Dec. 30, 2019, 60-Day FR Notice

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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2019 / Notices
The Agency’s decision regarding these
exemption applications is based on
medical reports about the applicants’
vision, as well as their driving records
and experience driving with the vision
deficiency. The qualifications,
experience, and medical condition of
each applicant were stated and
discussed in detail in the October 31,
2019, Federal Register notice (84 FR
58441) and will not be repeated here.
FMCSA recognizes that some drivers
do not meet the vision requirement but
have adapted their driving to
accommodate their limitation and
demonstrated their ability to drive
safely. The 11 exemption applicants
listed in this notice are in this category.
They are unable to meet the vision
requirement in one eye for various
reasons, including amblyopia, cataract,
complete loss of vision, corneal scar,
glaucoma, optic nerve atrophy, partial
optic nerve atrophy, prosthesis, and
retinal detachment. In most cases, their
eye conditions did not develop recently.
Six of the applicants were either born
with their vision impairments or have
had them since childhood. The five
individuals that developed their vision
conditions as adults have had them for
a range of 6 to 25 years. Although each
applicant has one eye that does not meet
the vision requirement in
§ 391.41(b)(10), each has at least 20/40
corrected vision in the other eye, and,
in a doctor’s opinion, has sufficient
vision to perform all the tasks necessary
to operate a CMV.
Doctors’ opinions are supported by
the applicants’ possession of a valid
license to operate a CMV. By meeting
State licensing requirements, the
applicants demonstrated their ability to
operate a CMV with their limited vision
in intrastate commerce, even though
their vision disqualified them from
driving in interstate commerce. We
believe that the applicants’ intrastate
driving experience and history provide
an adequate basis for predicting their
ability to drive safely in interstate
commerce. Intrastate driving, like
interstate operations, involves
substantial driving on highways on the
interstate system and on other roads
built to interstate standards. Moreover,
driving in congested urban areas
exposes the driver to more pedestrian
and vehicular traffic than exists on
interstate highways. Faster reaction to
traffic and traffic signals is generally
required because distances between
them are more compact. These
conditions tax visual capacity and
driver response just as intensely as
interstate driving conditions.
The applicants in this notice have
driven CMVs with their limited vision

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in careers ranging for 5 to 72 years. In
the past three years, no drivers were
involved in crashes, and no drivers were
convicted of moving violations in
CMVs. All the applicants achieved a
record of safety while driving with their
vision impairment that demonstrates the
likelihood that they have adapted their
driving skills to accommodate their
condition. As the applicants’ ample
driving histories with their vision
deficiencies are good predictors of
future performance, FMCSA concludes
their ability to drive safely can be
projected into the future.
Consequently, FMCSA finds that in
each case exempting these applicants
from the vision requirement in
§ 391.41(b)(10) is likely to achieve a
level of safety equal to that existing
without the exemption.
V. Conditions and Requirements
The terms and conditions of the
exemption are provided to the
applicants in the exemption document
and includes the following: (1) Each
driver must be physically examined
every year (a) by an ophthalmologist or
optometrist who attests that the vision
in the better eye continues to meet the
standard in § 391.41(b)(10) and (b) by a
certified medical examiner (ME) who
attests that the individual is otherwise
physically qualified under § 391.41; (2)
each driver must provide a copy of the
ophthalmologist’s or optometrist’s
report to the ME at the time of the
annual medical examination; and (3)
each driver must provide a copy of the
annual medical certification to the
employer for retention in the driver’s
qualification file, or keep a copy in his/
her driver’s qualification file if he/she is
self-employed. The driver must also
have a copy of the exemption when
driving, for presentation to a duly
authorized Federal, State, or local
enforcement official.
VI. Preemption
During the period the exemption is in
effect, no State shall enforce any law or
regulation that conflicts with this
exemption with respect to a person
operating under the exemption.
VII. Conclusion
Based upon its evaluation of the 11
exemption applications, FMCSA
exempts the following drivers from the
vision requirement, § 391.41(b)(10),
subject to the requirements cited above:
Willie V. Brannon, Jr. (OK)
Benjamin E. Brown (WY)
Charles L. Gaines (NC)
James L. Houser (NE)
Andrew J. Kite III (GA)
Sean P. McSperitt (OR)

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Matthew J. Morrison (MD)
Frederick L. PeLong (IA)
Martin S. Reese (CA)
Devin M. Smith (OH)
Anthony C. White (AL).
In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e)
and 31315(b), each exemption will be
valid for 2 years from the effective date
unless revoked earlier by FMCSA. The
exemption will be revoked if the
following occurs: (1) The person fails to
comply with the terms and conditions
of the exemption; (2) the exemption has
resulted in a lower level of safety than
was maintained prior to being granted;
or (3) continuation of the exemption
would not be consistent with the goals
and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and
31315(b).
Issued on: December 20, 2019.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2019–28160 Filed 12–27–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA–2019–0004–N–20]

Proposed Agency Information
Collection Activities; Comment
Request
Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), U.S. Department
of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of information collection;
request for comment.
AGENCY:

Under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its
implementing regulations, FRA is
informing the public that FRA proposes
to make three minor revisions to the
Quarterly Positive Train Control (PTC)
Progress Report Form (Form FRA F
6180.165) and Annual PTC Progress
Report Form (Form FRA F 6180.166),
which the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) previously approved on
September 24, 2018, under its regular
processing procedures. In addition, FRA
is now proposing to require host
railroads operating FRA-certified PTC
systems to submit a Statutory
Notification of PTC System Failures
(Form FRA F 6180.177) to fulfill the
temporary reporting requirement under
the Positive Train Control Enforcement
and Implementation Act of 2015 (PTCEI
Act), and FRA is proposing an
alternative reporting frequency and
reporting location, as the statutory
mandate authorizes FRA to establish.
Before submitting this revised
information collection request (ICR) to

SUMMARY:

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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2019 / Notices

OMB for regular clearance and approval,
FRA is soliciting public comment on
specific aspects of the proposed ICR
described below.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before February
28, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments
on the ICR activities by mail to either:
Ms. Hodan Wells, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, Office of
Railroad Safety, Regulatory Analysis
Division, FRA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE, Washington, DC 20590; or Ms. Kim
Toone, Information Collection Clearance
Officer, Office of Information
Technology, FRA, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
Commenters requesting FRA to
acknowledge receipt of their respective
comments must include a self-addressed
stamped postcard stating, ‘‘Comments
on OMB Control Number 2130–0553,’’
and should also include the title of the
ICR. Alternatively, comments may be
emailed to Ms. Wells at hodan.wells@
dot.gov, or Ms. Toone at kim.toone@
dot.gov. Please refer to the assigned
OMB control number in any
correspondence submitted. FRA will
summarize comments received in
response to this notice in a subsequent
notice and include them in its
information collection submission to
OMB for approval.
Ms.
Hodan Wells, Information Collection
Clearance Officer, Office of Railroad
Safety, Regulatory Analysis Division,
FRA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202)
493–0440); or Ms. Kim Toone,
Information Collection Clearance
Officer, Office of Information
Technology, FRA, 1200 New Jersey

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
(telephone: (202) 493–6132).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

assess the resources expended to
retrieve and produce information
requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.

