[Federal Register: October 26, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 206)]
[Notices]
[Page 61877-61878]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26oc05-146]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA-2005-22650]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Request for Comment;
Clearance of a New Information Collection: Commercial Driver's License
Policies and Practices Among the 51 Jurisdictions
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public about FMCSA's intention to
request Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for a new
information collection concerning the Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
policies and practices among the 50 States and the District of Columbia
(referred to as the 51 jurisdictions). This information is needed to
identify where problems exist within the CDL Program and how to address
those problems through new or revised safety initiatives. This notice
is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 27, 2005.
ADDRESSES: All comments should reference Docket No. FMCSA-2005-22650.
You may mail or hand deliver comments to the U.S. Department of
Transportation, Dockets Management Facility, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590; telefax comments to 202/493-2251; or
submit electronically at http://dms.dot.gov.
You may examine and copy all comments received at the above address
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. If you desire your comment to be acknowledged, you must
include a self-addressed stamped envelope or postcard or, if you submit
your comments electronically, you may print the acknowledgment.
[[Page 61878]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Glenda Davis, phone (202) 366-
5209; FAX (202) 366-7298; or e-mail glenda.davis@fmcsa.dot.gov; Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Administration, DOT, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20590. For additional information and copies of the
information collection instrument and instructions, contact Ms. Lorena
F. Truett, National Transportation Research Center, 2360 Cherahala
Boulevard, Room I-32, Knoxville, TN 37932; phone (865) 946-1306; FAX
(865) 946-1314; or e-mail: TruettLF@ornl.gov. Office hours are from
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Commercial Driver's License Policies and Practices Among the
51 Jurisdictions.
OMB Control No: 2126-XXXX.
Background: In 1986, the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act
(CMVSA) (Public Law 99-570, Title XII, 100 Stat. 3207-170 (October 27,
1986)) was passed in an effort to improve highway safety as it related
to commercial motor vehicle drivers. The CDL program was created as a
result of that Act. The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act (MCSIA) of
1999 (Public Law 106-159,113 Stat. 1748 (December 9, 1999)) further
strengthened the CDL Program through more vehicle and driver
inspections and carrier compliance reviews, stronger enforcement,
expedited completion of rules, and effective CDL testing, record
keeping, and sanctions. The goal of both the CMVSA and MCSIA was to
improve highway safety by ensuring that drivers of commercial vehicles
were qualified to operate those vehicles and to remove unsafe and
unqualified drivers from the highways.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), within the
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), conducts Compliance Reviews
(CRs) of the 50 States and the District of Columbia in Washington, DC,
to ensure that the States are complying with the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). Additional objectives of the State CRs
include the following: identifying technical, operational, and
administrative deficiencies in State CDL programs; establishing a
mechanism for identifying and correcting serious program deficiencies;
and identifying opportunities for CDL fraud.
FMCSA conducted CRs on every State. Based on the results of the
State CRs, some States had fewer compliance issues than others. It
appears, however, that each State was in non-compliance to some degree
at the time the CR was conducted in the State. It is necessary for
FMCSA to understand why the States are in non-compliance. While there
is anecdotal evidence that the fault may lie with the various processes
within the States, or a failure by FMCSA to provide adequate guidance,
or even with the Federal regulations, there has been no systematic
effort to determine the cause of State non-compliance with the CDL
requirements. For FMCSA to find a solution which brings the States into
compliance with the CDL Federal regulations and increases commercial-
vehicle safety, FMCSA must obtain input from the States.
The primary means for obtaining information from the State
officials will be via a password-protected Web site. In the
introduction (``welcome screen'') to the questionnaire, the respondent
will be provided alternatives for taking the survey via a paper copy or
over the phone with an FMCSA contractor. If the respondent indicates a
preference for the paper copy or phone survey, arrangements will be
made for administering the survey in the desired format. In addition,
any respondents who prefer to be interviewed via a phone call will also
be provided an e-mail address so they may submit additional comments if
desired.
Respondents: Each of the 51 jurisdictions (50 States plus the
District of Columbia) will be contacted.
Frequency: Once.
Estimated Average Burden per Response: 1 hour per response.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 51 hours (51 jurisdictions x 1
hour per response).
Public Comments Invited
You are asked to comment on any aspect of this information
collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed collection is necessary
for the FMCSA's performance; (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.
The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request
for OMB's clearance of this information collection.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35, as amended; Pub. L. 99-570, Title XII, 100 Stat. 3207-
170 (October 27, 1986); Pub. L. 106-159, 113 Stat. 1748 (December 9,
1999); and 49 CFR Sec. 1.73.
Issued on: October 21, 2005.
Annette M. Sandberg,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05-21397 Filed 10-25-05; 8:45 am]
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