Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

Nadine Pembleton
Federal Transit Administration
2 July 2019

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 2, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31657-31658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-14037]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA 2019-0008]


Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration 
(FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
the extension of a currently approved information collection: Bus 
Testing Program.

DATES: Comments must be submitted before September 3, 2019.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that your comments are not entered more than once 
into the docket, submit comments identified by the docket number by 
only one of the following methods:
    1. Website: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the U.S. Government electronic docket site. 
(Note: The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) electronic 
docket is no longer accepting electronic comments.) All electronic 
submissions must be made to the U.S. Government electronic docket site 
at www.regulations.gov. Commenters should follow the directions below 
for mailed and hand-delivered comments.
    2. Fax: 202-366-7951.
    3. Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
    Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket number 
for this notice at the beginning of your comments. Submit two copies of 
your comments if you submit them by mail. For confirmation that FTA has 
received your comments, include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Note 
that all comments received, including any personal information, will be 
posted and will be available to internet users, without change, to 
www.regulations.gov. You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement in the Federal Register published April 11, 2000, (65 FR 
19477), or you may visit www.regulations.gov. Docket: For access to the 
docket to read background documents and comments received, go to 
www.regulations.gov at any time. Background documents and comments 
received may also be viewed at the U.S. Department of Transportation, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9:00 a.m. 
and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bus Testing Program--Mr. Marcel 
Belanger, Office of Research, Demonstration and Innovation (202) 366-
0725, or email: marcel.belanger@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY 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 
for the proper performance of the functions of the FTA; (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.

Title: Bus Testing Program

(OMB Number: 2132-0550)

    Background: 49 U.S.C. Section 5318(e) provides that Federal funds 
appropriated or otherwise made available under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53 
[FTA funding] may not be obligated or expended for the acquisition of a 
new bus model unless a bus of that model has been tested for 
maintainability, reliability, safety, performance (including braking 
performance), structural integrity, fuel economy, emissions, and noise 
at a bus testing facility authorized under 49 U.S.C. Section 5318(a).
    At this time, there is one active Bus Testing Center operated by 
the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute of the 
Pennsylvania State University (LTI). LTI operates and maintains the 
Center under a cooperative agreement with FTA, and establishes and 
collects fees for the testing of the vehicles at the facility. Two 
additional bus testing facilities authorized to test low and no-
emission (LoNo) buses have been authorized by Congress. FTA is working 
with Auburn University and The Ohio State University to establish those 
facilities, which are not yet operational. The nature and quantity of 
the information that must be collected to operate the Bus Testing 
Program will not change significantly when these additional centers 
become operational. Auburn and Ohio State separately received 
appropriations to conduct testing of components for LoNo buses. Those 
projects are separate from Bus Testing and FTA does not expect them to 
affect the paperwork burden for the Bus Testing Program. Upon 
completion of the testing of the vehicle at the Center with a passing 
test score, a draft Bus Testing Report is provided to the manufacturer 
of the new bus model. If the manufacturer approves the Report for 
publication, the bus model becomes eligible for FTA funding. 49 CFR 
665.7 requires a recipient of FTA funds to certify that a bus model has 
been tested

[[Page 31658]]

at the bus testing facility, that the bus model received a passing 
score, and that the recipient has a copy of the applicable Bus Testing 
Report(s) on a bus model before final acceptance of any buses of that 
model. Recipients are strongly encouraged to review the Bus Testing 
Report(s) relevant to a bus model before final acceptance and/or 
selection of that bus model.
    Respondents: Bus manufacturers and recipients of FTA funds.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 40 testing determination 
requirements requests at 32 hours each, 20 testing authorization 
requests at 32 hours each, 16 tests scheduled at 10 hours each, and 3 
retest requests at 17 hours each.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2,131 hours.
    Frequency: On Occasion.

Nadine Pembleton,
Director, Office of Management Planning.
[FR Doc. 2019-14037 Filed 7-1-19; 8:45 am]
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