83 FR 32950 - Agency Information Collection Activities; New Information Collection: Truck and Bus Maintenance Requirements and Their Impact on Safety

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 136 (July 16, 2018)

Page Range		32950-32952
FR Document		2018-15151

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. This new request titled ``Truck and Bus Maintenance Requirements and Their Impact on Safety'' will allow for a study that focuses on vehicle maintenance and aims to determine the impact of vehicle maintenance requirements on overall motor carrier safety. This information collection supports the DOT Strategic Goal of Safety.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 136 (Monday, July 16, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 136 (Monday, July 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32950-32952]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15151]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0189]


Agency Information Collection Activities; New Information 
Collection: Truck and Bus Maintenance Requirements and Their Impact on 
Safety

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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. This new request titled 
``Truck and Bus Maintenance Requirements and Their Impact on Safety'' 
will allow for a study that focuses on vehicle maintenance and aims to 
determine the impact of vehicle maintenance requirements on overall 
motor carrier safety. This information collection supports the DOT 
Strategic Goal of Safety.

DATES: We must receive your comments on or before September 14, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Federal Docket 
Management System (FDMS) Docket Number FMCSA-2018-0189 using any of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Operations; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. e.t., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and 
docket number. For detailed instructions on submitting comments, see 
the Public Participation heading below. 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.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov, and follow the 
online instructions for accessing the dockets, or go to the street 
address listed above.
    Privacy Act: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 
comments from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT 
posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information 
the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the 
system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 
www.dot.gov/privacy.
    Public Participation: The Federal eRulemaking Portal is available 
24 hours each day, 365 days each year. You can obtain electronic 
submission and retrieval help and guidelines under the ``help'' section 
of the Federal eRulemaking Portal website. If you want us to notify you 
that we received your comments, please include a self-addressed, 
stamped envelope or postcard, or print the acknowledgement page that 
appears after submitting comments online. Comments received after the 
comment closing date will be included in the docket and will be 
considered to the extent practicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Quon Y. Kwan, Program Manager, 
Technology Division, Department of Transportation, OA, West Building 
6th

[[Page 32951]]

