[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 108 (Friday, June 6, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24190-24192]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-10310]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA-2024-0313]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Revision of a New
Information Collection Request: National Consumer Complaint Database
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department
of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 review
and approval. This revision is for the National Consumer Complaint
Database (NCCDB), which is an online interface allowing consumers,
drivers, and others to file complaints against unsafe and unscrupulous
companies and/or their employees, including shippers, receivers, and
transportation intermediaries, depending on the type of complaint.
These complaints cover a wide range of issues, including but not
limited to driver harassment, coercion, movement of household goods,
financial responsibility instruments for brokers and freight
forwarders, Americans with Disability Act compliance, electronic
logging devices, entry-level driver training, Medical Review Officers,
and Substance Abuse Professionals (SAPs). FMCSA requests approval to
revise the ICR titled ``National Consumer Complaint Database.'' Four
comments were received in response to the 60-day Federal Register
notice.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before July 7,
2025.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be submitted 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: Eduardo Suarez, Commercial Enforcement
Division, DOT, FMCSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-
0001; (760) 693-6646; [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[[Page 24191]]
Title: National Consumer Complaint Database.
OMB Control Number: 2126-0067.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved ICR.
Respondents: Consumers, Drivers, and Other Participants in the
Motor Carrier Industry.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 64,545.
Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.
Expiration Date: June 30, 2025.
Frequency of Response: On occasion.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 16,137. The annual burden was
calculated using the complaint volume for each of the 12 categories of
complaint types.
Background
FMCSA maintains online information and resources to assist
consumers, drivers, and others associated with the motor carrier
industry with understanding their consumer protection rights and, if
necessary, with filing a complaint with the Agency. When effectively
applied, this information can contribute to safer motor carrier
operations on our nation's highways and improved consumer protection.
NCCDB complaint data also provides FMCSA with statistical information
regarding motor carriers, in particular the household goods moving
industry. NCCDB data is used to alert consumers of those motor carriers
with a history of complaints related to transporting household goods
and helps FMCSA provide guidance to the public on how to avoid being
victimized by unscrupulous moving companies. The data also allows FMCSA
to identify problematic motor carriers for enforcement actions and
promote compliance. Motor carriers can use NCCDB data to assist with
complaint reconciliation.
Since 2016, the NCCDB system has been the central repository for
motor carrier complaints received by FMCSA; however, responding to
consumer complaints has a long-standing Agency regulatory history.
Congress first mandated a Safety Violation Hotline Service in section
4017 of the ``Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century,'' (Pub. L.
105-178, 112 Stat. 107 (June 9, 1998)). Congress required DOT to
establish, maintain, and promote the use of a nationwide toll-free
telephone system to be used by drivers of commercial motor vehicles and
others to report potential violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Regulations.
The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 (Pub. L. 106-159,
113 Stat. 1748 (Dec. 9, 1999)) created FMCSA and expanded the Safety
Violation Hotline Service to include a 24-hour operation and accept
consumer complaints on violations of the commercial regulations
previously administered by the Interstate Commerce Commission (i.e.,
household goods and hostage load complaints).
The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 109-59, 119 Stat.
1144 (Aug. 10, 2005)) required FMCSA to create a system, database, and
procedures for filing and logging consumer complaints relating to
household goods motor carriers for the purpose of compiling or linking
complaint information gathered by FMCSA and the States with regard to
such carriers. SAFETEA-LU also required FMCSA to create procedures to
allow the public to have access, subject to 5 U.S.C. 552(a), to
aggregated complaint information and a process for carriers to
challenge duplicate or fraudulent information in the database.
Complaints are also accepted through the NCCDB in connection with
other statutory mandates including the protection of drivers against
harassment and coercion under sections 32301(b) and 32911,
respectively, of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act
(Pub. L. 112-141, 126 Stat. 405 (July 6, 2012)).
FMCSA is in the process of modernizing its NCCDB complaint program
and system as well as expanding the program alongside process
recommendations submitted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office
(GAO) in September 2023. These recommendations are being implemented to
expand and enhance FMCSA's ability to centralize the collection,
monitoring, and response to consumer complaints about Agency programs,
to establish reasonable procedures to provide timely responses to
consumers regarding their complaints, and to share complaint
information with the public as well as Federal and State agencies, as
necessary and applicable.
On January 3, 2025, FMCSA published a notice in the Federal
Register (90 FR 382) announcing its intention to submit this ICR to OMB
for renewal. The comment period closed on March 4, 2025, and four
comments were received by that date.
One comment was received from the American Trucking Associations
(ATA) and its Moving and Storage Conference (MSC), expressing strong
support for modernizing the NCCDB. The commenters emphasized the
NCCDB's role in consumer protection and fraud detection, endorsed GAO's
2023 recommendations, and called for improvements such as clearer
branding, enhanced staffing, and data analytics to detect repeat
offenders.
FMCSA reviewed the comment submitted by ATA and MSC and finds the
recommendations and considerations listed above are not directly
applicable to requesting OMB review and approval of this ICR. However,
FMCSA will consider these comments as it takes advantage of the new,
enhanced technology and system design, adds fraud prevention and
security measures, simplifies a complex application process, and
improves data quality and safety.
One comment was received from the Transportation Intermediaries
Association (TIA), urging FMCSA to modernize the NCCDB in light of
rising freight fraud, including identity theft and double brokering.
TIA supported GAO's recommendations and proposed improvements such as
automated complaint tracking, expanded reporting categories, and public
access to complaint outcomes.
FMCSA reviewed the comment submitted by TIA and finds the
suggestions are not applicable to the specific burden and information
collection elements under review by OMB. However, FMCSA recognizes the
importance of addressing freight fraud and will take these comments
into account during broader system development and enforcement
improvement efforts.
One comment was received jointly from the Truck Safety Coalition
(TSC), Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH), and Parents
Against Tired Truckers (PATT), emphasizing the need for the NCCDB to
better support safety enforcement. They cited increased truck crash
fatalities and recommended more transparency, timely complaint
handling, and integration of safety complaints into FMCSA oversight
activities.
FMCSA reviewed the comment submitted by TSC, CRASH, and PATT. While
the concerns raised are not directly applicable to the current ICR,
FMCSA will consider these recommendations as it modernizes the NCCDB to
enhance public trust, accountability, and carrier oversight.
One comment was received from the Small Business in Transportation
Coalition (SBTC), criticizing FMCSA for failing to follow through on
its 2013 commitment to accept complaints against unauthorized brokerage
activity through the NCCDB. SBTC noted that FMCSA had pledged to gather
such complaints, collaborate with industry,
[[Page 24192]]
and implement an enforcement program--none of which have materialized
over the past decade. SBTC urged current leadership to address this
oversight and implement long-promised protections.
FMCSA reviewed the comment submitted by SBTC and finds that the
concerns raised are not applicable to the current request for OMB
review and approval of this ICR. However, FMCSA acknowledges the issue
of unregistered brokerage activity and will consider the comment as it
evaluates broader enforcement priorities and potential enhancements to
complaint intake and tracking functions.
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.
Kenneth Riddle,
Acting Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Registration.
[FR Doc. 2025-10310 Filed 6-5-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P