Information Collection Activities: Submission for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Request for Comment

Jeff Michael
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
April 29, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 82 (Wednesday, April 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 23850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09991]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration


Information Collection Activities: Submission for the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Request for Comment

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of the OMB review of information collection and 
solicitation of public comment.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below will be submitted to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The ICR describes the 
nature of the information collection and its expected burden. A Federal 
Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting public comments 
on the following information collection was published on January 21, 
2015 (80 FR 3010).

DATES: Submit comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on 
or before XXX. May 29, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. J. Stephen Higgins, 202-366-3976.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 2127--New.
    Title: Characterizing Ambulance Driver Training in EMS Systems.
    Form No.: NHTSA Form 1186.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Respondents: The study sample will consist of two distinct groups. 
The first sample will include representatives from EMS agencies across 
the United States. The second will include representatives from State 
offices that are responsible for various aspects of ambulance driver 
training and regulation for the 50 States and Washington, DC.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: A maximum of 8,000 agencies will 
be solicited for the survey. Up to 153 representatives from State 
agencies may be contacted for semi-structured interviews.
    Estimated Time per Response: The expected average completion time 
for the Internet-based survey of EMS agency representatives is 15 
minutes. The 153 semi-structured interviews with State personnel are 
expected to average approximately 60 minutes in length.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 2,153 hours if all 8,000 EMS 
agencies and State personnel respond to the solicitations. The real 
burden will be reduced proportionally by the actual response rates to 
each information gathering effort.
    Frequency of Collection: Each data collection effort will take 
place a single time.
    Abstract: Although emergency vehicle operator training for EMS 
personnel has been repeatedly identified as an important step in the 
safety system, the current situation with respect to EMS personnel 
driver training in the United States is not well characterized. In 
order to characterize training for EMS personnel driving ambulances 
across the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration (NHTSA) proposes to collect information from EMS 
agencies providing ambulance services and State offices responsible for 
overseeing training, licensing, and regulation of EMS agencies and 
their personnel that drive ambulances. NHTSA is interested in learning 
about what types of driver training are required, when the training is 
required (new drivers, continuing education, etc.), how driving 
incidents (crashes, moving violations, etc.) impact driving privileges, 
initial qualification standards (age, number of years with license, 
driving record, type of license, etc.), and other related topics. 
Participation in the study will be voluntary and will only include 
State level agency representatives and representatives from EMS 
agencies that offer ambulance services. Data collection will be in the 
form of semi-structured interviews (in-person or over the phone) for 
personnel at State offices, and an Internet-based survey for personnel 
at public and private EMS agencies providing ambulance services. EMS 
agencies will be contacted via email, mail, or phone with a link to the 
Internet survey. State offices will be contacted via email or phone to 
participate in the semi-structured interviews. The results of this 
project will assist NHTSA in determining the current state of driver 
training for EMS personnel which will help the Agency determine if 
additional research and development on the topic are warranted.
ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding the burden estimate, including 
suggestions for reducing the burden, to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street 
NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk Officer for Department of 
Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or by 
email at oira_submission@omb.eop.gov, or fax: 202-395-5806.
    Comments Are Invited On: Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department of Transportation, including whether the information 
will have practical utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate 
of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance 
the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. A comment to OMB is most 
effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication of this 
notice.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. Section 3506(c)(2)(A).

    Dated: April 23, 2015.
Jeff Michael,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2015-09991 Filed 4-28-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-59-P