Floor, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: 202-
385-2389; email quon.kwan@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: FMCSA's core mission is to reduce crashes, injuries, 
and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. To aid in 
accomplishing this, the Agency uses the Compliance, Safety, 
Accountability (CSA) enforcement program to prioritize and target 
interventions of those motor carriers who are most likely to be 
involved in a future crash. As part of the CSA program, the Agency 
deploys the Safety Measurement System (SMS). SMS uses inspection, 
crash, and investigation data captured in the Motor Carrier Management 
Information System (MCMIS) to calculate a percentile for each motor 
carrier. A motor carrier's SMS percentile is based on its past 
compliance with a complete range of safety-based regulations (such as 
driver safety, hours of service, driver fitness, and vehicle 
maintenance, among others). The survey described in this notice focuses 
on the vehicle maintenance component of those safety regulations. The 
study goal is to determine what improvements, ranging from better 
compliance interventions to better vehicle maintenance requirements, 
would enhance motor carrier safety.
    In 2014, the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center 
(Volpe) conducted a study to assess the effectiveness of SMS in 
identifying the highest risk motor carriers to be targeted for 
interventions. One finding from the study was that motor carriers 
targeted for intervention due to ``vehicle maintenance'' issues (i.e., 
violations) had a 65 percent higher crash rate compared to the national 
average. These violations are based on Federal and state inspections of 
components critical to the safe operation of the vehicle. It is 
important to recognize that proper and regular preventative maintenance 
(i.e., systematic maintenance programs) among carriers--rather than 
Federal and state inspections, which are by nature limited to the most 
visible or obvious safety-related components--should be the primary 
activity applied to ensure safe equipment operation.
    While these initial findings are important, they raise additional 
questions. One such question is prompted by the stipulation in 49 CFR 
396.3(a), which states that every carrier must have a program to 
``systematically inspect, repair, and maintain, or cause to be 
systematically inspected, repaired, and maintained, all motor vehicles 
and intermodal equipment subject to its control.'' Though this 
regulation provides some direction, there is no supporting definition 
of the word ``systematic,'' and because this term is subjective, it is 
likely to vary from one carrier to another. The lack of specificity 
regarding standard intervals for preventative maintenance makes it 
difficult for federal and state personnel to evaluate the effectiveness 
of and compliance with a carrier's maintenance program. Furthermore, 
the lack of specificity may make it difficult for carriers to ascertain 
and therefore comply with the regulation's intent.
    The current research effort, augmented by the proposed survey, is 
necessary to improve FMCSA's understanding of the safety impact of 
preventative vehicle maintenance and to clarify the requirements of 
section 396.3(a). The study objectives are as follows:
    1. Develop an operational definition of ``systematic maintenance.''
    2. Evaluate whether current regulations and the intervention 
process could be modified to improve compliance with vehicle 
maintenance requirements. Examples of such requirements are as follows: 
(i) Preventative maintenance intervals, (ii) preventative maintenance 
inspections with adequately trained/equipped mechanics, and (iii) 
adequacy of motor carriers' maintenance facilities. [However, the 
results of the survey will be used only to explore what areas of 
rulemaking and/or other areas, such as policy guidance and training, 
might be useful in the future; the results of the survey will not be 
used for rulemaking, per se.]
    3. Gather information to assist in establishing minimum standards 
for inspection intervals, mechanic qualifications and training, and 
certification of maintenance facilities.
    FMCSA is authorized to conduct this research under 49 U.S.C. 31108, 
Motor Carrier Research and Technology Programs. Under section 
31108(a)(3)(C), FMCSA may fund research, development, and technology 
projects that improve the safety and efficiency of commercial motor 
vehicle operations through technological innovation and improvement. 
This information collection supports the U.S. Department of 
Transportation (USDOT) strategic goal of Safety.
    Under contract to FMCSA, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute 
(VTTI) at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT) 
will use online surveys to obtain the data required to address the 
study objectives. The information collection will be administered in 
two phases:
    Phase I: Online Recruitment Survey. This voluntary, seven-question 
survey will screen carriers and verify their eligibility for Phase II 
participation. To be eligible for Phase II participation, carriers must 
fall into one of two groups: (a) The Recommended Practices (RP) Group, 
which includes carriers with the lowest Vehicle Maintenance and Crash 
Indicator Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASIC) 
percentiles (i.e., less than or equal to the 33rd percentile); or (b) 
the Intervention Effects (IE) Group, which includes carriers that have 
experienced Federal or State interventions in the last 24 months due to 
vehicle maintenance violations. The BASICs are Unsafe Driving, Crash 
Indicator, Hours-of-Service (HOS) compliance, Vehicle Maintenance, 
Controlled Substances/Alcohol, Hazardous Materials (HM) Compliance, and 
Driver Fitness. More information on the SMS methodology can be found at 
https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documents/SMSMethodology.pdf.
    Phase II: Carrier Maintenance Management Survey. This voluntary, 
106-question survey will include questions about demographics; 
maintenance practices, intervals, personnel, and facilities; and State 
and Federal inspections, among other things. The Phase II survey will 
employ branch logic; as such, carriers will be prompted to complete 
different sections based on their survey group (and for one section, 
carrier size). Consequently, no participating carrier will be asked to 
complete all 106 questions.
    In the Phase II survey, carriers (of all sizes) in the RP Group 
will be asked to provide additional information about maintenance 
personnel and facilities (e.g., mechanic training levels, tools 
required for adequate inspection, and certification of facilities) and 
vehicle maintenance issues that may impact safety. Information from the 
RP Group will seek to address Objective 1, relating to development of 
an operational definition of ``systematic maintenance,'' Objective 2, 
and Objective 3, relating to establishment of minimum standards for 
inspection intervals, mechanic qualifications and training, and 
certification of maintenance facilities.
    Carriers in the IE Group will be asked to complete the section on 
intervention effects, which includes questions about the status of 
active interventions or investigations; results of closed interventions 
or investigations; interactions with State versus Federal agencies; 
intervention activities experienced; the accuracy of violations leading 
to interventions; actions taken in response to interventions; changes 
in

