2126-0075 SS Part A 07.11.22

Department of Transportation

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

SUPPORTING STATEMENT – Part A

Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program

OMB Number 2126-0075

SUMMARY

• The Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA) is seeking renewal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot (SDAP) Program, Information Collection Request (ICR) Control Number 2126-0075.

• There is no change in the information collection tools associated with this ICR. Information collection tools consist of (1) applications from motor carriers interested in participating in the SDAP program, (2) driver information and consent forms for apprentice drivers, (3) driver information and consent forms for experienced drivers, (4) safety benchmark certifications participating carriers complete for each apprentice, and (5) monthly data submissions from participating motor carriers.

• There is no change in the estimated burden for this ICR. The estimated annual burden for all respondents is 56,448 hours at a cost of $2,352,675.70.

• Section 8 has been revised to reflect public comment received on the Federal Register Notice (FRN) announcing emergency review.

• Additional revisions on the monthly safety and activity data have been included to reflect that carriers will need to provide summary data, not video data, from onboard monitoring systems.

INTRODUCTION

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, FMCSA is requesting OMB grant a 3-year renewal for the information collection entitled Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program (Control Number 2126-0075). The collection of information is associated with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Section 23022 requirement to provide Congress a recommendation regarding whether the level of safety achieved by the SDAP program is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety for equivalent commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers aged 21 years or older. The emergency approval for this collection expires July 31, 2022.

Part A. Justification

1. CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAKE THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION NECESSARY

Current regulations on driver qualifications (49 CFR part 391.11(b)(1)) (Attachment A) state that a driver must be 21 years of age or older to operate a CMV in interstate commerce. Currently, drivers under the age of 21 may operate CMVs only in intrastate commerce subject to State laws and regulations.

Section 23022 of the IIJA (Attachment B), requires the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a commercial driver apprenticeship pilot program. An “apprentice” is defined as a person under the age of 21 who holds a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Under this program, these apprentices will complete two probationary periods, during which they may operate in interstate commerce only under the supervision of an experienced driver in the passenger seat. An experienced driver is defined in Section 23022 as a driver who is not younger than 26 years old, who has held a CDL and been employed for at least the past 2 years, and who has at least 5 years of interstate CMV experience and meets the other safety criteria defined in the IIJA.

The first probationary period must include at least 120 hours of on-duty time, of which at least 80 hours are driving time in a CMV. To complete this probationary period, the employer must determine competency in:

1. Interstate, city traffic, rural 2-lane, and evening driving;

2. Safety awareness;

3. Speed and space management;

4. Lane control;

5. Mirror Scanning;

6. Right and left turns; and

7. Logging and complying with rules relating to hours of service.

The second probationary period must include at least 280 hours of on-duty time, including not less than 160 hours driving time in a CMV. To complete this probationary period, the employer must determine competency in:

1. Backing and maneuvering in close quarters;

2. Pre-trip inspections;

3. Fueling procedures;

4. Weighing loads, weight distribution, and sliding tandems;

5. Coupling and uncoupling procedures; and

6. Trip planning, truck routes, map reading, navigation, and permits.

After completion of the second probationary period the apprentice may begin operating CMVs in interstate commerce unaccompanied by an experienced driver.

In addition to data regarding successful completion of the probationary periods, the IIJA requires collection of data relating to any incident in which a participating apprentice is involved, as well as other data relating to the safety of apprentices. Additional data will include crash data (incident reports, police reports, insurance reports), inspection data, citation data, safety event data (as recorded by all safety systems installed on vehicles, to include advanced driver assistance systems, automatic emergency braking systems, onboard monitoring systems, and required forward-facing and in-cab video systems) as well as exposure data (record of duty status logs, on-duty time, driving time, and time spent away from home terminal). These data will be submitted on a monthly basis through participating motor carriers.

The data collected will be used to report on the following items, as required by Section 23022:

1. The findings and conclusions on the ability of technologies or training provided to apprentices as part of the pilot program to successfully improve safety;

2. An analysis of the safety record of participating apprentices as compared to other CMV drivers;

3. The number of drivers that discontinued participation in the apprenticeship program before completion;

4. A comparison of the safety records of participating drivers before, during, and after each probationary period; and

5. A comparison of each participating driver’s average on-duty time, driving time, and time spent away from home terminal before, during, and after each probationary period.

FMCSA will monitor the monthly data being reported by the motor carriers and will identify drivers or carriers that may pose a risk to public safety. While removing unsafe drivers or carriers may bias the dataset, it is a necessary feature for FMCSA to comply with 49 CFR 381.505 (Attachment C), which requires development of a monitoring plan to ensure adequate safeguards to protect the health and safety of pilot program participants and the general public. Knowing that a driver or carrier was removed from the SDAP program for safety reasons will help FMCSA minimize bias in the final data analysis.