I. Public Comment Under the PRA

II. Background on the Quarterly and
Annual PTC Progress-Related
Reporting Requirements

The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520, and
its implementing regulations, 5 CFR part
1320, require Federal agencies to
provide 60-days’ notice to the public to
allow comment on information
collection activities before seeking OMB
approval of the activities. See 44 U.S.C.
3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8–1320.12.
Specifically, FRA invites interested
parties to comment on the following ICR
regarding: (1) Whether the information
collection activities are necessary for
FRA to properly execute its functions,
including whether the activities will
have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of
FRA’s estimates of the burden of the
information collection activities,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used to
determine the estimates; (3) ways for
FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information being
collected; and (4) ways for FRA to
minimize the burden of information
collection activities on the public,
including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology. See 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A); 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1).
FRA believes that soliciting public
comment may reduce the administrative
and paperwork burdens associated with
the collection of information that
Federal statutes and regulations
mandate. In summary, FRA reasons that
comments received will advance three
objectives: (1) Reduce reporting
burdens; (2) organize information
collection requirements in a ‘‘userfriendly’’ format to improve the use of
such information; and (3) accurately

Under the PTCEI Act, each railroad
subject to 49 U.S.C. 20157(a) must
submit an annual progress report to FRA
by March 31, 2016, and annually
thereafter, until it has fully
implemented an FRA-certified and
interoperable PTC system. 49 U.S.C.
20157(c)(1). The PTCEI Act specifically
requires each railroad to provide certain
information in the annual reports
regarding its progress toward
implementing a PTC system, in addition
to any other information FRA requests.
See id. Further, 49 U.S.C. 20157(c)(2)
requires FRA to conduct compliance
reviews at least annually to ensure each
railroad is complying with its revised
PTC Implementation Plan (PTCIP),
including any FRA-approved
amendments. The PTCEI Act requires
railroads to provide information to FRA
that FRA determines is necessary to
adequately conduct such compliance
reviews. 49 U.S.C. 20157(c)(2).
Accordingly, under its statutory and
regulatory authority, FRA currently
requires, and seeks to continue
requiring, each subject railroad to
submit Quarterly PTC Progress Reports
(Form FRA F 6180.165) and Annual
PTC Progress Reports (Form FRA F
6180.166), until the railroad finishes
fully implementing an FRA-certified
and interoperable PTC system on its
required main lines. See 49 U.S.C.
20157(c)(1)–(2); see also 49 CFR
236.1009(h). Each subject railroad must
submit these quarterly reports by the
due dates in the following table: 1
Due dates for quarterly PTC
progress reports

Coverage period

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Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4

....................................................
....................................................
....................................................
....................................................

January 1–March 31 ..................................................................................
April 1–June 30 ..........................................................................................
July 1–September 30 .................................................................................
October 1–December 31 ...........................................................................

April 30.
July 31.
October 31.
January 31.

Each applicable railroad must submit
its Quarterly PTC Progress Reports on
Form FRA F 6180.165 and its Annual
PTC Progress Reports on Form FRA F
6180.166 on FRA’s Secure Information
Repository at https://sir.fra.dot.gov. By

law, only 35 railroads 2 (including 32
host railroads and 3 tenant-only
commuter railroads) are currently
required to submit Quarterly PTC
Progress Reports (Form FRA F 6180.165)

and Annual PTC Progress Reports (Form
FRA F 6180.166).

1 As stated on the cover page of the Quarterly PTC
Progress Report (Form FRA F 6180.165), ‘‘A railroad
must submit quarterly reports until a PTC system
is fully implemented on all required main lines
under 49 U.S.C. 20157 and 49 CFR part 236, subpart
I, including a quarterly report for the quarter in

which the railroad completes full PTC system
implementation.’’ See 49 U.S.C. 20157(c)(2).
2 Currently, 42 railroads are directly subject to the
statutory mandate to implement a PTC system.
However, only 35 railroads are currently subject to
these progress-related reporting requirements, given

that by law, such reporting requirements no longer
apply to the 4 host railroads that fully implemented
PTC systems as of December 31, 2018, and 3 other
tenant-only commuter railroads that fully
implemented their PTC systems to date.

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III. Proposed Revisions to the Quarterly
and Annual PTC Progress Report Forms
On September 24, 2018, OMB
approved the Quarterly PTC Progress

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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2019 / Notices
Report (Form FRA F 6180.165) and
Annual PTC Progress Report (Form FRA
F 6180.166) for a period of 18 months,
expiring on March 31, 2020. The current
Quarterly PTC Progress Report Form
and Annual PTC Progress Report Form,
as approved through March 31, 2020,
can be accessed and downloaded in
FRA’s eLibrary at: https://
www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L17365
and https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/
details/L17366, respectively. These
versions of the forms took into account
prior comments from the Association of
American Railroads (AAR) on behalf of
itself and its member railroads; the
American Public Transportation
Association on behalf of the Northeast
Illinois Commuter Rail System (Metra),
the Utah Transit Authority, the TriCounty Metropolitan Transportation
District of Oregon, and the Fort Worth
Transportation Authority; and industry
stakeholders during FRA’s public
meeting on April 19, 2016. FRA
published minutes from the public
meeting on www.regulations.gov under
Docket No. FRA 2016–0002–N–17.3
Following the 60-day public comment
period after this notice is published,
FRA will request OMB’s re-approval of
the forms, with the three changes
described below. First, per the
industry’s and OMB’s previous
recommendations, FRA has considered
ways in which it can phase out certain
requirements of the Quarterly PTC
Progress Report (Form FRA F 6180.165)
and Annual PTC Progress Report (Form
FRA F 6180.166), while railroads
continue to fully implement their PTC
systems on the required main lines.
Although many of the specific
reporting requirements are statutorily
required under 49 U.S.C.
20157(c)(1)(A)–(G), FRA is amenable to
making certain sections of both forms
optional for most railroads, at this stage.
Specifically, FRA is proposing to make
the following sections of both the
Quarterly PTC Progress Report (Form
FRA F 6180.165) and Annual PTC
Progress Report (Form FRA F 6180.166)
optional for most railroads: Section 2
(‘‘Update on Spectrum’’); Section 3.1
(‘‘Locomotive Status’’), except the
software-related narrative section; and
Section 3.3 (‘‘Infrastructure/Wayside
Status’’).
FRA proposes that those sections
would be optional for any railroad that
previously demonstrated to FRA it had
finished acquiring all necessary
spectrum and installing all PTC system
3 For a summary of past oral and written
comments and FRA’s responses to the comments,
please see 81 FR 28140 (May 9, 2016); 81 FR 65702
(Sept. 23, 2016); and 83 FR 39152 (Aug. 8, 2018).

