Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements: Agency Information Collection Activity |
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Steven K. Smith
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
21 December 2016
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 21, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 93728-93730]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30756]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2016-0123]
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.
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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from
the 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 February 21, 2017.
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: John Kindelberger, Office of
Regulatory Analysis and Evaluation, National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., NSA-310, Washington, DC
20590. Mr. Kindelberger's phone number is 202-366-4696 and his email
address is john.kindelberger@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: Revision of a currently approved collection.
OMB Clearance Number: 2127-0626
Form Number: Previously approved survey forms NHTSA 1273/1274/1275/
1276. NHTSA 1273 and 1274 will be modified under this revised request.
Required Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from the date of
approval by OMB.
[[Page 93729]]
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 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
replacement tires, replacing non-functioning sensors on current tires,
having the system properly re-set when needed) that were needed to
insure the vehicles had functioning TPMS. Relevant data are needed to
examine why the effectiveness of TPMSs in older vehicles is reduced and
what can be done to increase it. This was the original goal of the
TPMS-ORRC and is still a goal.
Additionally, on December 4, 2015, President Obama signed the
Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (Pub. L. 114-94)
into law. An amendment (Section 24115) directs the Secretary of
Transportation to update the standard on tire pressure monitoring
systems, FMVSS No. 138, to ensure that they cannot be overridden, reset
or recalibrated in a way that will prevent the system from identifying
a tire that is significantly underinflated. The Act also states that
the revised requirements shall not contain any provision that has the
effect of prohibiting the availability of direct or indirect tire
pressure monitoring systems. Data are needed to help inform the
required rulemaking. For this purpose, the design of the TPMS-ORRC
field survey has been changed from a convenience sample to a
probability sample, allowing nationally representative estimates; this
revision also adds a module for indirect TPMS.
Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number, and
Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information)
This information collection seeks revision of the following survey
component:
Field Survey of Drivers and Vehicles.
The previously approved Field Survey component of the TPMS-ORRC has
not yet been conducted. In this revision, we add a module to check tire
pressure for vehicles with indirect TPMS (about five percent of the
relevant fleet), change to a probability sample, and reduce the overall
sample to 6300 to keep the burden similar. A survey of a probability
sample, conducted in twenty-four nationwide geographic primary sampling
units that were previously selected and weighted for national
representation in NHTSA's Crash Investigation Sampling System, will
collect 6,300 inspections of eligible passenger vehicles, and interview
drivers of these vehicles. Focus will be on assessing the operating
status of the TPMS in these vehicles and interviewing drivers with and
without operating TPMSs, regarding their knowledge about, and habits
related to, the TPMS in their vehicle. Also, drivers of vehicles with
indirect TPMS (expected to be about five percent of surveyed drivers)
will be interviewed with a brief set of questions and recording of tire
pressures. We also plan to offer a voluntary check for outstanding
recalls to increase participation. The overall sample has been reduced
from 7,000 to 6,300 to keep the burden essentially the same in light of
the added module and also to adhere to the survey budget. The change
from convenience sample to probability sample, using the 24 Primary
Sampling Units of NHTSA's Crash Investigation Sampling System, will
allow statistically nationally representative estimates, which were not
possible under the convenience sample. Data collection is expected to
take place beginning in June, 2017, and last five months, at fueling
stations (individual stations will only be visited for a short time as
the survey moves from site to site).
The two following survey components of this survey have previously
been approved and conducted:
Suppliers Survey. In the previously approved information
collection, major suppliers of TPMS sensors and systems were
voluntarily surveyed in 2016 with a focus on TPMS repair and
maintenance issues, as well as cost factors. Results will be reported
with the results of the driver survey.
Repair Facilities Survey. In the previously approved information
collection, a sample of repair/maintenance facilities (e.g., automobile
dealerships, tire chain stores, small service stations with attached
repair shops) was surveyed with 100 completed respondents in 2016 in a
Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI), with the option of
responding by mail. Focus was 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.
Results will be reported with the results of the driver survey.
Estimate of the Total Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden Resulting
from the Collection of Information: The total revised reporting and
recordkeeping burden resulting from this collection of information is
estimated to be 1,352 hours, as outlined below.
Field Survey of Drivers and Vehicles. NHTSA estimates that the time
to collect vehicle and driver data will be about 10 minutes, on
average, for each interview for the 6,300 survey respondents. Some
additional time was spent on a previous pilot study under the current
approval, and some time will be needed to conduct a new pilot study on
the revised survey, and to describe the study to drivers who are
approached but are either ineligible or prefer not to become
participants in the study. Consequently, the total
[[Page 93730]]
respondent burden hours is estimated to be 1,300 hours. The respondents
would not incur any reporting or record keeping costs from the
information collection. For the driver survey, respondents will be
asked questions regarding their TPMS, and all responses will be
provided spontaneously. For the vehicle inspection, data will be
obtained via observation.
Suppliers Survey. NHTSA estimates the average time to collect data
(previously approved and completed) on the cost of TPMS parts and
systems from suppliers (respondents and non-respondents) as about 6
hours total. The respondents did not incur any reporting or record
keeping costs from the information collection. Information was only
requested about records that the respondents already were keeping for
their own purposes.
Repair Facilities Survey. NHTSA estimates the average time to
collect data (previously approved and completed) on the types and costs
of repairing TPMS as about 20 minutes for each interview for each of
100 completed respondents or 33 hours. Time spent on explaining the
survey to telephone respondents who were either not eligible or
preferred not to participate is estimated at 13 hours. Consequently,
the total respondent burden hours is estimated to be 46 hours. The
respondents did not incur any reporting or record keeping costs from
the information collection. Information was only requested about
records that the respondents already were keeping for their own
purposes.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. chap. 35, as
amended; and 49 CFR 1.95
Steven K. Smith,
Acting Associate Administrator, National Center for Statistics and
Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2016-30756 Filed 12-20-16; 8:45 am]
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