 60-day 
Federal Register publication on December 14, 2023 at 88 FR 86722.
    Title: Licensing Applications for Motor Carrier Operating 
Authority.
    OMB Control Number: 2126-0016.
    Type of Request: Renewal of a currently approved ICR.
    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: 159,312.
    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: May 31, 2024.
    Frequency of Response: Other (as needed).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 318,656.

[[Page 38220]]

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, impacted only first-time 
applicants seeking an FMCSA-issued registration. FMCSA had planned 
subsequent rollout phases for existing registrants; however, there were 
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 effective 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 URS, utilizing 
the MCSA-1, does not include registration form OP-1(MX), which 
continues to remain a paper form outside URS.
    Forms in the OP-1 series request information to identify the 
applicant, 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.
    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.

    Issued under the authority of 49 CFR 1.87.
Thomas P. Keane,
Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Registration.
[FR Doc. 2024-09893 Filed 5-6-24; 8:45 am]
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