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hardware for the implementation of its
PTC system, consistent with the
governing FRA-approved PTCIP. This
would encompass nearly all railroads
subject to the statutory mandate that are
still in the process of fully
implementing their PTC systems—
including the railroads currently field
testing their PTC systems, conducting
revenue service demonstration (RSD) or
expanding RSD to additional main lines,
and conducting interoperability testing
with their PTC-required tenant
railroads—given that railroads generally
needed to finish acquiring spectrum and
installing PTC system hardware by
December 31, 2018, to qualify for and
obtain FRA’s approval of an alternative
schedule and sequence by law. See 49
U.S.C. 20157(a)(3)(B).
The only railroads for which the
above sections—Sections 2, 3.1, and
3.3—would remain mandatory are those
railroads that are still in the spectrum
acquisition or hardware installation
phases, which is the case for certain
railroads that, for example: (A)
Commenced regularly scheduled
intercity passenger or commuter rail
service after December 31, 2018, and
therefore did not need to qualify for or
obtain FRA’s approval of an alternative
schedule; (B) are in the process of
constructing new main lines subject to
the statutory mandate; or (C) have one
or more lines that are subject to a
temporary main line track exception
and must still implement a PTC system.
In those three cases, FRA would still
need to obtain updates regarding such
railroads’ progress toward acquiring all
necessary spectrum and installing all
necessary PTC system hardware.
Second, in Section 4 (entitled
‘‘Installation/Track Segment Progress’’)
of both the quarterly form and the
annual form, FRA proposes adding a
new option to the drop-down menus.
Currently, the options include only:
‘‘Not Started,’’ ‘‘Installing,’’ ‘‘Field
Testing,’’ ‘‘Revenue Service
Demonstration,’’ and ‘‘Operational/
Complete.’’ Given that some railroads
are beyond the installation phase, but
not yet at the field testing phase on
multiple track segments, FRA proposes
to add a new option to the drop-down
menu, specifically labeled, ‘‘Pre-field
Testing.’’ That way, such railroads will
not need to select ‘‘Installing’’ or ‘‘Field
Testing,’’ neither of which would
accurately represent the actual status of
a railroad’s specific track segment. This
minor revision to the forms will help
ensure clearer and more accurate
reporting, without imposing an
additional reporting burden. For
consistency with Section 4, FRA also
proposes to update the corresponding

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drop-down menu in Section 6 (entitled
‘‘Update on Interoperability Progress’’)
of both forms to include the same
options: ‘‘Not Started,’’ ‘‘Installing,’’
‘‘Pre-field Testing,’’ ‘‘Field Testing,’’
‘‘Revenue Service Demonstration,’’ 4 and
‘‘Operational/Complete.’’
Third, in Section 6 (entitled ‘‘Update
on Interoperability Progress’’) of both
the quarterly form and the annual form,
FRA proposes revising the heading of
the last column in the table to state,
‘‘Current Tenant Interoperability
Status,’’ instead of ‘‘Current Tenant
Implementation Status,’’ to help ensure
proper interpretation. For example, at
least one commuter railroad has
improperly listed the status of a Class I
tenant railroad’s progress toward fully
implementing a PTC system on the
Class I railroad’s own main lines (so as
a host railroad), instead of the Class I
railroad’s status specifically as a tenant
railroad on that commuter railroad’s
required main lines. FRA expects that
this minor revision might make this
heading clearer.
Railroads’ submission of Quarterly
PTC Progress Reports (Form FRA F
6180.165) and Annual PTC Progress
Reports (Form FRA F 6180.166)—
consistent with the reporting
requirements under the PTCEI Act—
enables FRA to effectively monitor
railroads’ progress toward fully
implementing FRA-certified and
interoperable PTC systems on the
approximately 57,855 route miles
subject to the statutory mandate. Such
reporting also enables FRA to identify
railroad-specific and industry-wide
obstacles to full PTC system
implementation and to provide timely
technical assistance. Moreover, this
reporting framework enables FRA to
provide the public and Congress with
data-driven status reports on industry’s
progress toward implementing this
mandated technology on a regular basis,
which will be especially important
throughout 2020, as the statutory
deadline for most mandated railroads to
fully implement PTC systems is
December 31, 2020.
IV. Proposal for a New Mandatory
Form—Statutory Notification of PTC
System Failures (Form FRA F 6180.177)
Under the Early Adoption provisions
in the PTCEI Act, the statutory mandate
explicitly recognizes that certain PTC
system failures (e.g., initialization
failures, cut outs, and malfunctions)
will occur while, and even after,
4 Previously, the relevant part of the drop-down
menu allowed a host railroad to indicate only that
a tenant railroad was generally conducting
‘‘testing,’’ without specifying the stage of testing.

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railroads fully implement FRA-certified
and interoperable PTC systems on the
mandated main lines. See 49 U.S.C.
20157(j)(1)–(4). The PTCEI Act
temporarily prohibits FRA from
imposing or enforcing the operational
restrictions (e.g., speed restrictions)
under FRA’s regulations governing
signal and train control systems
(specifically, 49 CFR 236.567) and
FRA’s PTC regulations (specifically, 49
CFR 236.1029), ‘‘provided that such
carrier operates at an equivalent or
greater level of safety than the level
achieved immediately prior to the use or
implementation of its [PTC] system.’’ 49
U.S.C. 20157(j)(1).
This statutory prohibition specifying
that ‘‘any railroad . . . shall not be
subject to the operational restrictions’’
under 49 CFR 236.567 or 236.1029 is in
effect from October 29, 2015, to
approximately December 31, 2021.5 See
49 U.S.C. 20157(j)(1). In addition, the
PTCEI Act established a new reporting
requirement that applies only during
that period and only to PTC systems
that FRA has certified and have been
implemented, including on a subset of
a railroad’s mandated main lines. 49
U.S.C. 20157(j)(4). For example,
acknowledging the incremental nature
of implementation, the PTCEI Act
required Class I railroads to demonstrate
they had ‘‘implemented a [PTC] system
or initiated revenue service
demonstration on the majority of [PTCmandated] territories . . . or route miles
that are owned or controlled by such
carrier[s],’’ to qualify for an alternative
schedule and sequence by law. 49
U.S.C. 20157(a)(3)(B)(vi) (emphasis
added).
As a default, the reporting
requirement under 49 U.S.C. 20157(j)(4)
specifies that when an FRA-certified
PTC system ‘‘fails to initialize, cuts out,
or malfunctions,’’ the railroad must