[[Page 32952]]

carrier vehicle maintenance practices as a result of an intervention; 
significant benefits of interventions; and ways the intervention 
process could be improved. Information provided by the IE Group will 
address the portion of Objective 2 regarding sufficiency of regulations 
and where interventions need to be improved to facilitate complying 
with these regulations.
    Survey responses will be summarized and reported using plots, 
tables, content analysis, and calculated summary statistics. Plots and 
tables will provide a visual comparison of multiple choice and checkbox 
survey responses for successful carriers (i.e., carriers in the RP 
Group) and those receiving interventions in the last 24 months (i.e., 
carriers in the IE Group). These methods will also allow researchers to 
summarize responses by carrier operation type (i.e., truck or bus) and 
size. Bar charts will be used to plot responses to many survey 
questions. Some survey responses may be summarized with tables with 
rows for each of the carrier operation types (truck or bus) and each 
carrier-size subgroup. To explore and summarize responses to open-ended 
survey questions, researchers will use content analysis methods. An 
illustration of an open-ended question in the survey is ``List examples 
of critical safety-related maintenance activities for trailer vehicle 
milestones.'' The goal of content analysis of open-ended questions will 
be to identify common answers.
    The results of this information collection will be documented in a 
technical report to be delivered to and published by FMCSA. In 
addition, the results will be used to create a ``recommended best 
practices'' report that will outline minimum standards for inspection 
intervals, mechanic qualifications and training, and certification of 
maintenance facilities. Finally, VTTI is required under the contract 
with FMCSA to compile and analyze the collected information and develop 
a public-use data set.
    This ICR is for a one-time data collection. If this data collection 
does not take place, the truck and bus industry would continue to 
operate with the uncertainty of what a ``systematic maintenance'' 
program, as currently worded in section 396.3(a), consists of. This 
term's ambiguous definition makes it difficult for federal and state 
inspectors to evaluate the effectiveness of a carrier's maintenance 
program or its compliance with this provision. Furthermore, this 
uncertainty may make it difficult for carriers to ascertain and 
therefore comply with the regulation's intent.
    Title: Truck and Bus Maintenance Requirements and Their Impact on 
Safety.
    OMB Control Number: 2126-XXXX.
    Type of Request: New information collection.
    Respondents: Freight motor carriers and passenger carriers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 578 respondents [578 respondents 
will complete the Online Recruitment Survey. Of those 578 respondents, 
289 will also complete the Carrier Maintenance Manager Survey].
    Estimated Time per Response: Varies [Online Recruitment Survey: 5 
minutes. Carrier Maintenance Manager Survey: 45 minutes].
    Expiration Date: 3 years after approval.
    Frequency of Response: Once.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 265 hours [Online Recruitment 
Survey: 578 respondents x (5 minutes / 60 minutes) = 48 hours; Carrier 
Maintenance Manager Survey: 289 respondents x (45 minutes / 60 minutes) 
= 217 hours].
    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 performance of FMCSA's functions; (2) 
the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways for 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 or include your 
comments in the request for OMB's clearance of this information 
collection.

    Issued under the authority of 49 CFR 1.87 on: July 10, 2018.
Kelly Regal,
Associate Administrator for Office of Research and Information 
Technology.
[FR Doc. 2018-15151 Filed 7-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P

32950 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 136 / Monday, July 16, 2018 / Notices

