[Federal Register: May 17, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 94)]
[Notices]
[Page 26813]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17my99-97]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency Information
Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR
describes the nature of the information collection and its expected
burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period
soliciting comments on the following information collection was
published on February 5, 1999 [64 FR 5853-5854].

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 16, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Philip Roke, Project Manager, (202)
366-5884, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Motor Carrier and
Highway Safety, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Motor Carrier Scheduling Practices and Their Influence on
Driver Fatigue.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Affected Public: Interstate motor carrier executives, dispatchers,
safety directors, and drivers of commercial motor vehicles carrying
passengers and property.
    Abstract: The Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Office of
Motor Carrier and Highway Safety, at the direction and intent of
Congress, is conducting this study as a part of applied research that
will address a number of safety issues of concern, such as: driver
fatigue and alertness; the application of emerging technologies to
ensure safety, productivity and regulatory compliance; commercial
driver licensing, training and education. This particular study focuses
on the identification of causes of commercial motor vehicle driver
fatigue and the development of effective countermeasures. Prior
research has indicated that developing an understanding of current
operational scheduling requirements is fundamental to any attempt to
facilitate change toward better shift systems that take into account
the needs of drivers, while at the same time account for the economic
realities of their employers and their customers--shippers and
receivers. Therefore, this study has two objectives: (1) to assess the
operational scheduling requirements of interstate motor carriers of
passengers and property; and (2) to identify motor carrier scheduling
requirements that have a positive effect on safety performance. Data
will be gathered from industry focus groups and a mail survey to
randomly-selected participants in the motor carrier and motor coach
industries, including upper-level management, safety directors,
dispatchers and drivers of passengers and property. Additionally, the
data generated from representative samples of the interstate motor
carrier industry will be analyzed to develop causal inferences about or
relationships between scheduling and related practices and safety
performance.
    Frequency: The survey will be conducted once.
    Estimated Burden: The estimated total annual burden is 1,225 hours.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20503, Attention: DOT 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. A comment to OMB is most effective if OMB receives it
within 30 days of publication of this Notice.

    Issued on: May 11, 1999.
Michael J. Vecchietti,
Director, Office of Information and Management Services.
[FR Doc. 99-12362 Filed 5-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P