submit a notification to the appropriate
FRA regional office within 7 days of the
system failure, and the notification must
include a description of the safety
measures the railroad has in place.
However, the PTCEI Act also authorizes
FRA to establish an alternative reporting
deadline (instead of within 7 days of
each occurrence) and an alternative
reporting location (instead of submitting
the notifications to the appropriate FRA
region). See 49 U.S.C. 20157(j)(4); 49
CFR 1.89.
To be clear, FRA is authorized to
establish only an alternative reporting
deadline and an alternative reporting
location, and the statutory mandate does
not permit FRA to change either the
scope of this temporary reporting
requirement or the information that
must be submitted. At multiple industry
meetings, FRA proactively sought
railroads’ input regarding possible
alternative reporting deadlines and
locations, focusing on options that
would be reasonable and consistent
with the statutory reporting framework.6
At the industry meetings, FRA and
industry stakeholders generally reached
a consensus about a reasonable
alternative for a reporting location.
Accordingly, FRA proposes that the
Statutory Notification of PTC System
Failures, under 49 U.S.C. 20157(j)(4),
must be submitted to FRA’s
headquarters, using an electronic, webbased form, instead of notifying each
applicable FRA region. Such centralized
reporting would better enable FRA to
aggregate and analyze the required data
regarding PTC system initialization
failures, cut outs, and malfunctions.
FRA is currently designing and
developing a web-based form for the
Statutory Notification of PTC System
Failures (Form FRA F 6180.177), and
FRA notes that the electronic form will
contain fields for the information

explicitly required under 49 U.S.C.
20157(j)(4) and as described below.
With respect to the default reporting
deadline under the PTCEI Act (i.e.,
within 7 days of each occurrence), many
railroads have stressed that notifying
FRA each time an FRA-certified PTC
system fails to initialize, cuts out, or
malfunctions would be extremely
burdensome, given the frequency of
such occurrences. As an example, one
commuter railroad reported more than
75 instances of initialization failures,
cut outs, and malfunctions, during a
one-week period in October 2019. FRA
proposes requiring that a railroad
consolidate such information prior to
submission, rather than notifying FRA
within 7 days of each occurrence and
submitting such data in a piecemeal
manner, which could occur under the
default requirement in 49 U.S.C.
20157(j)(4).
Acknowledging railroads’ concerns
about the burdens associated with the
default reporting frequency under 49
U.S.C. 20157(j)(4), FRA proposes
instead a two-tiered or bifurcated
reporting deadline/frequency for this
temporary reporting requirement, where
the reporting frequency would depend
on whether or not the host railroad has
fully implemented an FRA-certified and
interoperable PTC system on all its
required route miles. First, if a host
railroad is operating an FRA-certified
PTC system but the railroad is still in
the process of fully implementing the
PTC system on its required main lines,
FRA proposes that such railroads must
submit a quarterly notification of the
PTC system’s initialization failures, cut
outs, and malfunctions, during the
ongoing implementation process. Such
quarterly notifications would be due on
the same dates as the Quarterly PTC
Progress Reports (Form FRA F
6180.165):
Due dates for quarterly notifications of PTC system failures

Coverage period

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Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4

....................................................
....................................................
....................................................
....................................................

January 1–March 31 ..................................................................................
April 1–June 30 ..........................................................................................
July 1–September 30 .................................................................................
October 1–December 31 ...........................................................................

April 30.
July 31.
October 31.
January 31.

For example, this would mean that
most host railroads that have obtained
PTC System Certification to date would
submit quarterly notifications until
January 31, 2021, as most host railroads

will be in the process of fully
implementing FRA-certified and
interoperable PTC systems on their
mandated main lines until December 31,
2020. FRA believes that requiring host

railroads to submit failure-related
notifications on a quarterly basis
(instead of within 7 days of each
occurrence) during the implementation
process is reasonable, given that such

5 Specifically, the PTCEI Act states that the Early
Adoption period ends one year after the last Class
I railroad obtains PTC System Certification from
FRA and finishes fully implementing a PTC system
on all of its required main lines.

6 For example, FRA solicited input about the
statutory failure-related reporting requirement at
FRA’s first PTC symposium on June 15, 2018; two
of FRA’s three PTC collaboration sessions during
2019, on February 6, 2019, and October 2, 2019; and

several AAR PTC Executive Committee meetings,
including participation by the Class I railroads,
Amtrak, Metra, the Southern California Regional
Rail Authority (Metrolink), and other host railroads
subject to the statutory mandate.

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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2019 / Notices
host railroads are concurrently focusing
on activating their FRA-certified PTC
systems on their remaining required
main lines and achieving
interoperability with their tenant
railroads by December 31, 2020. FRA
believes that receiving the failurerelated data on a quarterly basis would
still enable FRA to compile and analyze
the data to understand and monitor the
performance and reliability of PTC
systems over time.
Second, once a host railroad has fully
implemented its FRA-certified and
interoperable PTC system on all its
required main lines, FRA proposes that
the host railroad must submit the
Statutory Notification of PTC System
Failures (Form FRA F 6180.177)
monthly, instead of quarterly. This is
still significantly less burdensome than
the default reporting deadline under 49
U.S.C. 20157(j)(4)—i.e., within 7 days of
each discrete occurrence. For example,
upon FRA’s receipt of OMB’s approval,
each of the four host railroads that fully
implemented FRA-certified and
interoperable PTC systems by December
31, 2018,7 would immediately begin
submitting monthly notifications, rather
than piecemeal notifications within 7
days each time its PTC system fails to
initialize, cuts out, or malfunctions.
FRA proposes that the due date for the
monthly notification would be the 15th
of the following month, so, for example,
the notification regarding PTC system
initialization failures, cut outs, and
malfunctions during March 2020 would
be due by April 15, 2020, for the subset
of host railroads that have fully
implemented an FRA-certified PTC
system.
The other host railroads subject to the
statutory mandate that are operating
FRA-certified PTC systems but that are
still in the process of fully
implementing their PTC systems (e.g., 6
Class I railroads, Amtrak, and the
Southeastern Pennsylvania
Transportation Authority, as of
November 1, 2019, and any other host
railroad that obtains PTC System
Certification going forward) would
transition from submitting the Statutory
Notifications of PTC System Failures
(Form FRA F 6180.177) on a quarterly
basis to a monthly basis, when they
finish fully implementing their PTC
systems on their required main lines.
For simplicity, in general, this twotiered reporting framework would mean
that most host railroads that have
obtained PTC System Certification
would submit quarterly Statutory
7 Metrolink, the North County Transit District, the
Port Authority Trans-Hudson, and Portland &
Western Railroad.

