[Federal Register: September 5, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 171)]
[Notices]
[Page 51003-51004]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05se07-89]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[FTA Docket No. 2007-29111]
Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration invites public comments
about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's
(OMB) approval to renew the following information collection: 49 U.S.C.
5335(a) and (b) National Transit Database. The information to be
collected will be used to accumulate mass transportation financial and
operating information using a uniform system of accounts and records.
The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting
comments was published on June 27, 2007.
DATES: Comments must be submitted before October 5, 2007. A comment to
OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sylvia L. Marion, Office of
Administration, Office of Management Planning, (202) 366-6680.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: 49 U.S.C. 5335(a) and (b) National
Transit Database (OMB Number: 2132-0008).
Abstract: Title 49 U.S.C. 5335(a) and (b) requires the Secretary of
Transportation to maintain a reporting system by uniform categories to
accumulate mass transportation financial and operating information
using a uniform system of accounts and records. Congress created the
NTD to be the repository of transit data for the nation, on which to
base public transportation service planning. Section 3033 of SAFETEA-LU
amended 49 U.S.C. 5335 to require recipients of 49 U.S.C. 5311 grants
to submit an annual report containing total annual revenue; sources of
revenue; total annual operating costs; total annual capital costs;
fleet size and type; and related facilities: revenue vehicle miles and
ridership. The addition of this requirement for recipients of 49 U.S.C.
section 5311 does not affect the existing NTD data collection from
urbanized area agencies, including the mandatory NTD reporting
requirement for recipients of 49 U.S.C. section 5307 grants (Urbanized
Area Formula grants).
FTA will not require these smaller rural agencies to submit the
same level of detail to the NTD as a system in an urbanized area. FTA
will only require the State Department of Transportation (DOT) to
submit a one-page form for each rural agency in the State that is the
recipient or beneficiary of grants under 49 U.S.C. 5311. Most State
DOTs already produce reports for their State legislatures with this
summary data. Additionally, FTA will require each State DOT to report
the number of counties in the State that are served by recipients of
grants under 49 U.S.C. 5311. For purposes of this data collection,
Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands will report as States (by 49 U.S.C. 5307(1)). The U.S.
Virgin Islands is an urbanized area for purposes of FTA grantmaking and
does not receive grants under 49 U.S.C. section 5311. Additionally, FTA
will require this report from federally-recognized Native American
tribes that are direct recipients of grants under 49 U.S.C. 5311 and
whose information is not included in a report of a State DOT. The
reporting requirements for this program have been developed after years
of consultation with State DOTs and rural transit agencies.
On November 30, 2005, FTA published in the Federal Register (70 FR
71950, November 30, 2005) the procedures and start dates for mandatory
annual reporting that State DOTs must follow when submitting
[[Page 51004]]
rural transit data to FTA. The rural transit data reporting procedures
are specified in the Rural NTD Module Reporting Manual which contains
detailed reporting instructions for this data collection. It can be
reviewed on the NTD Web site at http://www.ntdprogram.gov and will be
submitted for notice and comment in a future Federal Register
announcement. For 2006, many States have reported data to the NTD for
approximately 1,600 rural systems under a voluntary pilot program. The
majority of States reported all of their data without any formal
training.
FTA is requesting a revision of the currently approved NTD
information collection (OMB Control Number 2132-0008) to include the
addition of rural reporting.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 230,700 hours.
ADDRESSES: All written comments must refer to the docket number that
appears at the top of this document and be submitted to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FTA Desk
Officer.
Comments Are Invited On: Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the Department, including whether the information will have practical
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Issued: August 29, 2007.
Ann M. Linnertz,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-17461 Filed 9-4-07; 8:45 am]
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