preview of proposed enhancements to addition, NAS held three public ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
the SMS website, responded to meetings to engage stakeholders from identified by Federal Docket
comments to the June 2015 Federal the truck and bus industry, safety Management System (FDMS) Docket
Register notice, and advised of advocates, researchers, and other Number FMCSA–2018–0189 using any
additional enhancements. government organizations. The meeting of the following methods:
As a result, the preview reflected six agendas are included in an appendix to • Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://
potential changes to the SMS the report. FMCSA accepted the NAS www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
methodology for calculating percentiles. report’s recommendations, including instructions for submitting comments.
1. SMS Intervention Thresholds were the recommendation to develop a new • Fax: 1–202–493–2251.
adjusted to better reflect correlation to statistical model to support the SMS, • Mail: Docket Operations; U.S.
crash risk. and is working to implement the Department of Transportation, 1200
2. Changes to the HM Compliance recommended changes. The NAS New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building,
BASIC to segment by CT and non-CT cautioned the Agency against making Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
carriers and to post motor carrier changes to the algorithm based on ad Washington, DC 20590–0001.
percentile rankings under the HM hoc analysis and instead to rely on the • Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S.
Compliance BASIC to the public. Item Response Theory model. Department of Transportation, 1200
3. Reclassifying violations for New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building,
operating while OOS under the Unsafe SMS Preview Site
Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
Driving BASIC rather than the BASIC of As a result of the ongoing Washington, DC 20590–0001 between 9
the underlying OOS violation. implementation of the NAS a.m. and 5 p.m. e.t., Monday through
4. Increasing the maximum vehicle recommendations, FMCSA removed the Friday, except Federal holidays.
miles traveled used in the Utilization preview from the SMS website and will Instructions: All submissions must
Factor to more accurately reflect the not be proceeding with the proposed include the Agency name and docket
operations of high-utilization carriers. changes at this time. number. For detailed instructions on
5. Increasing the minimum number of submitting comments, see the Public
crashes in the Crash Indicator BASIC Issued on: July 10, 2018.
Raymond P. Martinez, Participation heading below. Note that
from two to three. all comments received will be posted
6. Assigning BASIC percentiles only Administrator.
without change to http://
to carriers that have had an inspection [FR Doc. 2018–15109 Filed 7–13–18; 8:45 am]
www.regulations.gov, including any
with a violation in the past year. BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P
Only 25 comments were received on personal information provided. Please
the preview from 11 individuals, five see the Privacy Act heading below.
trucking or bus companies, nine Docket: For access to the docket to
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
associations and one safety consultant. read background documents or
Eight commenters posted comments Federal Motor Carrier Safety comments received, go to http://
regarding determining the preventability Administration www.regulations.gov, and follow the
of crashes; therefore, these comments online instructions for accessing the
were outside of the scope of the notice. dockets, or go to the street address listed
[Docket No. FMCSA–2018–0189]
Four other commenters made broad above.
comments about the Agency that were Agency Information Collection Privacy Act: In accordance with 5
not applicable to this notice. In Activities; New Information Collection: U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments
addition, the Insurance Institute of Truck and Bus Maintenance from the public to better inform its
Highway Safety provided a copy of their Requirements and Their Impact on rulemaking process. DOT posts these
report titled ‘‘Crash Risk Factors for Safety comments, without edit, including any
Interstate Large Trucks in North personal information the commenter
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety provides, to www.regulations.gov, as
Carolina’’ as support for the Agency’s
Administration (FMCSA), DOT. described in the system of records
correlation of vehicle maintenance to
crashes. ACTION: Notice and request for notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can
comments. be reviewed at www.dot.gov/privacy.
FAST Act Correlation Study Public Participation: The Federal
Section 5221 of the FAST Act, titled SUMMARY: In accordance with the eRulemaking Portal is available 24
‘‘Correlation Study,’’ required FMCSA Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, hours each day, 365 days each year. You
to commission the National Research FMCSA announces its plan to submit can obtain electronic submission and
Council of the National Academies to the Information Collection Request (ICR) retrieval help and guidelines under the
conduct a study of FMCSA’s CSA described below to the Office of ‘‘help’’ section of the Federal
program and SMS. Management and Budget (OMB) for its eRulemaking Portal website. If you want
On June 27, 2017, NAS published the review and approval and invites public us to notify you that we received your
report titled ‘‘Improving Motor Carrier comment. This new request titled comments, please include a self-
Safety Measurement.’’ The report is ‘‘Truck and Bus Maintenance addressed, stamped envelope or
available at https://www.nap.edu/ Requirements and Their Impact on postcard, or print the acknowledgement
catalog/24818/improving-motor-carrier- Safety’’ will allow for a study that page that appears after submitting
safety-measurement. In preparing the focuses on vehicle maintenance and comments online. Comments received
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

report, NAS collected and analyzed all aims to determine the impact of vehicle after the comment closing date will be
the quantitative data available to maintenance requirements on overall included in the docket and will be
FMCSA in its databases, which contain motor carrier safety. This information considered to the extent practicable.
information on the safety of commercial collection supports the DOT Strategic FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
motor carriers and drivers subject to the Goal of Safety. Quon Y. Kwan, Program Manager,
Federal Motor Carrier Safety DATES: We must receive your comments Technology Division, Department of
Regulations and the HM Regulations. In on or before September 14, 2018. Transportation, OA, West Building 6th