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Notifications of PTC System Failures
throughout 2020, and then monthly
notifications throughout 2021.8
As noted above, the PTCEI Act
authorizes FRA to establish only an
alternative reporting deadline (instead
of within 7 days of each occurrence) and
an alternative reporting location
(instead of submitting the notifications
to the appropriate FRA region). The
proposed Statutory Notification of PTC
System Failures (Form FRA F 6180.177)
would, by necessity, contain a table in
which the host railroad would identify
the number of times each type of PTC
system failure identified in the statutory
mandate occurred during the reporting
period: Any failure to initialize, any cut
out, and any malfunction, as defined
below. 49 U.S.C. 20157(j)(4). During
FRA’s industry meetings to date,
railroads have requested clarification
regarding the meaning and scope of
these statutory terms. Given that the
statutory mandate requires railroads to
notify FRA any time a PTC system ‘‘fails
to initialize, cuts out, or malfunctions,’’
FRA interprets these terms reasonably
broadly and in accordance with their
plain language meaning, to encompass
the following, for purposes of this
temporary reporting requirement:
• Failure to Initialize: Any
locomotive or train that departs the
initial terminal without being governed
by a PTC system.
• Cut Out: Any cut out of a PTC
system en route, including when the
PTC system cuts out on its own or a
person cuts out the system, unless the
cut out was necessary to exit PTCgoverned territory and enter non-PTC
territory.
• Malfunction: Any failure of a PTC
system, subsystem, or component that
prevents, or could prevent, the PTC
system from performing the functions
mandated under 49 U.S.C. 20157(i)(5)
and 49 CFR part 236, subpart I.
The proposed web-based form (Form
FRA F 6180.177) would require host
railroads to identify the number of PTC
system initialization failures, cut outs,
and malfunctions by state and
subdivision 9 to enable FRA to closely
8 By law, this temporary reporting requirement
under 49 U.S.C. 20157(j)(4) sunsets on
approximately December 31, 2021—or more
specifically, one year after the last Class I railroad
obtains PTC System Certification from FRA and
finishes fully implementing an FRA-certified and
interoperable PTC system on all its required main
lines.
9 Or any other categorization a host railroad uses
in its timetables, including district, territory, main
line, branch, or corridor. FRA recognizes that this
specific type of information (i.e., a breakdown by
state and subdivision) is not required under 49
U.S.C. 20157(j)(4), and FRA would be collecting
such information under its general authority under
49 CFR 236.1009(h).

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72125

monitor trends in PTC system reliability
throughout the country and focus its
resources, for example, on any areas
where such failures are occurring at a
high rate. FRA seeks comment about
this proposed aspect of the information
collection. Although a categorization of
such information by state and
subdivision is FRA’s preference, FRA
may modify its approach based on
industry’s comments submitted during
the 60-day comment period. Please note,
however, that absent a breakdown by
state and subdivision, FRA would
require host railroads to identify the
number of PTC system initialization
failures, cut outs, and malfunctions per
FRA region,10 at a minimum. That
alternative approach would retain the
same minimum level of geographical
information about where such PTC
system failures are occurring, as
explicitly required under the default
reporting requirement under 49 U.S.C.
20157(j)(4).
Also, based on railroads’ input at
industry meetings, FRA notes that the
proposed Statutory Notification of PTC
System Failures (Form FRA F 6180.177)
would additionally require a host
railroad to list a percentage,
demonstrating how the occurrences of
PTC system initialization failures, cut
outs, and malfunctions compare to all
operations on that host railroad’s PTCgoverned main lines.11 Several railroads
have commented that, without such a
percentage or context, the frequency of
these failures might otherwise seem
high, and a percentage would help
convey the actual rate of such failures.
In addition, at industry meetings to
date, multiple railroads have expressed
that FRA should not require tenant
railroads to submit this failure-related
information directly to FRA, but via
their host railroads. Accordingly, FRA
proposes that only host railroads subject
to the statutory mandate (currently 36
host railroads) would submit the
Statutory Notification of PTC System
Failures (Form FRA F 6180.177), and
these notifications would encompass
both a host railroad’s and its tenant
railroads’ PTC system initialization
failures, cut outs, and malfunctions.12
10 For a map outlining FRA’s eight regions, please
see: https://railroads.dot.gov/divisions/regionaloffices/regional-offices.
11 FRA recognizes that this specific type of
information is not required under 49 U.S.C.
20157(j)(4), and FRA would be collecting such
information under its general authority under 49
CFR 236.1009(h).
12 This approach would be consistent with the
existing regulatory requirement specifying that a
tenant railroad must report a PTC system failure or
cut out to ‘‘a designated railroad officer of the host

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However, FRA seeks comments about
how to structure this element of the
web-based form in a way that would
both minimize the reporting burden and
distinctly represent the number of PTC
system initialization failures, cut outs,
and malfunctions per tenant railroad.
Finally, as noted above, 49 U.S.C.
20157(j)(4) explicitly requires a railroad
to provide in the notification ‘‘a
description of the safety measures the
affected railroad . . . has in place,’’ so
the table in the web-based Statutory
Notification of PTC System Failures
(Form FRA F 6180.177) would contain
fields for a host railroad to enter such
information.

V. Overview of Information Collection
FRA will submit this ICR to OMB for
regular clearance as required by the
PRA.
Type of Request: Revision of a
currently approved information
collection.
Title: Positive Train Control and
Other Signal Systems (including the
Quarterly Positive Train Control
Progress Report, the Annual Positive
Train Control Progress Report, and the
Statutory Notification of Positive Train
Control System Failures).13
OMB Control Number: 2130–0553.
Form(s): FRA F 6180.165, FRA F
6180.166, and FRA F 6180.177.

