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Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for Comment; Limousine Crashworthiness Safety Research Publication: Federal Register Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Byline: Cem Hatipoglu Date: 7 October 2024 Subject: American Government  , Safety, Taxicabs & Limousines
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 194 (Monday, October 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81134-81136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23135]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2024-0054]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for
Comment; Limousine Crashworthiness Safety Research
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice and request for comments on a request for approval of a
new collection of information.
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SUMMARY: NHTSA invites public comments about our intention to request
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new
information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain
information from the public, it must receive approval from 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
reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document
describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek
OMB approval on a new information collection to research limousine
crash safety.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 6, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by the Docket No. NHTSA-
2024-0054 through any of the following methods:
Electronic submissions: Go to the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions
for submitting comments.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management, U.S. Department
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except on Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help
you, please call (202) 366-9322 before coming.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
docket number for this notice. 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 heading
below.
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 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the street
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the
dockets via internet.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access
to background documents, contact Jason Greb, Structures and Restraints
Research Division (NSR-210), (202) 366-3637, National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, W46-443, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), before an agency submits a proposed
collection of information to OMB for approval, it must first 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 regulation (at 5 CFR 1320.8(d)), an agency must
ask for public comment on the following: (a) 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; (b) 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; (c) how to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (d) 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
submission of responses. In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA
asks for public comments on the following proposed collection of
information for which the agency is seeking approval from OMB.
[[Page 81135]]
Title: Limousine Crashworthiness Safety Research
OMB Control Number: New
Form Number(s): NHTSA Form 1802 Interview Guide--OEM; NHTSA Form
1803 Interview Guide--OEM Program Non-Participant; NHTSA Form 1804
Interview Guide--OEM Program Participant.
Type of Request: New.
Type of Review Requested: Regular.
Requested Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of
approval.
Summary of the Collection of Information:
In an effort to understand the limousine market and the
characteristics of limousine vehicles with respect to crashworthiness
and occupant safety, and to comply with a Congressional mandate, the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking
approval for a new information collection request (ICR).
Many federal safety regulations (e.g., FMVSS Nos. 207, 208, 209,
210) do not currently apply to limousines and, as a result, the extent
of limousine crash safety features and performance is not well known.
Furthermore, limousine manufacturers fall into one of three categories
(Vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturer [OEM], OEM program
participant, and OEM program nonparticipants) and the respective
differences of these manufacturer's approach to fabrication and vehicle
safety requires targeted research. The proposed NHTSA research approach
will consist of one-time voluntary interviews of three groups related
to the limousine market: (a) Vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturer
[OEM], (b) OEM program participant, and (c) OEM program
nonparticipants. The interviews will consist of approximately 10-15
open-ended questions about limousine fabrication intended for reporting
on safety characteristics related to evacuation, crashworthiness,
occupant seating, and restraints. Three versions of the interview will
be used, one for each category of manufacturer. Interview results will
be collected and summarized in a final report available for public
consumption and the data will help provide NHTSA with data required for
necessary cost-benefit analyses prior to potential rulemaking
activities.
Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the
Information:
On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law),
Public Law 117-58. Sections 23015 and 23023 of the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law (BIL) mandated that the Secretary of Transportation,
NHTSA through delegation, shall conduct a variety of research and
actions including research into the development of motor vehicle safety
standards for side impact protection, roof crush resistance, and air
bag systems for the protection of occupants in limousines with
alternative seating positions--including perimeter seating
arrangements, safety features and standards that aid evacuation in the
event that an exit in the passenger compartment of a limousine is
blocked, and amending FMVSS Nos. 207, 208, 209, and 210 such that they
apply to limousines on each designated seating position, including
side-facing seats.
This information collection will also aid in any cost-benefit
analyses that would be required for promulgating new federal safety
regulation and other regulatory alternative considerations under
Executive Orders (E.O.) 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review), 13563
(Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review), and 14094 (Modernizing
Regulatory Review), DOT Order 2100.6A and the Department of
Transportation's regulatory policies and procedures. Therefore, NHTSA
has a need to understand the limousine market and characteristics of
limousine vehicles.
Affected Public: This includes selected limousine manufacturers/
fabricators which will fall into one of three categories, including
Vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), limousine fabricators
associated with an OEM limousine program (OEM program participant), and
limousine fabricator not associated with an OEM program (OEM program
nonparticipants). Participation is voluntary.
Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 53.
Frequency: Once.
Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 53 hours.
This information collection will consist of interviews conducted
across three categories of limousine manufacturers: Vehicle Original
Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), OEM program participant, and OEM program
nonparticipants. The interviews in this ICR will be one-time responses
of limousine manufacturers. For each manufacturer type, the target for
minimum number of responses is 10, and then approximately equal
distribution of the 11 remaining planned interviews to arrive at a
total of a minimum of 41 successful responses. These interviews will
take place over the entirety of the information collection (3-year
collection period). Respondents in some of the groups may be more
difficult for interview completion than others and thus the target
maximum respondent outreach of 160 contacts is as follows: the number
of interview attempts for a maximum of 20 OEMs will be contacted in
total with an annual average of 7 OEMs contacted (greatest expected
response rate), a maximum of 40 OEM program participants will be
contacted in total with an annual average of 13 OEM program
participants contacted (mid-range expected response), and a maximum of
100 OEM program non-participants will be contacted in total with an
annual average of 33 OEM program non-participants contacted (these will
be the smaller businesses and response rate is expected to be low).
While each interview guide varies slightly, the time to complete
the interview is not expected to vary greatly with an average of 60
minutes per interview. While NHTSA and the research team will
discontinue the interview process after a minimum of 41 successful
responses is complete across a relatively equal distribution of the
categories, there is no similar study to calculate response rates nor
average completion time of an incomplete response or declined
interview. Therefore, for calculation of burden, NHTSA and the research
team have used the maximum number of contacts to provide an absolute
maximum burden. The table below provides estimated burden costs and
hours, both total burden and annual burden. Based on the average
interview time from a preliminary round of nine interviews with
limousine manufacturers, the time required to complete each interview
is expected to be 60 minutes. This results in a total burden to
respondents of 160 hours for the entire study and an annual burden of
53 hours.
The database of respondents for limousine manufacturers will be
from S&P Global Mobility and their extensive canvasing of the
automotive industry. The respondents in each category will be selected
at random and given the opportunity to accept or decline the interview
before moving on to the subsequent outreach effort.
Estimated Annual Burden Cost: $4,999.
To calculate the labor cost associated with the interviews, NHTSA
looked at wage estimates for the type of personnel responding to the
interviews. NHTSA estimates the total labor costs associated with these
burden hours by looking at the average wage for Marketing/Sales
Managers in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
[[Page 81136]]
estimates that the average hourly wage for Marketing/Sales Managers
(BLS Occupation code 11-2020) in the Motor Vehicle Manufacturing
Industry is $66.60. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that
private industry workers' wages represent 70.6% of total labor
compensation costs. Therefore, NHTSA estimates the hourly labor costs
to be $94.33 for Marketing/Sales Managers.
NHTSA estimates the total burden cost for the complete study to be
$15,093, while the annual burden cost is estimated to be $4,999. Table
1 provides a summary of the estimated burden hours and labor costs
associated with those submissions. Note there are slight variations
between the total and the annual figures based on rounding.
Table 1--Burden Estimates
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Number of respondents Frequency of Hourly labor Burden costs
Information collection (total/annual) response Time (minutes) cost Burden hours (rounded)
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Interview Guide--OEM (NHTSA Form 20 total............. 1 60 $94.33 20 total............. $1,887 total
1802). 7 annual............. 7 annual............. $660 annual.
Interview Guide--OEM Program 40 total............. 1 60 94.33 40 total............. $,3773 total
Participant (NHTSA Form 1804). 13 annual............ 13 annual............ $1,226 annual.
Interview Guide--OEM Program Non- 100 total............ 1 60 94.33 100 total............ $9,433 total
participant (NHTSA Form 1803). 33 annual............ 33 annual............ $3,113 annual.
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Total.......................... ..................... .............. .............. .............. 160.................. $15,093.
Annual......................... ..................... .............. .............. .............. 53................... $4,999.
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Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspects of
this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the Department, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Department's estimate
of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) 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.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter
35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29A.
Cem Hatipoglu,
Associate Administrator, Office of Vehicle Safety Research.
[FR Doc. 2024-23135 Filed 10-4-24; 8:45 am]
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