Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection

Topics:  Federal Highway Administration

Juli Huynh
Federal Register
May 25, 2011

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30422-30423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12998]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2011-0036]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for a New Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to 
request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new 
information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day 
public comment period on this information collection on December 29, 
2010. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by June 24, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments within 30 days to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention DOT Desk Officer. 
You are asked to comment on any aspect of this information collection, 
including: (1) Whether the proposed collection is necessary for the 
FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways 
for the FHWA to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the 
collected information; and (4) ways that the burden could be minimized, 
including the use of electronic technology, without reducing the 
quality of the collected information. All comments should include the 
Docket number FHWA-2011-0036.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allen Greenberg at 
allen.greenberg@dot.gov or (202) 366-2425, Office of Operations, 
Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590,

[[Page 30423]]

Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program initial stage 
research on the topic of Dynamic Ridesharing.
    Background: The Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program was 
established to conduct longer term, higher risk research that will 
result in potentially dramatic breakthroughs for improving the 
durability, efficiency, environmental performance, productivity, and 
safety of highway and intermodal transportation systems. To facilitate 
identification and assessment of higher-risk, breakthrough research 
topics, the Program conducts literature reviews, event scanning, and 
targeted convening. As part of an assessment of potential high-risk, 
breakthrough research on dynamic ridesharing, the EAR Program is 
conducting this collection of information on behavioral preferences 
using focus groups.
    As a response to the opening of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes 
in the Washington, D.C., metro area in the mid-1970s, a unique 
commuting phenomenon developed, commonly known as ``slugging.'' This 
type of single-trip dynamic carpooling evolved from drivers and 
passengers coming together to fulfill each party's needs (e.g., 
allowing drivers to meet HOV requirements and thus use the express 
travel lanes while riders receive a free, potentially faster trip to 
work). Academic and entrepreneurial types alike are looking at ways to 
facilitate dynamic ridesharing through technological means. Some 
suggestions for enhancing dynamic ridesharing include website forums 
that connect drivers with riders and Smartphone applications that would 
allow drivers and riders to register and connect with each other. These 
efforts build off of the success of three meeting-place based dynamic 
ridesharing systems that exist in Houston, San Francisco, and 
Washington, DC. The three systems have no formal leadership or 
management; rather they have evolved to fulfill a need for carpools 
created by the presence of HOV lanes. These naturally occurring dynamic 
ridesharing systems operate by having drivers and riders meet at 
central, easily accessible locations, such as park-and-ride lots where 
they create instantaneous carpools based on desired destinations. The 
sluglines are highly successful and have existed for a long time (30+ 
years in the case of DC.), and they are a critical component to these 
robust dynamic ridesharing systems which serve thousands of commuters 
each weekday. Despite their success and interesting nature, exploring 
dynamic ridesharing programs warrant further evaluation.
    Focus group participants will be recruited based on a number of 
criteria. The primary factors are whether participants have utilized 
dynamic carpooling, the frequency of their use and whether they use 
dynamic ridesharing to commute to work. Participants would not be 
representing their place of work, and they would be asked to 
participate as members of the public on their own time outside of work 
hours.
    Respondents: The Focus Group will send approximately 108 
participants on a three-city tour (Washington, DC; San Francisco, CA; 
and Houston, TX) to study the informal, dynamic carpooling systems in 
each city. The government expects the contractor to recruit slugging/
casual carpooling participants in each city.
    Frequency: Annually
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: There will be approximately 
9 focus groups total (3 in each city); with each group consisting of 12 
participants with a time commitment of 1.5 hours each person. The 
screening for potential participants will take approximately 5 minutes 
per person. There will be approximately 108 participants.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: The annual burden for the 
Focus Group would be between 162 hours. The annual burden for screening 
participants will be 9 hours.
    Annual Total = 171 hours.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued On: May 19, 2011.
Juli Huynh,
Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 2011-12998 Filed 5-24-11; 8:45 am]
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