Affected Public: Businesses.
Frequency of Submission: On
occasion (depending on the specific
reporting requirement).
Respondent Universe: 35 railroads 14
(including 32 host railroads and 3
tenant-only commuter railroads) for the
Quarterly PTC Progress Report (Form
FRA F 6180.165) and Annual PTC
Progress Report (Form FRA F 6180.166);
36 host railroads for the Statutory
Notification of PTC System Failures
(Form FRA F 6180.177); and varies for
other information collections under
OMB Control No. 2130–0553, as noted
in the table below.
Respondent Burden:
Total annual
burden hours

Total annual
dollar cost
equivalent

CFR section/subject

Respondent universe

Total annual responses

Average time per response

235.6(c)—Expedited application for approval of certain
changes described in this section.
—Copy of expedited application to labor union ......................
—Railroad letter rescinding its request for expedited application of certain signal system changes.
—Revised application for certain signal system changes .......
—Copy of railroad revised application to labor union .............
236.1—Railroad maintained signal plans at all interlockings,
automatic signal locations, and controlled points, and updates to ensure accuracy.
236.15—Designation of automatic block, traffic control, train
stop, train control, cab signal, and PTC territory in timetable instructions.
236.18—Software management control plan—New railroads
236.23(e)—The names, indications, and aspects of roadway
and cab signals shall be defined in the carrier’s Operating
Rule Book or Special Instructions. Modifications shall be
filed with FRA within 30 days after such modifications become effective.
236.587(d)—Certification and departure test results ..............
236.905(a)—Railroad Safety Program Plan (RSPP)—New
railroads.
236.913(a)—Filing and approval of a joint Product Safety
Plan (PSP).
(c)(1)—Informational filing/petition for special approval ..........
(c)(2)—Response to FRA’s request for further data after informational filing.
(d)(1)(ii)—Response to FRA’s request for further information
within 15 days after receipt of the Notice of Product Development (NOPD).
(d)(1)(iii)—Technical consultation by FRA with the railroad on
the design and planned development of the product.
(d)(1)(v)—Railroad petition to FRA for final approval of
NOPD.
(d)(2)(ii)—Response to FRA’s request for additional information associated with a petition for approval of PSP or PSP
amendment.
(e)—Comments to FRA on railroad informational filing or
special approval petition.
(h)(3)(i)—Railroad amendment to PSP ...................................
(j)—Railroad field testing/information filing document .............
236.917(a)—Railroad retention of records: results of tests
and inspections specified in the PSP.
(b)—Railroad report that frequency of safety-relevant hazards exceeds threshold set forth in PSP.
(b)(3)—Railroad final report to FRA on the results of the
analysis and countermeasures taken to reduce the frequency of safety-relevant hazards.
236.919(a)—Railroad Operations and Maintenance Manual
(OMM).
(b)—Plans for proper maintenance, repair, inspection, and
testing of safety-critical products.
(c)—Documented hardware, software, and firmware revisions
in OMM.
236.921 and 923(a)—Railroad Training and Qualification
Program.
236.923(b)—Training records retained in a designated location and available to FRA upon request.
Form FRA F 6180.165—Quarterly PTC Progress Report
Form (49 U.S.C. 20157(c)(2)).

42 railroads ............................

10 expedited applications ......

5 hours ...................................

50

3,800

42 railroads ............................
42 railroads ............................

10 copies ................................
1 letter ....................................

30 minutes .............................
6 hours ...................................

5
6

380
456

42 railroads ............................
42 railroads ............................
700 railroads ..........................

1 application ...........................
1 copy ....................................
25 plan changes ....................

5 hours ...................................
30 minutes .............................
15 minutes .............................

5
.5
6.3

380
38
479

700 railroads ..........................

10 timetable instructions ........

30 minutes .............................

5

380

2 railroads ..............................
700 railroads ..........................

2 plans ...................................
2 modifications .......................

160 hours ...............................
1 hour .....................................

320
2

24,320
152

742 railroads ..........................
2 railroads ..............................

4,562,500 train departures .....
2 RSPPs ................................

5 seconds ...............................
40 hours .................................

6,337
80

481,612
6,080

742 railroads ..........................

1 joint plan .............................

2,000 hours ............................

2,000

230,000

742 railroads ..........................
742 railroads ..........................

.5 filings/approval petitions ....
.25 data calls/documents .......

50 hours .................................
5 hours ...................................

25
1 hour

1,900
76

742 railroads ..........................

.25 data calls/documents .......

1 hour .....................................

.25

19

742 railroads ..........................

.25 technical consultations .....

5 hours ...................................

1.3 hour

99

742 railroads ..........................

.25 petitions ............................

1 hour .....................................

.25

19

742 railroads ..........................

1 request ................................

50 hours .................................

50

3,800

742 railroads ..........................

.5 comments/letters ................

10 hours .................................

5

380

742 railroads ..........................
742 railroads ..........................
13 railroads with PSP ............

2 amendments .......................
1 field test document .............
13 PSP safety results ............

20 hours .................................
100 hours ...............................
160 hours ...............................

40
100
2,080

3,040
7,600
158,080

13 railroads ............................

1 report ...................................

40 hours .................................

40

3,040

13 railroads ............................

1 report ...................................

10 hours .................................

10

760

13 railroads ............................

1 OMM update .......................

40 hours .................................

40

3,040

13 railroads ............................

1 plan update .........................

40 hours .................................

40

3,040

13 railroads ............................

1 revision ................................

40 hours .................................

40

3,040

13 railroads ............................

1 program ...............................

40 hours .................................

40

3,040

13 railroads ............................

350 records ............................

10 minutes .............................

58

4,408

35 railroads ............................

140 reports/forms ...................

23.22 hours ............................

3,251

247,076

railroad as soon as safe and practicable.’’ See 49
CFR 236.1029(b)(4) (emphasis added).
13 FRA makes a technical correction to the title of
OMB Control Number 2130–0553.

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14 Currently, 42 railroads are directly subject to
the statutory mandate to implement a PTC system.
However, only 35 railroads are currently subject to
these progress-related reporting requirements, given
that by law, such reporting requirements no longer

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apply to the 4 host railroads that fully implemented
PTC systems as of December 31, 2018, and 3 other
tenant-only commuter railroads that fully
implemented their PTC systems to date.

