Notice2026-19636
Notice of Request for Clearance of a Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection: National Census of Ferry Operators
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 25, 2026
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 BTS to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) approval for new iterations of an on-going biennial information collection related to the nation's ferry operations. The information collected from each census will be used to produce a descriptive database of existing ferry operations. A summary report of census findings will also be published by BTS on the BTS web page: www.bts.gov/ncfo.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 185 (Friday, September 25, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 185 (Friday, September 25, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61021-61023]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-19636]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
[Docket No. DOT-OST-2026-1882]
Notice of Request for Clearance of a Revision of a Currently
Approved Information Collection: National Census of Ferry Operators
AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), DOT.
[[Page 61022]]
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 BTS to request the Office of Management and Budget's
(OMB's) approval for new iterations of an on-going biennial information
collection related to the nation's ferry operations. The information
collected from each census will be used to produce a descriptive
database of existing ferry operations. A summary report of census
findings will also be published by BTS on the BTS web page:
<a href="http://www.bts.gov/ncfo">www.bts.gov/ncfo</a>.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 26, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth Steve, (202) 579-0672, NCFO
Program Manager, BTS, OST-R, Department of Transportation, 1200 New
Jersey Ave. SE, Room E36-308, Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are
from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO).
Type of Request: Approval modifications to an existing information
collection.
Affected Public: There are approximately 260 ferry operators
nationwide.
Abstract: In 1998, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century (TEA-21) (Pub. L. 105-178), section 1207(c), directed the
Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study of ferry transportation
in the United States and its possessions. In 2000, the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) Office of Intermodal and Statewide Planning
conducted a census of approximately 260 ferry operators to identify:
(1) existing ferry operations including the location and routes served;
(2) source and amount, if any, of funds derived from Federal, State, or
local governments supporting ferry construction or operations; (3)
potential domestic ferry routes in the United States and its
possessions; and (4) potential for use of high speed ferry services and
alternative-fueled ferry services. In 2005, the Safe, Accountable,
Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for Users
(SAFETEA-LU) Public Law 109-59, Section 1801(e)) required that the
Secretary, acting through the BTS, shall establish and maintain a
national ferry database containing current information regarding
routes, vessels, passengers and vehicles carried, funding sources and
such other information as the Secretary considers useful. In 2012, MAP-
21 legislation [Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (Pub.
L. 112-141)] continued the BTS mandate to conduct the NCFO and also
required that the FHWA use the NCFO data to set the specific formula
for allocating federal ferry funds. The funding allocations were based
on a percentage of the number of passenger boardings, vehicle
boardings, and route miles served. In 2015, the Fixing America's
Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (Pub. L. 114-94, sec. 1112) continues
the BTS mandate to conduct the NCFO on a biennial basis and extended
the requirement that the FHWA use the NCFO data to set the specific
formula for allocating federal ferry funds as required in MAP-21.
BTS conducted the first NCFO in 2006. The census was conducted
again in 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024.
Preparations are already underway for the 2026 NCFO in 2027. The
overall length of the revised questionnaire for the 2026 NCFO will
remain consistent with that of previous years. The 2028 questionnaire
will be updated based on research performed between the 2026 and 2028
NCFO cycles with the goal to reduce burden and promote operators to
respond. These information collections were originally approved by OMB
under Control Number 2139-0009.
The census will be administered to the entire population of ferry
operators (estimated 260). The census will request the respondents to
provide information such as: the terminals served; the type of
ownership; the number of passengers and vehicles carried in the past 12
months; vessel descriptions (including type of fuel), federal, state
and local funding sources, and intermodal connectivity. All data
collected for 2026 and 2028 NCFOs will be added to the existing
database.
Data Confidentiality Provisions: The NCFO may collect confidential
business information. The confidentiality of these data will be
protected under 49 CFR 7.29. In accordance with this regulation, only
statistical and non-sensitive business information will be made
available through publications and public use data files. The
statistical public use data are intended to provide an aggregated
source of information on ferry boat operations nationwide. Business
sensitive information may be shared with FHWA to support FAST Act
funding allocations.
Frequency: This census will be performed every other year.
Estimated Average Burden per Response: The burden per respondent in
2026 is estimated to be an average of 30 minutes. This average is based
on an estimate of 20 minutes to answer questions that require answers
specific to that year and an additional 10 minutes to review (and
revise as needed) previously submitted data that will be pre-populated
for each ferry operation. The burden for conducting research into the
questionnaire instrument will include no more than 9 cognitive
interviews of operators as they interact with and answer different
versions of the instrument. These changes will be implemented in the
2028 NCFO and should decrease burden.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: The annual burden for the 2026 NCFO
(in the year that the census is conducted) is estimated to be 130 hours
(that is 30 minutes per respondent for 260 respondents equals 7,800
minutes).
Response to Comments: A 60-day notice requesting public comment was
issued in the Federal Register on July 9, 2026. One comment was
received by Texas DOT. Texas DOT stated appreciation for the NCFO and
suggested several changes or improvements. These improvements included
streamlining the questionnaire by making previous submissions available
and providing follow-up logic following entry of route origin and
destination, providing alternate ways of submitting responses,
increasing the type of data collected, and information about operators'
fleets and plans for vessels and infrastructure. Texas DOT also
expressed concern with the statement that the questionnaire takes on
average 30 minutes, as it takes them closer to 60 minutes.
We appreciate Texas DOT's comments and their use of the NCFO data.
Responses from previous years are available to download for operators
that provided responses in the previous questionnaires, for their
convenience. These responses can be downloaded and used to fill in the
instrument questions. We prefill some data fields that are generally
consistent among censuses and includes certain information on
operators, vessels, segments, and terminals, totaling 40 pre-filled
data fields. We appreciate Texas DOT's interest in expanding our data
coverage to include more elements on vessels and current and planned
infrastructure work. However, some of the requested types of data may
increase burden on respondents and be interpreted as Business Sensitive
by many operators, preventing their inclusion or utility. Other
questions we might be able to include in future NCFO cycles, and we
will investigate other
[[Page 61023]]
data sources, such as administrative data, for some of the additional
data types requested. We are currently working to streamline the
questionnaire and make it more user friendly. We recognize that the
time it takes operators to fill out the questionnaire varies depending
on the complexity of the operator. While it takes some longer than the
average 30 minutes, there are many operators for whom it only takes
approximately 10 minutes to complete the questionnaire. Texas DOT also
suggested an Excel format for the questionnaire, where the responses
can be directly loaded from the sheet to the instrument, and we will
discuss this option with our IT team. We greatly appreciate the
suggestions and comments provided by Texas DOT and taking the time to
help improve the NCFO.
Public Comments Invited: Interested parties are invited to send
comments regarding any aspect of this information collection,
including, but not limited to: (1) the necessity and utility of the
information collection for the proper performance of the functions of
the DOT; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, clarity and content of the collected information;
and (4) ways to minimize the collection burden without reducing the
quality of the collected information. Send comments to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
725-17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: BTS Desk Officer.
Issued in Washington, DC.
Cha-Chi Fan,
Director, Office of Data Development and Standards, Bureau of
Transportation Statistics, Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Research and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2026-19636 Filed 9-24-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 25, 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.