FMCSA and the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Agency (DOL/ETA) will be partnering in the implementation of the SDAP program. All motor carriers who are approved for the program by FMCSA will also be required to become Registered Apprentices (RAs) under 29 CFR Part 29 (Attachment D) before they can submit information on their experienced drivers and apprentices. The information collection burden for the DOL/ETA RA Program can be found in approved ICR 1205-0223. DOL estimates a burden of 45 minutes to gather information and complete the program registration form, ETA Form 671.

The statutory mandate for this pilot program is contained in Section 23022 of the IIJA (Attachment B). FMCSA’s regulatory authority for initiation of a pilot program is 49 CFR 381.400 (Attachment E). The SDAP program supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) strategic goal of economic strength while maintaining DOT and FMCSA’s commitment to safety.

2. HOW, BY WHOM, AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE IS THE INFORMATION USED

   1. HOW INFORMATION WILL BE COLLECTED

Data will be collected from participating motor carriers and drivers via the following tools:

1. Each carrier will complete a one-time application form and attach proof of insurance coverage for apprentice drivers to their application.

2. Each apprentice driver will complete a one-time application and informed consent form.

3. Each experienced driver will complete a one-time application and informed consent form.

4. Each carrier will submit a pair of one-time certifications for each of its apprentice drivers—one certification for each successfully completed probationary period.

5. Each carrier will submit monthly driving and safety data for each of its apprentice drivers.

All information collection will be electronic. The information or data to be collected via each tool is outlined in detail in the following sections.

1. Motor Carrier Application

In the application, motor carriers will be asked to provide company contact information, which includes the motor carrier name, DOT number, place of business address, and phone number. Additionally, motor carriers will be asked to provide the name and email address of a representative who will serve as the primary point of contact for the SDAP program. This information will also be used to examine the safety records of the motor carrier applicants.

Motor carriers will then be asked to provide information on the scope and scale of their operations. This includes whether they are an interstate and/or intrastate carrier, their fleet size, the number of drivers they employ, how many apprentice drivers could be hired, how many intrastate drivers could be provided if they currently conduct intrastate operations, whether their trucks use onboard monitoring systems (OBMSs), how many apprentice drivers could be provided for the control group, and how many experienced drivers they have available. While the ideal pilot program would contain a variety of carrier sizes and operation types, there may be limitations on the carriers that are able to participate due to insurance costs for hiring young drivers, the ability of the motor carrier to gain recognition as an RA program, or other business decisions. FMCSA will be conducting outreach with various carrier types and sizes, but the final sample population will depend largely on which qualifying carriers choose to volunteer.

Carriers will also be asked to identify any safety technologies being used by their drivers, including OBMS or Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). This will ensure compliance with technology and vehicle requirements during the probationary periods and streamline monthly data collection. The research team will require participating carriers to provide Electronic Logging Device (ELD) logs and OBMS and/or ADAS recorded safety events on participating drivers. Carriers will be required to certify that they understand the requirements for drivers participating in the SDAP program. Finally, motor carriers will be required to attach proof of insurance coverage for apprentice drivers before submitting their application to FMCSA for review.

FMCSA will evaluate the motor carrier applications and approve participation based on safety records and, as applications permit, securing a diverse set of carriers. While participation in the study is voluntary, FMCSA will aim to have adequate representation from large, medium, and small carriers, as well as adequate representation from all four service centers (Eastern, Midwestern, Southern, and Western). While FMCSA anticipates an estimated 1,000 carriers will be needed to supply the driver population necessary, in the event that an abundance of carrier applications are received, FMCSA may use additional data points, such as carrier size, to select which carriers to approve. It will be necessary to limit the number of participating carriers to logistically achieve data collection and ensure compliance with the program can be adequately monitored.

Once approved by FMCSA for participation in the SDAP program, motor carriers then must become a RA in accordance with 29 CFR Part 29¹ and submit their RA number to FMCSA.² The research team will work with those carriers to identify drivers who will be participating in the SDAP program and ensure the necessary information and consent forms are received prior to beginning monthly data collection. To minimize burden on motor carriers, the research team will allow them to submit data in any file format that can be converted into a .csv file (e.g., Microsoft Excel, SQL) and any file format (.pdf, .doc, etc.) for text-based records, such as investigation reports or insurance reports. This may vary depending on what records the carrier already collects and the size of the carrier. All carriers will submit data electronically via a secure file-transfer site hosted by the performing contractor.

