Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements: Agency Information Collection Activity |
|---|
|
Terry T. Shelton
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
July 7, 2014
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 129 (Monday, July 7, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38358-38360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-15782]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2014-0081]
Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements: Agency
Information Collection Activity
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection of
information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from
the
[[Page 38359]]
public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit
public comment on proposed collections of information, including
extensions and reinstatements of previously approved collections. This
document describes one collection of information for which NHTSA
intends to seek OMB approval.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 5, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Refer to the docket notice number cited at the beginning of
this notice and send your comments by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M- 30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Ave. SE., Washington, DC 20590.
Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Ave. SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
docket number. Note that all comments received will be posted without
change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal
information provided. Please see the Privacy Act discussion below. We
will consider all comments received before the close of business on the
comment closing date indicated above. To the extent possible, we will
also consider comments filed after the closing date.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140,
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal Holidays. Telephone: (202) 366-9826.
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000, (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit
http://www.dot.gov/privacy.html.
Confidential Business Information: If you wish to submit any
information under a claim of confidentiality, you should submit three
copies of your complete submission, including the information you claim
to be confidential business information, to the Chief Counsel, NHTSA,
at 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Washington, DC 20590. In addition, you
should submit two copies, from which you have deleted the claimed
confidential business information, to Docket Management at the address
given above. When you send a comment containing information claimed to
be confidential business information, you should include a cover letter
setting forth the information specified in our confidential business
information regulation (49 CFR part 512).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charlene Doyle., Contracting Officer's
Technical Representative, Office of Regulatory Analysis and Evaluation,
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave.
SE., NVS-431, Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Doyle's phone number is 202-
366-1276 and her email address is charlene.doyle@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
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. The OMB has promulgated regulations describing what must
be included in such a document. Under OMB's regulations (at 5 CFR
1320.8(d)), an agency must ask for public comment on the following: (i)
Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether
the information will have practical utility; (ii) The accuracy of the
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (iii) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (iv) How to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who are to respond, including the
use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses. In
compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks public comment on the
following proposed collection of information:
Title: Tire Pressure Monitoring System--Outage Rates and Repair
Costs Study (TPMS-ORRC)
Type of Request: Reinstatement, with change, of a previously
approved collection for which approval has expired.
OMB Clearance Number: 2127-0626
Form Number: This collection of information uses no standard forms.
Required Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from the date of
approval by OMB (i.e., estimated date of January 2018).
Abstract. Improperly inflated tires pose a safety risk, increasing
the chance of skidding, hydroplaning, longer stopping distances, and
crashes due to flat tires and blowouts. Section 13 of the
Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation
(TREAD) Act, which Congress passed on November 1, 2000, directed NHTSA
to conduct rulemaking actions to revise and update the Federal motor
vehicle safety standards for tires, to improve labeling on tires, and
to require a system in new motor vehicles that warns the operator when
a tire is significantly underinflated.
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) were mandated in Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 138, so that drivers are
warned when the pressure in one or more of the vehicle's tires has
fallen to 25 percent or more below the placard pressure, or a minimum
level of pressure specified in the standard, whichever pressure is
higher, and may be informed about which of the four tires is
underinflated. As of September 1, 2007, after a phase-in period
beginning on October 5, 2005, TPMS was required on all new light
vehicles (i.e., passenger cars, trucks, multipurpose passenger
vehicles, and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds
or less, except those vehicles with dual wheels on an axle).
Executive Order 12866 requires Federal agencies to evaluate their
existing regulations and programs and measure their effectiveness in
achieving their objectives. Since the phase-in of TPMS, there has been
only one evaluation of TPMS. The TPMS-SS (OMB 2127-0626) was
conducted in 2011, as a special study through the infrastructure of the
National Automotive Sampling System (NASS), to collect nationally
representative data on how effective TPMS was in reducing
underinflation in the on-road fleet of passenger vehicles. Analysis of
the survey results indicated that direct
[[Page 38360]]
TPMS is 55.6-percent effective at preventing severe underinflation as
defined in FMVSS No. 138. However, effectiveness was substantially
lower in vehicles that were 6-7 years old at the time of the survey.
One explanation as to why this is true was the possibility that the
drivers of these older vehicles were not taking all the maintenance
actions (e.g., adding TPMS sensors to new vehicle tires, replacing non-
functioning sensors on current tires, having the system properly re-set
when needed) that were needed in order to insure that they had
functioning TPMS. Relevant data is needed to examine why the
effectiveness of TPMSs in older vehicles is reduced and what can be
done to increase it.
Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number,
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information):
This information collection will be completed via three separate
surveys:
Field Survey of Drivers and Vehicles. A survey of convenience,
conducted in eight sites (two sites in each of 4 states--Colorado,
Texas, Washington, Virginia), will collect 7,000 inspections of
passenger vehicles of all model years from 2004 through the latest
model year, as well as interviews of drivers of these vehicles. Focus
will be on assessing the operating status of the TPMS in these vehicles
and interviewing driver with and without operating TPMSs, regarding
their knowledge about and habits related to the TPMS in their vehicle.
Data collection is expected to take place over a six month period in
the spring and summer of 2015, mainly at gas stations.
Suppliers Survey. Major suppliers of TPMS sensors and systems will
be interviewed. Focus will be on TPMS repair and maintenance issues, as
well as cost factors. Data collection is expected to take place early
2015 via a combination of telephone interviews, email, mail, and fax.
Repair Facilities Survey. A sample of 500 repair/maintenance
facilities (e.g., automobile dealerships, tire chain stores, small
service stations with attached repair shops) will be selected for a
Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI), with the option of
responding by mail, based upon the respondent's preference. Focus will
be on assessing the lifespan of TPMS, common sources of TPMS
malfunction, typical costs to repair/replace malfunctioning systems,
and the factors considered by customers when deciding whether to repair
or replace TPMSs that are not working. Data collection is expected to
take place early 2015 mostly via telephone interviews.
Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden
Resulting From the Collection of Information: The total annual
reporting and recordkeeping burden resulting from this collection of
information is estimated to be 1,565 hours, as outlined below.
Field Survey of Drivers and Vehicles. NHTSA estimates that the
average time to collect vehicle and driver data will be slightly over
10 minutes for each interview for the 7,000 survey respondents. Some
additional time will be needed to conduct a pilot study and to describe
the study to drivers who do not end up participating in the study.
Consequently, the total respondent burden hours is estimated to be
1,365 hours. The respondents would not incur any reporting or record
keeping costs from the information collection. For the drivers survey,
respondents will be asked questions regarding their TPMSs, and all
responses will be provided spontaneously. For the vehicle inspection,
data will be obtained via observation.
Suppliers Survey. NHTSA estimates that the average time to collect
data on the cost of TPMS parts and systems will be slightly over 20
minutes for each interview for the 45 respondents. Consequently, the
total respondent burden hours is estimated to be 17 hours. The
respondents would not incur any reporting or record keeping costs from
the information collection. Information is only requested about records
that the respondents already are keeping for their own purposes.
Repair Facilities Survey. NHTSA estimates that the average time to
collect data on the types and costs of repairing TPMS will be slightly
over 20 minutes for each interview for the 500 respondents.
Consequently, the total respondent burden hours is estimated to be 183
hours. The respondents would not incur any reporting or record keeping
costs from the information collection. Information is only requested
about records that the respondents already are keeping for their own
purposes.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. chap. 35, as
amended; and 49 CFR 1.95.
Terry T. Shelton,
Associate Administrator, National Center for Statistics and Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2014-15782 Filed 7-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P