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Total annual
burden hours

Total annual
dollar cost
equivalent

CFR section/subject

Respondent universe

Total annual responses

Average time per response

Form FRA F 6180.166—Annual PTC Progress Report Form
(49 U.S.C. 20157(c)(1) and 49 CFR 236.1009(a)(5)).
Form FRA F 6180.177—Statutory Notification of PTC System Failures (*New Form* Under 49 U.S.C. 20157(j)(4)).
236.1001(b)—A railroad’s additional or more stringent rules
than prescribed under 49 CFR part 236, subpart I.
236.1005(b)(4)(iii)—A railroad’s request for a de minimis exception, in a PTCIP or an RFA, based on a minimal quantity of PIH materials traffic.
(g)(1)(i)—A railroad’s request to temporarily reroute trains
not equipped with a PTC system onto PTC-equipped
tracks and vice versa during certain emergencies.
(g)(1)(ii)—A railroad’s written or telephonic notice to the applicable FRA Regional Administrator of the conditions necessitating emergency rerouting and other required information under 236.1005(i).
(g)(2)—A railroad’s temporary rerouting request due to
planned maintenance not exceeding 30 days.
(h)(1)—A response to any request for additional information
from the FRA Regional Administrator or Associate Administrator, prior to commencing rerouting due to planned
maintenance.
(h)(2)—A railroad’s request to temporarily reroute trains due
to planned maintenance exceeding 30 days.
236.1006(b)(4)(iii)(B)—A progress report due by December
31, 2020, and by December 31, 2022, from any Class II or
III railroad utilizing a temporary exception under this section.
236.1007(c)—An HSR–125 document accompanying a host
railroad’s PTCSP, for operations over 125 mph.
(c)(1)—A railroad’s request for approval to use foreign service data, prior to submission of a PTCSP.
(d) (formerly (e))—A railroad’s request in a PTCSP that FRA
excuse compliance with one or more of this section’s requirements.
236.1009(a)(2)—A PTCIP if a railroad becomes a host railroad of a main line requiring the implementation of a PTC
system, including the information under 49 U.S.C.
20157(a)(2) and 49 CFR 236.1011.
(a)(3)—Any new PTCIPs jointly filed by a host railroad and a
tenant railroad.
(b)(1)—A host railroad’s submission, individually or jointly
with a tenant railroad or PTC system supplier, of an unmodified Type Approval.
(b)(2)—A host railroad’s submission of a PTC Development
Plan (PTCDP) with the information required under 49 CFR
236.1013, requesting a Type Approval for a PTC system
that either does not have a Type Approval or has a Type
Approval that requires one or more variances.
(e)(3)—Any request for full or partial confidentiality of a
PTCIP, Notice of Product Intent (NPI), PTCDP, or PTCSP.
(h)—Any responses or documents submitted in connection
with FRA’s use of its authority to monitor, test, and inspect
processes, procedures, facilities, documents, records, design and testing materials, artifacts, training materials and
programs, and any other information used in the design,
development, manufacture, test, implementation, and operation of the PTC system, including interviews with railroad
personnel.
(j)(2)(iii)—Any additional information provided in response to
FRA’s consultations or inquiries about a PTCDP or
PTCSP.
236.1011(e)—Any public comment on PTCIPs, NPIs,
PTCDPs, and PTCSPs.
236.1015—Any new host railroad’s PTCSP meeting all content requirements under 49 CFR 236.1015.
(g)—A PTCSP for a PTC system replacing an existing certified PTC system.
(h)—A quantitative risk assessment, if FRA requires one to
be submitted.
236.1017(a)—An independent third-party assessment, if FRA
requires one to be conducted and submitted.
(b)—A railroad’s written request to confirm whether a specific
entity qualifies as an independent third party.
—Further information provided to FRA upon request .............
(d)—A request not to provide certain documents otherwise
required under Appendix F for an independent, third-party
assessment.
(e)—A request for FRA to accept information certified by a
foreign regulatory entity for purposes of 49 CFR 236.1017
and/or 236.1009(i).
236.1019(b)—A request for a passenger terminal main line
track exception (MTEA).
(c)(1)—A request for a limited operations exception (based
on restricted speed, temporal separation, or a risk mitigation plan).
236.1021(a)–(d)—Any request for amendment (RFA) to a
railroad’s PTCIP, PTCDP, and/or PTCSP.
(e)—Any public comments, if an RFA includes a request for
approval of a discontinuance or material modification of a
signal or train control system and a FEDERAL REGISTER notice is published.
236.1023(a)—A railroad’s PTC Product Vendor List, which
must be continually updated.

35 railroads ............................

35 reports/forms .....................

40.12 hours ............................

1,404

106,704

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36 railroads ............................

190 reports/forms ...................

1 hour .....................................

190

14,440

36 railroads ............................

1 rule or instruction ................

40 hours .................................

40

4,600

7 Class I railroads ..................

1 exception request ...............

40 hours .................................

40

3,040

36 railroads ............................

45 rerouting extension requests.

8 hours ...................................

360

27,360

36 railroads ............................

45 written or telephonic notices.

2 hours ...................................

90

6,840

36 railroads ............................

720 requests ..........................

8 hours ...................................

5,760

437,760

36 railroads ............................

10 requests ............................

2 hours ...................................

20

1,520

36 railroads ............................

160 requests ..........................

8 hours ...................................

1,280

97,280

36 railroads ............................

5 reports .................................

16 hours .................................

80

6,080

36 railroads ............................

1 HSR–125 document ...........

3,200 hours ............................

3,200

368,000

36 railroads ............................

1 request ................................

8,000 hours ............................

8,000

608,000

36 railroads ............................

1 request ................................

1,000 hours ............................

1,000

115,000

264 railroads ..........................

1 PTCIP .................................

535 hours ...............................

535

61,525

264 railroads ..........................

1 joint PTCIP ..........................

267 hours ...............................

267

30,705

264 railroads ..........................

1 document ............................

8 hours ...................................

8

608

264 railroads ..........................

1 PTCDP ................................

2,000 hours ............................

2,000

152,000

42 railroads ............................

10 confidentiality requests .....

8 hours ...................................

80

6,080

36 railroads ............................

36 interviews and documents

4 hours ...................................

144

10,944

36 railroads ............................

20 documents ........................

400 hours ...............................

8,000

608,000

36 railroads ............................

2 public comments .................

8 hours ...................................

16

1,216

264 railroads ..........................

1 PTCSP ................................

8,000 hours ............................

8,000

608,000

36 railroads ............................

1 PTCSP ................................

3,200 hours ............................

3,200

243,200

36 railroads ............................

1 assessment .........................

3,200 hours ............................

3,200

243,200

21 railroads ............................

1 assessment .........................

1,600 hours ............................

1,600

184,000

21 railroads ............................

1 written request ....................

8 hours ...................................

