Request for Reinstatement of an Expired Information Collection: American Travel Survey

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 98 (Friday, May 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27852-27853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12822]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Bureau of Transportation Statistics
[Docket No. BTS-99-5696]


Request for Reinstatement of an Expired Information Collection: 
American Travel Survey

AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The American Travel Survey (ATS) provides information on the 
travel patterns of the American public and how travel is changing over 
time. In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, BTS intends to request clearance from the Office of 
Management Budget (OMB) for this information collection.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by July 20, 1999.

ADDRESSES: All signed, written comments should refer to the docket 
number that appears in the heading of this document and must be 
submitted to the Docket Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. All comments received 
will be available for examination at the above address between 10:00 
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. Those desiring notification of receipt of comments must 
include a self-addressed, stamped envelope or postcard.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Heather Contrino, MacroSys 
Research and Technology for the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 
phone: (202) 366-6584, fax: (202) 366-3640, heather.contrino@bts.gov, 
Office of Statistical Programs and Services, Bureau of Transportation 
Statistics, 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: American Travel Survey (ATS).
    OMB Number: 2139-New.
    Needs and Uses: Under 49 U.S.C. 111, BTS is authorized to and 
responsible for collecting data related to the performance of the 
nation's transportation systems. The American Travel Survey provides 
data on the interregional flows of passenger travel.

[[Page 27853]]

Similar data is collected by the Travel Industry Association (TIA), 
however the information is proprietary, is focused on the travel and 
tourism industry, and excludes data on shorter distance trips. BTS and 
DOT will use the information to analyze the volumes and patterns of 
travel, the safety risks associated with travel, the role of travel in 
economic productivity, and the accessibility of transportation 
services. The data are also used in a number of ways by other Federal 
agencies, State and local governments, transportation-related 
associations, private businesses, and consumers to better understand 
the amount and nature of personal travel by the American public.
    Because travel patterns change over time, BTS must update its 
information periodically. For instance, the aging of the baby boomers, 
changes in household composition, and changes in the roles of women 
will likely affect long-distance travel patterns. Therefore, BTS plans 
to conduct this survey every five years. The first was conducted in 
1995 by the U.S. Census Bureau under a contract with BTS and was 
approved under OMB number 0607-0792.
    This survey will be coordinated with the Nationwide Personal Travel 
Survey (NPTS) conducted by DOT's Federal Highway Administration. The 
NPTS collects detailed data on all trips, but since it includes a one-
day travel period its focus is on daily local travel. In contrast, the 
focus of the ATS is on longer distance travel with an expected travel 
period ranging from four to six weeks. Together, the surveys will 
provide a comprehensive picture of travel, allowing transportation 
professionals to make more informed decisions.
    In conducting the survey, the interviewers would use computer-
assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) to reduce survey length and 
minimize recording errors. The information obtained from households 
will only be used for statistical purposes and will not be disclosed or 
used in identifiable form for any other purposes.
    Respondents: Approximately 26,000 households, selected randomly by 
phone number, will complete the survey. Their participation is 
voluntary. On the first call, BTS will collect basic information about 
the household. The household will be given a specific reporting period 
and household members will receive calendars and instructions. Each 
household member will be asked to record all trips over 50 miles taken 
during the reporting period. The day after the end of the reporting 
period, BTS will contact the household to collect information on their 
trips made over the past two to six weeks. For children, an adult 
household member will be asked to report their travel. In the pretest, 
2,000 households will be interviewed and appropriate reporting periods 
and improved methods for reducing burden will be evaluated. A total of 
two interviews will take place in both the pretest and the full survey. 
In the first interview (household interview), information about the 
household will be obtained from one member of the household. In the 
second interview (trip retrieval interview), information on trips taken 
during the reporting period will be obtained from all household 
members.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: The estimated average time 
per person to complete the household interview is 9 minutes per 
household and it is estimated that the burden for the trip retrieval 
interview is 8 minutes per person. One member of each household will 
participate in both interviews for a total of 17 minutes. The remaining 
household members will participate in the trip retrieval interview of 8 
minutes per person.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: Including screener attempts, 
partially completed interviews, and trip recording burden, the 
estimated total burden for the pretest is 2,516 hours, 32, 712 hours 
for the full survey, and 1,640 hours for the non-response follow up 
survey. This assumes an average of 2.6 persons per household and 
equates to a total annual burden of 36,868 hours.
    Public Comments Invited: BTS requests comments regarding any aspect 
of this information collection, including, but not limited to: (1) The 
necessity and utility of the information collection for the proper 
performance of the functions of the Bureau of Transportation 
Statistics; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the collected information; 
and (4) ways to minimize the collection burden without reducing the 
quality of the collected information. Comments submitted in response to 
this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB's 
clearance of this information collection.
    Electronic Availability: An electronic copy of this document may be 
downloaded using a modem and suitable communications software from the 
Federal Register electronic bulletin board service (telephone number: 
202-512-1661). Internet users may reach the Federal Register's web site 
at https://www.access.gpo.gov/su__docs.
Susan Lapham,
Acting Associate Director for Statistical Programs and Services
[FR Doc. 99-12822 Filed 5-20-99; 8:45 am]
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