Notice2026-18982
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
September 16, 2026
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
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58745-58746]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18982]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2026-1587]
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment
Request
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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
November 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR
should be submitted on <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> to Docket No. FRA-
2026-1587. All comments received will be posted without change to the
docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer to
the assigned OMB control number (2130-0524) in any correspondence
submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in response to this
notice in a subsequent notice, made available to the public, and
include them in its information collection submission to OMB for
approval.
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Joanne Swafford, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2d47424c434348035e5a4c4b4b425f496d494259034a425b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e3898c828d8d86cd90948285858c9187a3878c97cd848c95">[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 finds 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: Railroad Communications.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0524.
Abstract: The railroad communications regulations in 49 CFR part
220 prescribe the minimum requirements governing radio and wireless
communications used in rail operations as well as establish the
prohibitions, restrictions, and requirements that apply to the use of
personal and railroad-supplied cellular telephones and other electronic
devices. FRA amended its radio standards and procedures to: promote
compliance by making the regulations more flexible; require wireless
communications devices, including radios, for specified classifications
of railroad operations and roadway workers; and retitle this part to
reflect its coverage of other means of wireless communications, such as
cellular telephones and data radio terminals, to convey emergency and
need-to-know information. The amended regulations established safe,
uniform procedures covering the use of radio and other wireless
communications within the railroad industry.
In this 60-day notice FRA has made adjustments that decreased the
previously approved burden hours from 95,902 hours to 76,237 hours.
This represents a decrease of 19,665 hours annually for this
information collection request.
Specifically, under Sec. 220.61(b)(5), which contains the
requirements for the marking of fulfilled or canceled mandatory
directives, FRA determined that the burden is accounted for under Sec.
220.61(b)(3) concerning written copies of mandatory directives.
Further, under Sec. 220.313(c), which mandates the retention of
those written records documenting instruction and examination of this
subpart, FRA increased the estimated number of records to more
accurately represent the annual volume of employees that require this
training.
Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses.
Form(s): N/A.
Respondent Universe: 773 Railroads.
Frequency of Submission: On Occasion.
Reporting Burden:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Respondent
49 CFR section universe Total annual responses Average time per Total annual Wage Total cost
(railroads) response burden hours rate \1\ equivalent U.S.D.
(A)....................... (B).................... (C = A * B) (D = C * wage
rates)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220.8 Waivers:
--Petition to Administrator for 636 2 petition letters........ 1 hour................. 2 $79.02 $158.04
waiver of compliance.
220.21 Railroad operating rules; radio
communications; recordkeeping:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 58746]]
--(b) Retention of current operating The burden for this requirement is included under Sec. 217.7, OMB Control No. 2130-0035.
rules, and amendments to these
operating rules.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220.61 Radio transmission of mandatory
directives:
--(b)(3) Written copy of mandatory 773 3,040,000 directives...... 90 seconds............. 76,000 79.02 6,005,520.00
directive.
220.302 Operating rules implementing
the requirements of this subpart:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Each railroad shall adopt operating The burden for this requirement is included under Sec. 217.7, OMB Control No. 2130-0035.
rules that implement the
requirements of this subpart for
electronic devices.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220.313 Instruction:
--(a) Written program of instruction 2 2 written instruction 1 hour................. 2 79.02 158.04
and examination on part 220 programs.
requirements for new and existing
railroads.
--(c) Employee training records...... 773 28,000 records............ 30 seconds............. 233 79.02 18,438.00
220.315 Operational tests and
inspections; further restrictions on
use of electronic devices:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--(a) Railroad's program of The burden for this requirement is included under Sec. 217.9, OMB Control No. 2130-0035.
operational tests and inspections
under part 217 shall be revised as
necessary to include this subpart.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total \2\........................ 773 3,068,004 responses....... ....................... 76,237 ........ 6,024,274.08
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the 2024 Surface Transportation Board Full Year Wage A&B data series using the employee group 600
(Transportation, Train & Engine) hourly wage rate of $45.16. The total burden wage rate (Straight time plus 75%) used in the table is $79.02 ($45.16 x
1.75 = $79.02).
\2\ Totals may not add up due to rounding.
Total Estimated Annual Responses: 3,068,004.
Total Estimated Annual Burden: 76,237 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent:
$6,024,274.08.
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 Van Nostrand,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2026-18982 Filed 9-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 16, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.