[Federal Register: July 6, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 128)]
[Notices]
[Page 40715-40716]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06jy04-113]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[FTA Docket No. FTA-2004-18530]
Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved
Collection
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend
the following currently approved information collection: United We Ride
State Coordination Grants.
DATES: Comments must be submitted before September 7, 2004.
ADDRESSES: All written comments must refer to the docket number that
appears at the top of this document and be submitted to the United
States Department of Transportation, Central Dockets Office, Pub. L.
401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. All comments
received will be available for examination at the above address from 10
a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
Those desiring notification of receipt of comments must include a self-
addressed, stamped postcard/envelope.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Solomon, United We Ride
Initiative, (202) 366-0242.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested parties are invited to send
comments regarding any aspect of this information collection,
including: (1) The necessity and utility of the information collection
for the proper performance of the functions of the FTA; (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/or included in the request for OMB approval of
this information collection.
Title: United We Ride State Coordination Grants.
Background: The U.S. Departments of Transportation (DOT), Health
and Human Services (HHS), Labor (DOL) and Education (DoED), have
launched United We Ride (UWR), a five part initiative to enhance the
coordination on human service transportation. UWR intends to break down
the barriers between programs and set the stage for local and state
partnerships that generate common sense solutions and deliver A-plus
performance for those individuals who depend on transportation services
to participate fully in community life. The UWR five initiatives
include: (1) The Framework for Action, (2) A National Leadership Forum
on Human Service Transportation Coordination, (3) State Leadership
Awards, (4) State Coordination Grants, and (5) Help Along the Way.
The Congress and the Executive Branch are interested in ensuring
that various human service transportation activities funded by various
federal programs are better coordinated. The General Accounting Office
(GAO) issued a report on ``Transportation Disadvantaged Populations''
(June 2003) that identified 62 different federal programs across eight
federal agencies that provide funding that may be used to support
community transportation services. The report points out that there are
multiple public and private agencies that provide human service
transportation in any one community, and services vary greatly in terms
of eligibility requirements, hours or scope of operation, specific
destinations and quality. Given the multiplicity of programs and the
significant dollar amounts spent, more effective
[[Page 40716]]
coordination is needed to ensure better service to more people. This is
especially true when federal, state, and local budgets for human
service activities are under extreme financial pressure.
As also indicated by GAO, many objectives have been achieved;
however, the fragmentation and lack of coordination within supporting
agencies continue to be a challenge. On February 24, 2004, President
Bush signed an Executive Order Number 13330 on Human Service
Transportation Coordination establishing the Federal Interagency
Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility and requiring attention to
the obstacles outlined by GAO. The President's Executive Order requires
agencies to identify and implement strategies for enhancing coordinated
services within a one-year period. The United We Ride initiative
includes a State Coordination Grant that provides support to help
states address the issues outlined both by GAO and by the President in
the Executive Order.
FTA requested an emergency approval from OMB for the United We Ride
State Coordination Grant Initiative in a Federal Register Notice dated
May 21, 2004. OMB approved the request on June 22, 2004. The OMB
Control Number is 2132-0562. FTA will publish a Federal Register Notice
soliciting proposals for the State Coordination Grants shortly.
Respondents: State government.
Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 10 hours for each of the 50
respondents.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 500 hours.
Frequency: Annual.
Issued: June 29, 2004.
Rita L. Wells,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-15120 Filed 7-2-04; 8:45 am]
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