8

608

21 railroads ............................
21 railroads ............................

1 set of additional information
1 request ................................

20 hours .................................
20 hours .................................

20
20

1,520
1,520

21 railroads ............................

1 request ................................

32 hours .................................

32

2,432

37 railroads ............................

1 MTEA ..................................

160 hours ...............................

160

12,160

37 railroads ............................

1 request and/or plan .............

160 hours ...............................

160

12,160

36 railroads ............................

10 RFAs .................................

160 hours ...............................

1,600

121,600

5 interested parties ................

10 RFA public comments ......

16 hours .................................

160

12,160

36 railroads ............................

2 updated lists ........................

8 hours ...................................

16

1,216

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Total annual
dollar cost
equivalent

Respondent universe

Total annual responses

Average time per response

(b)(2)–(3)—A vendor’s or supplier’s notification, upon receipt
of a report of any safety-critical failure of its product, to
any railroads using the product.
(d)—A railroad’s submission, to the applicable vendor or
supplier, of the railroad’s procedures for action upon notification of a safety-critical failure, upgrade, patch, or revision to the PTC system and actions to be taken until it is
adjusted, repaired, or replaced.
(e)—A railroad’s database of all safety-relevant hazards,
which must be maintained after the PTC system is placed
in service.
(e)(1)—A railroad’s notification to the vendor or supplier and
FRA if the frequency of a safety-relevant hazard exceeds
the threshold set forth in the PTCDP and PTCSP, and
about the failure, malfunction, or defective condition that
decreased or eliminated the safety functionality.
(e)(2)—Continual updates about any and all subsequent failures.
(g)—A railroad’s and vendor’s or supplier’s report, upon FRA
request, about an investigation of an accident or service
difficulty due to a manufacturing or design defect and their
corrective actions.
(h)—A PTC system vendor’s or supplier’s reports of any
safety-relevant failures, defective conditions, previously
unidentified hazards, recommended mitigation actions, and
any affected railroads.
236.1029(b)(4)—A report of an en route failure, other failure,
or cut out to a designated railroad officer of the host railroad.
(h)—An annual report of PTC system failures due April 16th
each year after a railroad’s applicable deadline for full PTC
system implementation.
236.1031(a)–(d)—A railroad’s Request for Expedited Certification (REC).
236.1035(a)–(b)—A railroad’s request for authorization to
field test an uncertified PTC system and any responses to
FRA’s testing conditions.
236.1037(b)—Results of inspections and tests specified in a
railroad’s PTCSP and PTCDP.
(c)—A contractor’s records related to the testing, maintenance, or operation of a PTC system maintained at a designated office.
(d)(3)—A railroad’s final report of the results of the analysis
and countermeasures taken to reduce the frequency of
safety-related hazards below the threshold set forth in the
PTCSP.
236.1039(a)–(c), (e)—A railroad’s PTC Operations and Maintenance Manual (OMM), which must be maintained and
available to FRA upon request.
(d)—A railroad’s identification of a PTC system’s safety-critical components, including spare equipment.
236.1041(a)–(b) and 236.1043(a)—A railroad’s PTC Training
and Qualification Program (i.e., a written plan).
236.1043(b)—Training records retained in a designated location and available to FRA upon request.
Total ..................................................................................

10 vendors .............................

.5 notifications ........................

8 hours ...................................

4

304

36 railroads ............................

2.5 notifications ......................

16 hours .................................

40

3,040

36 railroads ............................

36 database updates .............

16 hours .................................

576

43,776

36 railroads ............................

.5 notifications ........................

8 hours ...................................

4

304

36 railroads ............................

.5 updates ..............................

8 hours ...................................

4

304

36 railroads ............................

.5 reports ................................

40 hours .................................

20

1,520

10 vendors .............................

.5 reports ................................

8 hours ...................................

4

304

36 railroads ............................

1,000 reports ..........................

30 minutes .............................

500

38,000

36 railroads ............................

36 reports ...............................

8 hours ...................................

288

21,888

36 railroads ............................

8 hours ...................................

8

608

36 railroads ............................

1 REC letter + supporting
documentation.
10 requests ............................

40 hours .................................

400

30,400

36 railroads ............................

800 records ............................

1 hour .....................................

800

60,800

36 railroads ............................

1,600 records .........................

10 minutes .............................

267

20,292

36 railroads ............................

.5 final reports ........................

160 hours ...............................

80

6,080

36 railroads ............................

2 OMM updates .....................

10 hours .................................

20

1,520

36 railroads ............................

1 identified new component ...

1 hour .....................................

1

76

36 railroads ............................

2 programs .............................

10 hours .................................

20

1,520

36 railroads ............................

500 PTC training records .......

1 minute .................................

8

608

N/A .........................................

4,568,393 responses .............

N/A .........................................

68,373

5,533,356

Total Estimated Annual Responses:
4,568,393.
Total Estimated Annual Burden:
68,373 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour
Dollar Cost Equivalent:
5,533,356.15.15 16
Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR
1320.5(b) and 1320.8(b)(3)(vi), FRA
informs all interested parties that it may
not conduct or sponsor, and a
respondent is not required to respond
to, a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES

Total annual
burden hours

CFR section/subject

15 The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the
Surface Transportation Board’s Full Year Wage A&B
data series using the appropriate employee group
hourly wage rate that includes a 75-percent
overhead charge.
16 Form FRA F 6180.177: This temporary
reporting requirement would expire by law on
approximately December 31, 2021, as further
explained in Section IV of this notice. See 49 U.S.C.
20157(j).

VerDate Sep<11>2014

20:00 Dec 27, 2019

Jkt 250001

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520; 49 U.S.C.
20157.
Brett A. Jortland,
Acting Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2019–28096 Filed 12–27–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA–2019–0004–N–24]

Proposed Agency Information
Collection Activities; Comment
Request
Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), U.S. Department
of Transportation (DOT).

AGENCY:

Notice of information collection;
request for comment.

ACTION:

PO 00000

Frm 00239

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

Under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its
implementing regulations, FRA seeks
approval of the Information Collection
Request (ICR) abstracted below. Before
submitting this ICR to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
approval, FRA is soliciting public
comment on specific aspects of the
activities identified in the ICR.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before February
28, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments
on the ICR activities by mail to either:
Ms. Hodan Wells, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, Office of
Railroad Safety, Regulatory Analysis
Division, Federal Railroad
Administration, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; or
Ms. Kim Toone, Information Collection
Clearance Officer, Office of Information
Technology, Federal Railroad
SUMMARY:

E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM

30DEN1