Notice2023-00852
Agency Information Collection Activity; Notice To Continue To Collect: Confidential Close Call Transit Data for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 18, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentTransportation Statistics Bureau
Abstract
In accordance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice 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 continue to collect the following information: Confidential Close Call Transit Data for the Washington 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2997-2999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00852]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
[Docket Number RITA-2008-0002]
Agency Information Collection Activity; Notice To Continue To
Collect: 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), U.S.
Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Notice to continue to collect confidential close call transit
data.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A)
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the
intention of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics
[[Page 2998]]
(BTS) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to use the
approved OMB Number 2138-0044, and continue to collect the following
information: Confidential Close Call Transit Data for the Washington
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.
DATES: Written comments should be submitted by March 20, 2023.
ADDRESSES: To ensure that your comments are not entered more than once
into the docket, submit comments by only one of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> and follow the instructions for sending your
comments electronically. Docket Number: DOT-OST-2017-0043.
<bullet> Mail: Docket Services, U.S. Department of Transportation,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
<bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to mail address above between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
<bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Identify all transmissions with ``Docket Number RITA-2008-0002'' at
the beginning of each page of the document.
Instructions: All comments must include the agency name and docket
number for this notice. Paper comments should be submitted in
duplicate. The Docket Management Facility is open for examination and
copying, at the above address from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays. If you wish to receive confirmation of
receipt of your written comments, please include a self-addressed,
stamped postcard with the following statement: ``Comments on Docket
Number RITA-2008-0002.'' The Docket Clerk will date stamp the postcard
prior to returning it to you via the U.S. mail. Please note that all
comments received, including any personal information, will be posted
and will be publicly viewable, without change, at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>.
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 review
the Privacy Act Statement at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>.
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: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#99fdfcf4fcedebf8b7faf6f5f5f0f8d9fdf6edb7fef6ef"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="64000109011016054a070b08080d0524000b104a030b12">[email protected]</span></a>. Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to
5 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Data Confidentiality Provisions: Under this data collection, the
confidentiality of the information submitted to BTS 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 its 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 initiate an information collection activity. BTS is seeking
OMB approval to continue 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 Potential Responses:150 (per annum).
Estimated Time per Response: 60 minutes.
Frequency: Intermittent for 3 years. Reports are submitted when
there is a qualifying event.
Total Annual Burden: 150 hours.
Abstract: Collecting safety data on the nation's transportation
system is an important component of BTS's mission and responsibility to
the transportation community and is authorized in BTS statute (49
U.S.C. 6302). BTS and WMATA share a common interest in promoting safety
based on accurate information. To that end, WMATA and the Amalgamated
Transit Union (ATU) Local 689, the International Brotherhood of
Teamsters (IBT) Local 922 and Office & Professional Employees
International Union (OPEIU) Local 2 have supported the Confidential
Close Call Program at WMATA as a means of fostering an environment of
ongoing advancements in their safety culture.
A close call is a situation or circumstance that had the potential
for safety consequences, but did not result in an adverse safety event.
Knowledge of a close call presents an opportunity to address unsafe
work conditions and encourage a culture of safety in the workplace. It
is estimated that the time to complete a close call report and
participate in a brief confidential interview will be no than 60
minutes for a maximum total burden of 150 hours (150 reports*60
minutes/60 = 150 hours). Reports are submitted when there is a
qualifying event, i.e., when a close call occurs within any office of
the Authority.
II. Background
WMATA deployed the Close Call program in April 2013, and in May
2016 the program expanded to include bus employees. The Confidential
Close Call Program is a Cooperative Agreement between BTS, WMATA
management, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689, the
International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Local 922 and Office &
Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 2. This
program provides a confidential platform to facilitate the voluntary
reporting of close call events without fear of discipline. Collecting
data on the nation's transportation system is an important component of
BTS' mission and responsibility to the transportation community as
stated in its authorizing statute (49 U.S.C. 6302). BTS and WMATA/ATU,
IBT Local 922 and OPEIU Local 2, share a common interest in promoting
rail transit and bus safety using timely, accurate, and relevant data.
WMATA/ATU, IBT Local
[[Page 2999]]
922 and OPEIU Local 2, is sponsoring the Confidential Close Call
Program for Transit Rail and Bus System to improve transit rail and bus
safety by studying the effectiveness of its own systems through the
data and information collected from reported close call events.
Any situation or circumstance that has the potential for safety
consequences, but did not result in an adverse safety event is defined
as a close call. Knowledge about a close call presents an opportunity
to address unsafe work conditions and practices, prevent accidents,
contribute to policy making decisions and improve overall safety in the
workplace.
BTS collects close call reports submitted by WMATA employees,
conducts employee interviews, develop and maintain an analytical
database containing reported data and other pertinent information,
provides statistical analysis to WMATA, and protects the
confidentiality of these data through its own statute (49 U.S.C. 6302)
and CIPSEA. Only statistical and non-sensitive information will be made
available through publications and reports.
Voluntary reporting of close calls to a confidential system
provides a tool to identify and correct weaknesses within WMATA and
prevents accidents. Close Call reporting fosters a voluntary,
cooperative, non-punitive environment to communicate safety concerns
for the greater good. Through the analysis of the data that is
reported, WMATA receives information about factors that contribute to
unsafe events, which becomes the catalyst to develop new training
programs and identify root causes of adverse events. The database also
provides researchers with valuable information regarding precursors to
safety risks and contributes to research and development of
intervention programs aimed at averting accidents and fatalities.
Employees involved in reporting a close call incident are asked to
fill out a report and participate in a brief, confidential interview.
Employees submit the report electronically to BTS. Participants will be
asked to provide information such as: (1) name and contact information;
(2) time and location of the event; (3) a short description of the
event; (4) contributing factors to the close call; and (5) any other
information that might be useful in determining a root cause for such
events.
III. Request for Public Comment
BTS requests comments on any aspects of this information collection
request, including: (1) the accuracy of the estimated burden of 150
hours detailed in section I; (2) ways to enhance the quality,
usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (3) ways to
minimize the collection burden without reducing the quality of the
information collected, including additional use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Demetra V. Collia,
Director, Office of Safety Data and Analysis, Bureau of Transportation
Statistics (BTS), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and
Technology, U.S. Department of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2023-00852 Filed 1-17-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-HY-P
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