Federal Register: April 1, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 62)NoticesPage 15866-15867From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr01ap99-172

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

Docket No. OST-98-3648Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB for approval, it must publish a document in the Federal Register providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with members of the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of information. This notice announces the Department of Transportation's (DOT) intention to request approval of the following collection of information. Interested parties are invited to send comments regarding any aspect of this information collection, including: (1) the necessity and utility of the information collection; (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. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 1, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket and notice numbers cited at the beginning of this notice and be submitted to OST's Docket Management Facility, located on the Plaza Level of the Nassif Building at the U.S. Department of Transportation, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. The DOT Docket is open to the public from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Blane A. Workie, Office of the General Counsel, Department of Transportation, 400 7th Street, SW., Room 10424, Washington, D.C. 20590, (202) 366-4723.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Office of the Secretary

Title: The DOT Final Rule on Accessibility of Over-the-Road Buses.

OMB Control Number: 2100-NEW.

Type of Request: Approval of a New Information Collection.

Abstract: The Department of Transportation (DOT), in conjunction with the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, issued final access regulations for privately-operated over-the- road buses (OTRBs) as required by the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) of 1990. The final rule has four different recordkeeping/ reporting requirements. The first has to do with 48 hour advance notice and compensation. The second has to do with equivalent service and compensation. The third has to do with reporting information on ridership on accessible fixed-route buses. The fourth has to do with reporting information on the purchase and lease of accessible and inaccessible new and used buses. The purpose of the information collection requirements is to provide data that the Department can use in its regulatory review and to assist the Department in

[Page 15867]its oversight of compliance by bus companies.

  (1)(A) Requirement to fill out a form each time there is an advance notice request.

Respondents: Demand-responsive (i.e. charter/tour service) operators. Fixed route companies before fleet becomes fully accessible. Small mixed service operators that choose to provide 48 hour notice.

Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 3.3 (low estimate) to 5.0 (high estimate) hours for each of the 3,448 respondents.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 11,378 (low estimate) to 17,240 (high estimate) hours.

Frequency: 15 times (low estimate) and 23 times (high estimate) in initial year.

  (1)(B) Requirement to provide a copy of the form to the passenger when the operator receives a request for accessible bus service.

Respondents: Demand-responsive (i.e. charter/tour service) operators. Fixed route companies before fleet becomes fully accessible. Small mixed service operators that choose to provide 48 hour notice.

Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 3.2 (low estimate) to 4.8 hours (high estimate) for each of the 3,448 respondents.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 11,034 (low estimate) to 16,550 (high estimate) hours.

Frequency: 15 times (low estimate) and 23 times (high estimate) in initial year.

  (1)(C) Requirement to provide a copy of the form to the passenger on the scheduled date of trip if the requested accessible bus was not provided.

Respondents: Demand-responsive (i.e. charter/tour service) operators. Fixed route companies before fleet becomes fully accessible. Small mixed service operators that choose to provide 48 hour notice.

Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 0.3 (low estimate) to 0.5 hours (high estimate) for each of the 3,448 respondents.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 1034 (low estimate) to 1724 (high estimate) hours.

Frequency: 1 time (low estimate) to 2 times (high estimate) in initial year.

  (1)(D) Requirement to retain one copy of the form for 5 years.

Respondents: Demand-responsive (i.e. charter/tour service) operators. Fixed route companies before fleet becomes fully accessible. Small mixed service operators that choose to provide 48 hour notice.

Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 1.9 (low estimate) to 2.9 (high estimate) hours for each of the 3,448 respondents.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 6,551 (low estimate) to 9,999 (high estimate) hours.

Frequency: 15 times (low estimate) and 23 times (high estimate) in initial year.

  (1)(E) Requirement to submit a summary of its form to DOT.

Respondents: Demand-responsive (i.e. charter/tour service) operators. Fixed route companies before fleet becomes fully accessible. Small mixed service operators that choose to provide 48 hour notice.

Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 35.4 hours for each of the 3,448 respondents.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 122,059 hours.

Frequency: Submit summary to DOT annually.

  (2)(A) Requirement to fill out a form each time fixed route operator provides equivalent service.

Respondents: Small fixed route operators who choose to provide equivalent service to passengers with disabilities.

Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 4.0 (low estimate) to 6.3 (high estimate) hours for each of the 215 respondents.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 860 (low estimate) to 1,355 (high estimate) hours.

Frequency: 18 times (low estimate) and 28 times (high estimate) in initial year.

  (2)(B) Requirement to provide one copy of the form to the passenger.

Respondents: Small fixed route operators who choose to provide equivalent service to passengers with disabilities.

Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 3.8 (low estimate) to 5.9 (high estimate) hours for each of the 215 respondents.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 409 (low estimate) to 1269 (high estimate) hours.

Frequency: 18 times (low estimate) and 28 times (high estimate) in initial year.

  (2)(C) Requirement to retain copy for 5 years.

Respondents: Small fixed route operators who choose to provide equivalent service to passengers with disabilities.

Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 2.3 (low estimate) to 3.6 (high estimate) hours for each of the 215 respondents.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 494.5 (low estimate) to 774 (high estimate) hours.

Frequency: 18 times (low estimate) and 28 times (high estimate) in initial year.

  (2)(D) Requirement to submit a summary of its form to DOT.

Respondents: Small fixed route operators who choose to provide equivalent service to passengers with disabilities.

Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 35.4 hours for each of the 215 respondents.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 7,611 hours.

Frequency: Submit summary to DOT annually.

  (3) Requirement to submit a report to DOT on ridership on accessible fixed route buses.

Respondents: Fixed route operators.

Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 35.4 hours for each of the 448 respondents.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 15,859 hours.

Frequency: Submit report to DOT annually.

  (4) Requirement to submit a report to DOT listing the number of accessible and inaccessible new and used buses it has purchased or leased, as well as the total numbers of buses in operators' fleets.

Respondents: All operators.

Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 35.4 hours for each of the 3,448 respondents.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 122,059 hours.

Frequency: Submit report to DOT annually.

The estimated total annual burden resulting from the collection of information in the DOT Final Rule on Accessibility of Over-the-Road Buses is between 298,682 hours (low estimate) to 315,001 hours (high estimate).

Issued in Washington, DC, on March 25, 1999. Vanester M. Williams, Clearance Officer, United States Department of Transportation.

FR Doc. 99-8012Filed3-31-99; 8:45 amBILLING CODE 4910-62-P