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:31 Jul 13, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00119 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\16JYN1.SGM 16JYN1

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 136 / Monday, July 16, 2018 / Notices 32951

Floor, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, control.’’ Though this regulation Phase I: Online Recruitment Survey.
Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: provides some direction, there is no This voluntary, seven-question survey
202–385–2389; email quon.kwan@ supporting definition of the word will screen carriers and verify their
dot.gov. ‘‘systematic,’’ and because this term is eligibility for Phase II participation. To
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
subjective, it is likely to vary from one be eligible for Phase II participation,
Background: FMCSA’s core mission is carrier to another. The lack of specificity carriers must fall into one of two groups:
to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities regarding standard intervals for (a) The Recommended Practices (RP)
involving large trucks and buses. To aid preventative maintenance makes it Group, which includes carriers with the
in accomplishing this, the Agency uses difficult for federal and state personnel lowest Vehicle Maintenance and Crash
the Compliance, Safety, Accountability to evaluate the effectiveness of and Indicator Behavior Analysis and Safety
(CSA) enforcement program to prioritize compliance with a carrier’s maintenance Improvement Categories (BASIC)
and target interventions of those motor program. Furthermore, the lack of percentiles (i.e., less than or equal to the
carriers who are most likely to be specificity may make it difficult for 33rd percentile); or (b) the Intervention
involved in a future crash. As part of the carriers to ascertain and therefore Effects (IE) Group, which includes
CSA program, the Agency deploys the comply with the regulation’s intent. carriers that have experienced Federal
The current research effort, or State interventions in the last 24
Safety Measurement System (SMS).
augmented by the proposed survey, is months due to vehicle maintenance
SMS uses inspection, crash, and
necessary to improve FMCSA’s violations. The BASICs are Unsafe
investigation data captured in the Motor understanding of the safety impact of Driving, Crash Indicator, Hours-of-
Carrier Management Information System preventative vehicle maintenance and to Service (HOS) compliance, Vehicle
(MCMIS) to calculate a percentile for clarify the requirements of section Maintenance, Controlled Substances/
each motor carrier. A motor carrier’s 396.3(a). The study objectives are as Alcohol, Hazardous Materials (HM)
SMS percentile is based on its past follows: Compliance, and Driver Fitness. More
compliance with a complete range of 1. Develop an operational definition information on the SMS methodology
safety-based regulations (such as driver of ‘‘systematic maintenance.’’ can be found at https://
safety, hours of service, driver fitness, 2. Evaluate whether current csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documents/
and vehicle maintenance, among regulations and the intervention process SMSMethodology.pdf.
others). The survey described in this could be modified to improve Phase II: Carrier Maintenance
notice focuses on the vehicle compliance with vehicle maintenance Management Survey. This voluntary,
maintenance component of those safety requirements. Examples of such 106-question survey will include
regulations. The study goal is to requirements are as follows: (i) questions about demographics;
determine what improvements, ranging Preventative maintenance intervals, (ii) maintenance practices, intervals,
from better compliance interventions to preventative maintenance inspections personnel, and facilities; and State and
better vehicle maintenance with adequately trained/equipped Federal inspections, among other things.
requirements, would enhance motor mechanics, and (iii) adequacy of motor The Phase II survey will employ branch
carrier safety. carriers’ maintenance facilities. logic; as such, carriers will be prompted
In 2014, the John A. Volpe National [However, the results of the survey will to complete different sections based on
Transportation Systems Center (Volpe) be used only to explore what areas of their survey group (and for one section,
conducted a study to assess the rulemaking and/or other areas, such as carrier size). Consequently, no
effectiveness of SMS in identifying the policy guidance and training, might be participating carrier will be asked to
highest risk motor carriers to be targeted useful in the future; the results of the complete all 106 questions.
for interventions. One finding from the survey will not be used for rulemaking, In the Phase II survey, carriers (of all
study was that motor carriers targeted per se.] sizes) in the RP Group will be asked to
for intervention due to ‘‘vehicle 3. Gather information to assist in provide additional information about
maintenance’’ issues (i.e., violations) establishing minimum standards for maintenance personnel and facilities
had a 65 percent higher crash rate inspection intervals, mechanic (e.g., mechanic training levels, tools
compared to the national average. These qualifications and training, and required for adequate inspection, and
violations are based on Federal and state certification of maintenance facilities. certification of facilities) and vehicle
inspections of components critical to FMCSA is authorized to conduct this maintenance issues that may impact
the safe operation of the vehicle. It is research under 49 U.S.C. 31108, Motor safety. Information from the RP Group
important to recognize that proper and Carrier Research and Technology will seek to address Objective 1, relating
regular preventative maintenance (i.e., Programs. Under section 31108(a)(3)(C), to development of an operational
systematic maintenance programs) FMCSA may fund research, definition of ‘‘systematic maintenance,’’
among carriers—rather than Federal and development, and technology projects Objective 2, and Objective 3, relating to
state inspections, which are by nature that improve the safety and efficiency of establishment of minimum standards for
limited to the most visible or obvious commercial motor vehicle operations inspection intervals, mechanic
safety-related components—should be through technological innovation and qualifications and training, and
the primary activity applied to ensure improvement. This information certification of maintenance facilities.
safe equipment operation. collection supports the U.S. Department Carriers in the IE Group will be asked
While these initial findings are of Transportation (USDOT) strategic to complete the section on intervention
important, they raise additional goal of Safety. effects, which includes questions about
questions. One such question is Under contract to FMCSA, the the status of active interventions or
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

