The information collection request is for a revision of a currently approved collection under OMB control number 2132-0564 âSurvey of FTA Stakeholders". This is a revision due to changes to methodology that include an effort to increase stakeholder feedback by expanding the number of potential survey respondents universe from the 1,188 CEO's and senior executives as done in previous years to include the addition of over 4500 other managers and professional staff that have direct interaction with FTA. The revision also includes a decrease in burden hours due to FTA utilizing survey analytics to appropriately determine the exact amount of time spent filling out the survey. This is a voluntary collection of information via a survey that is distributed on a biennial basis. The survey provides FTA decision makers with the information necessary to determine current levels of service, establish realistic service delivery standards and opportunities for improvement, and establish mechanisms for ongoing monitoring of customer satisfaction. The information collected from FTA's grantees helps ensure that users have an effective, efficient, and satisfying experience with the Agency's programs. The entities that will respond to the "Rating FTA Services to its Customers" survey include the CEO's, CFO's Executive Director as well as professional stuff to include engineers, urban planners, grant managers at public and private transit operators, state agencies and Metropolitan Planning Organizations across the country. As required, the supporting statement A, supporting statement B, survey instrument, methodology, and checklist was submitted for review and received approval from DOT's Office of Bureau for Transportation Statistics (BTS) on July 16, 2021.
EO: EO 13571 Name/Subject of EO: Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service
EO: EO 12862 Name/Subject of EO: Customer Service
The estimated number of respondents is 6,454, an increase of 5,266 respondents from the previous request of 1,188 respondents. There is an increase in the number of respondents due to FTAâs efforts to expand outreach to a broader cross-section of FTA stakeholders. Respondents are split into two groups. Group A includes Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and other executive leaders of transit agencies, state DOTs, and other FTA stakeholders. Group B includes unit supervisors and professional staff such as engineers, urban planners and budget analysts from the same organizations. The previous IC only targeted respondents in Group A. The current IC targets respondents in both Group A and Group B. To further expand stakeholder outreach, FTA accessed an additional database, and allowed multiple respondents to submit responses from a single organization. Previously, since only CEOs or other top executive leader of an organization responded, there could be only one response per organization because there is only one top executive leader per organization. However, the expansion of the target population to other labor categories allows multiple people from the same organization to respond to the survey (CEO, engineer, urban planner, etc.).
There is a decrease in the estimated annual total burden hours, despite the increase in number of respondents, in large part because FTA found through outreach efforts that respondents actually spent less time interacting with the previous survey than estimated. In addition to stakeholder outreach outlined in #8 of the supporting statement, in 2019, FTA utilized survey analytics to appropriately determine the amount of time spent filling out the survey. Survey data analytics showed that respondents spent approximately 8-10 minutes interacting with the survey, instead of the previously estimated 1 hour. Including time spent accessing technology and systems, and retrieving, validating and verifying information, the estimated burden hours per respondent was revised from 1 hour to 15 minutes.
Total cost to the government increased, primarily due to additional estimated staff project time, and also to reflect current labor rates. Total cost for respondents increased due to the increase in number of respondents.
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.
2021 Survey of FTA Stakeholders Part A Supporting Statement Final.docx
2021 FTA Stakeholder Survey Instrument.pdf
Survey of FTA Stakeholders Group B (Other Transit Professional Staff - urban planners, engineers, etc.)