Notice2024-03478
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
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
February 21, 2024
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 35 (Wednesday, February 21, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 21, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13141-13143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03478]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2024-0008]
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment
Request
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its
implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information
Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is
soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities
identified in the ICR.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
April 22, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR
should be submitted on <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> to the docket, Docket No. FRA-
2024-0008. All comments received will be posted without change to the
docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer to
the assigned OMB control number (2130-0632) in any correspondence
submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in a subsequent 30-day
notice and include them in its information collection submission to
OMB.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Arlette Mussington, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#15746779706161703b786066667c7b72617a7b55717a613b727a63"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c8a9baa4adbcbcade6a5bdbbbba1a6afbca7a688aca7bce6afa7be">[email protected]</span></a> or
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telephone: (571) 609-1285 or Ms. Joanne Swafford, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#751f1a141b1b105b06021413131a071135111a015b121a03"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7812171916161d560b0f191e1e170a1c381c170c561f170e">[email protected]</span></a> or
telephone: (757) 897-9908.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its
implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to
provide 60 days' notice to the public to allow comment on information
collection activities before seeking OMB approval of the activities.
See 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. Specifically,
FRA invites interested parties to comment on the following ICR
regarding: (1) whether the information collection activities are
necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether
the activities will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FRA's
estimates of the burden of the information collection activities,
including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to
determine the estimates; (3) ways for FRA to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (4) ways
for FRA to minimize the burden of information collection activities on
the public, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology. See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5
CFR 1320.8(d)(1).
FRA believes that soliciting public comment may reduce the
administrative and paperwork burdens associated with the collection of
information that Federal regulations mandate. In summary, comments
received will advance three objectives: (1) reduce reporting burdens;
(2) organize information collection requirements in a ``user-friendly''
format to improve the use of such information; and (3) accurately
assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce information
requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB
clearance as the PRA requires:
Title: Metrics and Minimum Standards for Intercity Passenger Train
Operations.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0632.
Abstract: In November 2020, in connection with a Congressional
mandate, FRA published a final rule titled Metrics and Minimum
Standards for Intercity Passenger Train Operations. (49 CFR part 273).
The final rule established metrics and a minimum standard for measuring
the performance and service quality of intercity passenger train
operations, including cost recovery, on-time performance and minutes of
delay, ridership, on-board services, stations, facilities, equipment,
and other services.\1\
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\1\ See 85 FR 72971.
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In this 60-day notice, FRA makes adjustments that will reduce the
currently approved burden hours from 507 to 141 hours. The reduced
burden hours are a result of 126 one-time start-up burden hours
required by Amtrak to initially create a system to process, prepare,
and submit this data. Now that a system has been implemented, the
estimated timeframe it takes to produce the data has been reduced and
is reflected in the adjusted burden hours for each of the requirement
that are being completed under the following sections:
Sec. 273.5(b) Ridership data--10-hour start-up burden.
Sec. 273.5(c) Certified schedule--26-hour start-up burden.
Sec. 273.5(f) Station performance--20-hour start-up burden.
Sec. 273.5(g) Host running time--40-hour start-up burden.
Sec. 273.11(b) Missed connections--10-hour start-up burden.
Sec. 273.11(c) Community access--10-hour start-up burden.
Sec. 273.11(d) Service availability--10-hour start-up burden.
Additionally, under Sec. 273.5(c)(2), the estimated burden has
been reduced from 300 to 60 hours to accurately reflect the number of
anticipated responses for the next three-year information collection
period, based on experience from the first three years this regulation
was in effect.
Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Amtrak.
Form(s): N/A.
Respondent Universe: Amtrack and Host Railroad(s).
Frequency of Submission: Varied.
Reporting Burden
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Average time Total cost
CFR section Respondent universe Total annual per responses Total annual Wage rate equivalent in
responses (hours) burden hours \2\ U.S dollars
(A) (B) (C = A * B) (E) (D = C * E)
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273.5(a)--Customer on-time performance...... 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 $85.93 $343.72
273.5(b)--Ridership data.................... 1 railroad.................... 12 1 12 85.93 1,031.16
273.5(c)--Certified schedule................ 1 railroad.................... 1 1 1 85.93 85.93
273.5(c)(2)--Monthly letter to U.S. Congress Amtrack and Host railroad..... 12 5 60 85.93 5,155.80
and other officials.
273.5(d)--Train delays...................... 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
273.5(e)--Train delays per 10,000 train 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
miles.
273.5(f)--Station performance............... 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
273.5(g)--Host running time................. 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
273.7(a)--Customer satisfaction............. 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
273.7(b)--Amtrak personnel.................. 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
273.7(c)--Information given................. 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
273.7(d)--On-board comfort.................. 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
273.7(e)--On-board cleanliness.............. 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
273.7(f)--On-board food service............. 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
273.9(a)--Cost recovery..................... 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
273.9(b)--Avoidable operating costs covered 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
by passenger revenue.
273.9(c)--Fully allocated core operating 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
costs covered by passenger revenue.
273.9(d)--Average ridership................. 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
273.9(e)--Total ridership................... 1 railroad.................... 4 1 4 85.93 343.72
273.11(a)--Connectivity..................... 1 railroad.................... 1 1 1 85.93 85.93
273.11(b)--Missed connections............... 1 railroad.................... 1 1 1 85.93 85.93
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273.11(c)--Community access................. 1 railroad.................... 1 1 1 85.93 85.93
273.11(d)--Service availability............. 1 railroad.................... 1 1 1 85.93 85.93
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Total \3\............................... Amtrak and host railroad...... 93 N/A 141 ......... 12,116
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Total Estimated Annual Responses: 93.
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\2\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the 2022 Surface
Transportation Board Full Year Wage A&B data series using employee
group 200 (Professional & Administrative) hourly wage rate of
$49.10. The total burden wage rate (straight time plus 75%) used in
the table is $85.93 ($49.10 x 1.75 = $85.93).
\3\ Totals may not add up due to rounding.
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Total Estimated Annual Burden: 141 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $12,116.
FRA informs all interested parties that it may not conduct or
sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, a collection
of information that does not display a currently valid OMB control
number.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.
Christopher S. Van Nostrand,
Acting Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2024-03478 Filed 2-20-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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