prompted by the stipulation in 49 CFR Virginia Tech Transportation Institute investigations; results of closed
396.3(a), which states that every carrier (VTTI) at the Virginia Polytechnic interventions or investigations;
must have a program to ‘‘systematically Institute and State University (VT) will interactions with State versus Federal
inspect, repair, and maintain, or cause use online surveys to obtain the data agencies; intervention activities
to be systematically inspected, repaired, required to address the study objectives. experienced; the accuracy of violations
and maintained, all motor vehicles and The information collection will be leading to interventions; actions taken
intermodal equipment subject to its administered in two phases: in response to interventions; changes in

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:31 Jul 13, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00120 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\16JYN1.SGM 16JYN1

32952 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 136 / Monday, July 16, 2018 / Notices

carrier vehicle maintenance practices as Title: Truck and Bus Maintenance Statement (PEIS) to evaluate the
a result of an intervention; significant Requirements and Their Impact on potential direct, indirect, and
benefits of interventions; and ways the Safety. cumulative environmental
intervention process could be improved. OMB Control Number: 2126–XXXX. consequences of continued operation
Information provided by the IE Group Type of Request: New information and administration of VA’s Housing
will address the portion of Objective 2 collection. Loan Program (HLP). VA’s reference to
regarding sufficiency of regulations and Respondents: Freight motor carriers the HLP includes federal assistance,
where interventions need to be and passenger carriers. administered by the Veterans Benefits
improved to facilitate complying with Estimated Number of Respondents: Administration (VBA), in the form of
these regulations. 578 respondents [578 respondents will loans made, insured, or guaranteed by
Survey responses will be summarized complete the Online Recruitment VA. It also includes housing benefits
and reported using plots, tables, content Survey. Of those 578 respondents, 289 that can be used in conjunction with the
analysis, and calculated summary will also complete the Carrier HLP (e.g., the Specially Adapted
statistics. Plots and tables will provide Maintenance Manager Survey]. Housing program). Under the HLP, VBA
a visual comparison of multiple choice Estimated Time per Response: Varies is also responsible for the management,
and checkbox survey responses for [Online Recruitment Survey: 5 minutes. marketing, and disposition of real estate
successful carriers (i.e., carriers in the Carrier Maintenance Manager Survey: owned (REO) properties that VA
RP Group) and those receiving 45 minutes]. acquires following the foreclosure of
interventions in the last 24 months (i.e., Expiration Date: 3 years after certain VA-guaranteed loans and loans
carriers in the IE Group). These methods approval. held in VA’s portfolio. This notice
will also allow researchers to Frequency of Response: Once. opens the public scoping phase and
summarize responses by carrier Estimated Total Annual Burden: 265
invites interested parties to identify
operation type (i.e., truck or bus) and hours [Online Recruitment Survey: 578
potential issues, concerns, and
size. Bar charts will be used to plot respondents × (5 minutes ÷ 60 minutes)
reasonable alternatives that should be
responses to many survey questions. = 48 hours; Carrier Maintenance
considered in the PEIS. Following the
Some survey responses may be Manager Survey: 289 respondents × (45
scoping meeting referenced below, a
summarized with tables with rows for minutes ÷ 60 minutes) = 217 hours].
Draft PEIS will be prepared and
each of the carrier operation types (truck Public Comments Invited: You are
circulated for public comment.
or bus) and each carrier-size subgroup. asked to comment on any aspect of this
information collection, including: (1) DATES: All written comments should be
To explore and summarize responses to
open-ended survey questions, Whether the proposed collection is submitted by August 15, 2018.
researchers will use content analysis necessary for the performance of VA invites federal, state, tribal, and
methods. An illustration of an open- FMCSA’s functions; (2) the accuracy of local entities; non-profit organizations;
ended question in the survey is ‘‘List the estimated burden; (3) ways for businesses; interested parties; and the
