Agency Information Collection Activities; Renewal of a Currently-Approved Information Collection: Licensing Applications for Motor Carrier Operating Authority

Thomas P. Keane
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
30 December 2020

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86641-86643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28815]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2020-0160]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Renewal of a Currently-
Approved Information Collection: Licensing Applications for Motor 
Carrier Operating Authority

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA 
announces its plan to submit the information collection request (ICR) 
described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its 
review and approval and invites public comment. FMCSA requests approval 
to

[[Page 86642]]

renew the ICR titled ``Licensing Applications for Motor Carrier 
Operating Authority,'' OMB Control No. 2126-0016. This ICR applies to: 
(1) Existing registrants (i.e., entities that already have a USDOT 
number and/or operating authority) that are subject to FMCSA's 
licensing, registration, and certification regulations that wish to 
apply for additional authorities; and (2) Mexico-domiciled carriers 
that wish to operate beyond the U.S. municipalities on the U.S.-Mexico 
border and their commercial zones. Existing registrants seeking 
additional authorities must use forms OP-1, OP-1(P), OP-1(FF), and OP-
1(NNA), to apply for such authority. Mexico-domiciled carriers seeking 
the authority described above must apply for such authority using Form 
OP-1(MX).

DATES: Please send your comments by January 29, 2021. OMB must receive 
your comments by this date in order to act quickly on the ICR.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jeff Secrist, Office of 
Registration and Safety Information, Chief, East and South Division, 
Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, West Building 6th Floor, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. Telephone: 202-385-2367; Email Address: 
jeff.secrist@dot.gov. Office hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal Holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Licensing Applications for Motor Carrier Operating 
Authority.
    OMB Control Number: 2126-0016.
    Type of Request: Renewal of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Carrier compliance officer or equivalent from motor 
carriers, motor passenger carriers, freight forwarders, brokers, and 
certain Mexico-domiciled motor carriers subject to FMCSA's licensing, 
registration and certification regulations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 81,209.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours for forms OP-1, OP-1(P), and 
OP-1(FF); 4 hours for forms OP-1(MX) and OP-1(NNA).
    Expiration Date: March 31, 2021.
    Frequency of Response: Other (as needed).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 162,476 hours.

Background

    FMCSA registers for-hire motor carriers of regulated commodities 
and of passengers, under 49 U.S.C. 13902(a); surface freight 
forwarders, under 49 U.S.C. 13903; property brokers, under 49 U.S.C. 
13904; and certain Mexico-domiciled motor carriers, under 49 U.S.C. 
13902(c). These motor carriers may conduct transportation services in 
the United States only if they are registered with FMCSA. Each 
registration is effective from the date specified and remains in effect 
for such period as the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) 
determines by regulations.
    Prior to 2015, all entities seeking authority (both first-time 
applicants and registered entities seeking additional authorities) were 
required to apply for such authority using the OP-1 series of forms, 
including OP-1, OP-1(P), OP-1(FF), OP-1(NNA), and OP-1(MX) (for Mexico-
domiciled carriers only).
    The Final Rule titled ``Unified Registration System,'' (78 FR 
52608) dated August 23, 2013, implemented statutory provisions for an 
online registration system for entities that are subject to FMCSA's 
licensing, registration, and certification regulations. The Unified 
Registration System (URS) streamlines the registration process and 
serves as a clearinghouse and repository of information on motor 
carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, intermodal equipment providers, 
hazardous materials safety permit applicants, and cargo tank facilities 
required to register with FMCSA. When developing URS, FMCSA planned 
that the OP-1 series of forms--except for OP-1(MX)--would ultimately be 
folded into one overarching electronic application (MCSA-1), which 
would be used by all motor carriers seeking authority.
    FMCSA began a phased rollout of URS in 2015. The first phase, which 
went into effect on December 12, 2015, impacts only first-time 
applicants seeking an FMCSA-issued registration. FMCSA had planned 
subsequent rollout phases for existing registrants; however, there have 
been substantial delays, and subsequent phases have not been rolled out 
to date.
    On January 17, 2017, FMCSA issued a Final Rule titled ``Unified 
Registration System; Suspension of Effectiveness,'' which indefinitely 
suspended URS effectiveness dates for existing registrants only (82 FR 
5292). Pursuant to this Final Rule, FMCSA is still accepting forms OP-
1, OP-1(P), OP-1(FF), and OP-1(NNA) for existing registrants wishing to 
apply for additional authorities. Separately, FMCSA requires Form OP-
1(MX) for new and existing Mexico-domiciled motor carriers that wish to 
operate beyond the U.S. municipalities on the U.S.-Mexico border and 
their commercial zones. Information collected through the URS system, 
utilizing the MCSA-1, does not accept registration form OP-1(MX) and 
continue to remains a paper form outside the URS.
    Forms in the OP-1 series request information to identify the 
applicant, the nature and scope of its proposed operations, a narrative 
description of the applicant's safety policies and procedures, and 
information regarding the drivers and vehicles it plans to use in U.S. 
operations. The OP-1 series also requests information on the 
applicant's familiarity with relevant safety requirements, the 
applicant's willingness to comply with those requirements during its 
operations, and the applicant's willingness to meet any specific 
statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to its proposed 
operations. Information collected through these forms aids FMCSA in 
determining the type of operation a company may run, the cargo it may 
carry, and the resulting level of insurance coverage the applicant will 
be required to obtain and maintain to continue its operating authority.

Changes From Previous Estimates

    The previously approved version of this ICR estimated the average 
annual burden to be 147,124 annual burden hours, with 73,538 total 
annual respondents. For this renewal, the estimated average annual 
burden is 162,476, with 81,209 total average annual respondents. The 
annual burden hourly increase of 15,352 is due to the increase in 
average annual respondents. This increase is in line with a growing 
U.S. economy and U.S. population for calendar years 2017, 2018 and 
2019.
    As described above, only first-time applicants seeking an FMCSA-
issued registration must apply via URS. Under URS, all forms in the OP-
1 series, except OP-1(MX), are folded into Form MCSA-1. Information 
collection activities associated with MCSA-1 are covered under a 
different ICR, titled ``FMCSA Registration/Updates,'' OMB Control 
Number 2126-0051.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1)

[[Page 86643]]

Whether the proposed collection is necessary for the FMCSA to perform 
its functions; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways for 
the FMCSA to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the 
collected information; and (4) ways that the burden could be minimized 
without reducing the quality of the collected information.

    Issued under the authority delegated in 49 CFR 1.87.
Thomas P. Keane,
Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Registration.
[FR Doc. 2020-28815 Filed 12-29-20; 8:45 am]
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