[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 8, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17828-17830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06735]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2026-0694]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for
Comment; 49 CFR Part 575.104; Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standard
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice and request for comments on request for reinstatement
with modification of a previously approved information collection.
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SUMMARY: NHTSA invites public comments about its intention to request
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reinstate
with modification a previously-approved information collection. Before
a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it
must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal
agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of
information, including reinstatements of previously approved
collections. This document describes an information collection for
which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval for a reinstatement, with
modification, of the Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards (UTQGS)
requirements under 49 CFR 575.104. The modification clarifies that
approximately 45 manufacturers serve as respondents,
[[Page 17829]]
submitting materials on behalf of approximately 160 brand names. It
also accounts for the burden associated with compiling and submitting
materials to NHTSA under 49 CFR 575.6(d)(2). These modifications result
in a decrease in the total estimated burden hours.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 8, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by the Docket No. NHTSA-
2026-0694 through any of the following methods:
Electronic submissions: Go to the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions
for submitting comments.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management, U.S. Department
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W58,
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except on Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you,
please call (202) 366-9826 before coming.
Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and
docket number for this notice. 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.
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the street
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the
dockets via internet.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access
to background documents, contact Mr. Walter Lysenko at (202) 366-1810
or [email protected]. Address: National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Please identify the relevant
collection of information by referring to its OMB Control Number.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), before an agency submits a proposed
collection of information to OMB for approval, it must first publish a
document in the Federal Register providing a 60-day comment period and
otherwise consult with members of the public and affected agencies
concerning each proposed collection of information. The OMB has
promulgated regulations describing what must be included in such a
document. Under OMB's regulation (at 5 CFR 1320.8(d)), an agency must
ask for public comment on the following: (a) whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the agency, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of
the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) how to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (d) how to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses. In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA
asks for public comments on the following proposed collection of
information for which the agency is seeking approval from OMB.
Title: 49 CFR part 575.104; Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standard
(UTQGS).
OMB Control Number: 2127-0519.
Form Number(s): N/A.
Type of Request: Request for reinstatement with modification of a
previously approved information collection.
Type of Review Requested: Regular.
Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from date of
approval.
Summary of Information Collection: Under 49 U.S.C. 30123(b) and 49
CFR 575.104, tire manufacturers and tire brand name owners are required
to grade passenger car tire lines for treadwear, traction, and
temperature resistance and to provide this information to consumers and
to NHTSA. Respondents must:
1. Grade tires for treadwear, traction, and temperature resistance;
2. Mold the assigned grades into the tire sidewall;
3. Affix a paper tread label to new replacement tires that includes
the grades and an explanation of the grading system;
4. Provide prospective purchasers, at each point of sale, access to
grading information for each tire offered for sale;
5. Ensure that vehicle manufacturers include the applicable grade
information in the owner's manual for vehicles equipped with graded
tires; and
6. Submit grading information to NHTSA for public compilation and
dissemination.
NHTSA compiles grading information for all manufacturers' tire
lines and makes the information available to the public, including
through publication on NHTSA's website. The information collection
ensures that consumers can readily compare tire quality across brands
and tire lines and supports NHTSA's program administration and
enforcement activities.
Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use: This
collection supports the Department's strategic goal of Customer Service
by ensuring that consumers receive clear, comparable information about
tire performance. Mandatory requirements such as sidewall labeling,
tread labels, brochures, and periodic reporting are essential for
ensuring that consumers have access to the information needed to make
well-informed tire purchase decisions. NHTSA uses the submitted
information to maintain public databases, ensure accuracy of consumer
disclosures, and perform compliance and enforcement activities.
Affected Public: Passenger car tire manufacturers and brand name
owners offering passenger car tires for sale in the United States.
Estimated Number of Respondents: Approximately 160 tire brand names
are subject to UTQGS requirements. However, due to industry
consolidation, manufacturers typically submit required information on
behalf of multiple brand names. NHTSA estimates that approximately 45
tire manufacturers serve as the actual respondents submitting
information annually.
Frequency: Intermittently.
Sidewall Molding and Paper Labeling: Continuous/ongoing.
Brochure Preparation/Updating: Annual.
Reporting to NHTSA: Annual, with electronic submissions accepted.
Estimated Number of Responses: 45.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 69,888 hours per year.
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Burden activity Annual hours
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Affixing paper tread labels to tires.................... 52,778
Engraving tire molds (sidewall grading)................. 10,000
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Preparing or updating brochures......................... 6,750
Compiling & Submitting information to NHTSA............. 360
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Total............................................... 69,888
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: Approximately $35.1 million per
year. NHTSA estimates total annual non-labor respondent costs of
approximately $35.1 million, primarily attributable to testing,
printing of paper tread labels, and printing of consumer information
brochures. The largest portion of the cost burden imposed by the UTQGS
program arises from the testing necessary to determine the grades that
should be assigned to the tires. The cost burden is broken into its
components as follows.
Annual Non-Labor Cost Components
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Cost component Annual cost
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Treadwear testing....................................... $2,520,000
Traction testing........................................ 157,500
Temperature testing..................................... 778,610
Printing paper tread labels............................. 28,500,000
Printing brochures...................................... 3,163,500
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Total............................................... 35,120,000
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Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspects of
this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the Department, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Department's estimate
of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) 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.
(Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter
35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29A.)
Jane Doherty,
Acting Associate Administrator, Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2026-06735 Filed 4-7-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P