examples of critical safety-related FMCSA to enhance the quality, general public to comment on the
maintenance activities for trailer vehicle usefulness, and clarity of the collected proposed scope and content of the PEIS.
milestones.’’ The goal of content information; and (4) ways that the VA will consider all scoping comments
analysis of open-ended questions will burden could be minimized without in developing the PEIS. VA will conduct
be to identify common answers. reducing the quality of the collected a public scoping meeting on Thursday,
The results of this information information. The agency will summarize August 2, 2018, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
collection will be documented in a or include your comments in the request at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel
technical report to be delivered to and for OMB’s clearance of this information and Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli
published by FMCSA. In addition, the collection. Road, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The
results will be used to create a scoping meeting will afford the public
Issued under the authority of 49 CFR 1.87
‘‘recommended best practices’’ report an opportunity to learn more about the
on: July 10, 2018.
that will outline minimum standards for project and provide input on the
Kelly Regal,
inspection intervals, mechanic environmental analysis process. During
Associate Administrator for Office of the meeting, VA will provide an
qualifications and training, and Research and Information Technology.
certification of maintenance facilities. overview of the project, as well as
[FR Doc. 2018–15151 Filed 7–13–18; 8:45 am] details regarding the PEIS scope,
Finally, VTTI is required under the
contract with FMCSA to compile and BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P purpose, and need. VA will also outline
analyze the collected information and the overall NEPA process. Additionally,
develop a public-use data set. VA will post a scoping presentation on
This ICR is for a one-time data DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS a publicly available website during the
collection. If this data collection does AFFAIRS 30-day scoping period. Such
not take place, the truck and bus presentation will be available at http://
industry would continue to operate with Notice of Intent To Prepare a www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/
the uncertainty of what a ‘‘systematic Programmatic Environmental Impact environmental_impact.asp.
maintenance’’ program, as currently Statement of the Department of Proposed Actions and Alternatives:
worded in section 396.3(a), consists of. Veterans Affairs Housing Loan VA’s Proposed Action is to continue
This term’s ambiguous definition makes Program administering the HLP and
it difficult for federal and state incorporating programmatic changes as
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
inspectors to evaluate the effectiveness ACTION: Notice of intent. necessitated by amendments to program
of a carrier’s maintenance program or its authorities, Veteran need, market
compliance with this provision. SUMMARY: Under the authority of the conditions, and factors not foreseen at
Furthermore, this uncertainty may make National Environmental Policy Act the time of this publication.
it difficult for carriers to ascertain and (NEPA) and its implementing VA’s No Action Alternative refers to
therefore comply with the regulation’s regulations, VA intends to prepare a a scenario wherein VA operates the HLP
intent. Programmatic Environmental Impact in a manner consistent with policies

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:31 Jul 13, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00121 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\16JYN1.SGM 16JYN1

Document Created: 2018-07-14 00:54:12
Document Modified: 2018-07-14 00:54:12

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice and request for comments.
Dates		We must receive your comments on or before September 14, 2018.
Contact		Quon Y. Kwan, Program Manager, Technology Division, Department of Transportation, OA, West Building 6th Floor, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: 202- 385-2389; email [email protected]
FR Citation		83 FR 32950

83 FR 32950 - Agency Information Collection Activities; New Information Collection: Truck and Bus Maintenance Requirements and Their Impact on Safety

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONFederal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 136 (July 16, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration