Agency information collection activities: Proposed collection; comment request,

[Federal Register: October 19, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 201)]

[Notices]

[Page 56385]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr19oc99-127]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

[Docket No. BTS-99-6368]

Notice of Request for Clearance of an Information Collection: Motor Carrier Report Form MP-1

AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces that a data collection, Motor Carrier Quarterly and Annual Report Form MP-1, is coming up for renewal. BTS uses this form to collect financial and operating data from motor carriers of passengers. In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, BTS intends to request clearance from the Office of Management Budget (OMB) for this information collection. Before submitting its request, BTS is publishing this notice to invite the general public, industry, and other Federal agencies to comment on the continuing need and usefulness of BTS collecting quarterly and annual financial data from Class I motor carriers of passengers.

DATES: You must submit your written comments by December 20, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Please send comments to the Docket Clerk, Docket No. BTS-99- 6368, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room PL- 401, Washington, DC 20590, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

You only need to submit one copy. If you would like the Department to acknowledge receipt of the comments, you must include a self- addressed stamped postcard with the following statement: Comments on Docket BTS-99-6368. The Docket Clerk will date stamp the postcard and mail it back to you.

If you wish to file comments using the Internet, you may use the U.S. DOT Dockets Management System website at http://dms.dot.gov. Please follow the instructions online for more information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Mednick, K-1, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366-8871, Fax: (202) 366-3640, e-mail: david.mednick@bts.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Motor Carrier Quarterly and Annual Report, Motor Carriers of Passengers.

OMB Control No.: 2139-0003.

Form No.: BTS Form MP-1.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Class I Motor Carriers of Passengers.

Number of Respondents: Approximately 26.

Estimated Time Per Response: 90 minutes.

Total Annual Burden: 195 hours.

Needs and Uses: Under section 103 of the ICC Termination Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-88, 109 Stat. 803 (1995) (codified at 49 U.S.C. 14123), the Department of Transportation (DOT) is required to collect annual financial and safety reports from Class I and Class II motor carriers. DOT may also require motor carriers to file quarterly and special reports. In determining the matters to be covered by the reports, DOT must consider (1) safety needs; (2) the need to preserve confidential business information and trade secrets and prevent competitive harm; (3) private sector, academic, and public use of information in the reports; and (4) the public interest. DOT must also streamline and simplify the reporting requirements to the maximum extent practicable. DOT has delegated authority for this program to the Director of BTS.

Under this statutory mandate, BTS has been collecting data on motor carriers of passengers using Form MP-1. This provides quarterly and annual data on number of passengers, operating revenue and expenses, net income, and assets and liabilities. BTS uses it to provide periodic information on the health of the motor carrier of passengers industry, its impact on the economy, and the economy's impact on the industry. The report form accomplishes this with minimal data items to be completed quarterly. Please note that under the statute BTS also collects data on motor carriers of property, using report Forms M and QFR, but these forms are not part of this renewal notice and request for comments.

Request for Comments

BTS requests comments concerning all aspects of this information collection, including (1) the necessity and utility of the information collection for BTS to fulfill its legal mandate under 14 U.S.C. 14123; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways to minimize the collection burden without reducing the quality of the collected information. BTS will summarize the comments submitted in response to this notice in its request for OMB clearance.

If you have Internet access, you can get more information about this data collection or see the current report form at http:// www.bts.gov/mcs. Ashish Sen, Director.

[FR Doc. 99-27280Filed10-18-99; 8:45 am]

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