Title 49 CFR Part 270 requires that commuter and intercity passenger railroads establish and implement System Safety Programs (SSPs) to improve the safety of their operations and to ensure compliance with the rule. Each railroad will use its SSP/SSP Plan to proactively identify and mitigate or eliminate hazards at an early stage and the resulting risk on its system to reduce the number of railroad accidents, incidents, and associated injuries, fatalities, and property damage. A railroad has the flexibility to tailor an SSP to its specific operations. An SSP will be implemented by an SSP Plan submitted to FRA for approval. Under this information collection, FRA will audit a railroad's compliance with its SSP. This information collection is mandatory, submitted as needed, and there is a requirement for record keeping.
Currently, the OMB inventory for this collection of information shows a total burden of 9,365 hours and 1,240 responses, while this updated submission reflects a total burden of 2,084 hours and 738 responses. Overall, the adjustments decreased the burden by 7,281 hours and by 502 responses.
FRA provided a thorough review of this package and determined many of our initial figures were based on rough estimates. Thus, our latest review has refined our estimates to be more accurate.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.