2. Driver Information Form

To ensure eligibility, motor carriers will be required to submit information on experienced drivers. The experienced driver information form will collect the following information:

• Driver’s name

• Driver’s CDL number

• Driver’s CDL State of issuance

• Driver’s date of birth (to calculate age)

• Driver’s gender

• Driver’s qualifications (e.g., manual or automatic transmission)

• Driver’s experience (years working as a CMV driver)

• Driver’s start date with the motor carrier and, if necessary, proof of employment at a previous motor carrier to cover the prior two-year period.

To ensure eligibility, motor carriers will be required to submit information on apprentice drivers. The apprentice driver information form will collect the following information:

• Driver’s name

• Driver’s CDL number

• Driver’s CDL State of issuance

• Driver’s date of birth (to calculate age)

• Driver’s gender

• Driver’s qualifications (e.g., manual or automatic transmission)

• Driver’s experience operating intrastate (if applicable)

• Driver’s prior training experience

• Driver’s hire date

• Driver’s current weekly averages, if applicable, for:

  1. On-duty time

  2. Driving time

  3. Time spent away from home terminal

As part of every application, both experienced and apprentice drivers must sign an informed consent form, approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), to participate in the SDAP program. Personally identifiable information (PII) will be kept confidential and will not be included in the final analysis, final report, or any published document.

3. Probation Period Certification

Carriers must submit logs demonstrating each apprentice has met the on-duty and driving hour requirements for each probationary period, as well as certification that apprentices have met the required benchmarks. Carriers must report on a monthly basis each driver’s progress towards completing their set of probationary periods.

4. Driver Activity and Safety Data

As part of the SDAP program, motor carriers will be asked to submit information on participating driver’s safety and exposure data on a monthly basis. This data will be collected from the point a driver enrolls in the SDAP program until the driver turns 21 or chooses to leave the SDAP program. These data will include, for each driver, miles and hours driven, time on duty, time away from home terminal, along with any safety critical events or other relevant information captured by the ELD and/or OBMS. While the research team requests the right to review video data for OBMS if necessary, carriers will only need to provide summary data (participating driver ID, date, time, and type of event for each event) for monthly data collection purposes.

Carriers will also report DOT-reportable crashes, moving violations, motorist incident reports, total number of inspections, inspection violations (e.g., hours-of-service violations, unsecured load violations), and, when possible, near-crashes and safety critical events (SCEs) that occurred during the reporting period.

Carriers will be asked to report information on any drivers receiving additional training past the probationary periods, or remedial training as required by IIJA in the event of a crash.

In the event of a crash, motor carriers will be asked to include in their submittal the findings of their post-crash investigations and post-crash drug and alcohol tests, as required by the Title 49 U.S.C. Section 382.303, and the police accident report. The carrier will submit these documents in addition to the monthly data upload when applicable.

2. WHO WILL COLLECT THE INFORMATION

A qualified research team from M. Davis and Company (MDAC) has been contracted by FMCSA. MDAC will collect the motor carrier applications, driver information and informed consent forms, and monthly data submissions throughout the 3-year SDAP program. The contractor will host and maintain a secure file-transfer site to receive data, as well as all any necessary databases to store files containing received data, analyses, and other items pertaining to the SDAP program. Access to this data will be given to the authorized research team members and FMCSA research team members. The research team will work with a designated point of contact at each participating motor carrier to ensure all data are delivered in a timely manner throughout the study period.

3. PURPOSE OF THE INFORMATION COLLECTION EFFORT

The purpose of the data collection and the overall SDAP program is to determine the potential impact of age, specialized apprentice training, safety technologies, and experience on driver safety. In particular, this program will provide insight into whether or not apprentice training can compensate for age-related influences on safety. It will also provide insight into whether 18- to 20-year-old individuals can operate CMVs at acceptable levels of safety after participating in supervised probationary periods. The information collected will be used to compare the safety outcomes of apprentices before, during, and after their probationary periods as well as a comparison of apprentices to carrier safety records prior to participating in the SDAP program and the national crash and safety rates as calculated by existing FMCSA data, such as the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS).

As mandated by the IIJA, the information collected during the SDAP program and the results will be submitted in a report to Congress. The program will also publish a report documenting the study and its findings.

In addition, the data collected may influence recommendations on what training and other requirements should be considered prior to any possible regulatory changes to driver qualifications, such as entry-level driver training or minimum age. This could have important implications for the motor carrier industry, as a driver shortage is often cited as a limiting factor in the ability of the motor carrier industry to meet demand.

3. EXTENT OF AUTOMATED INFORMATION COLLECTION

All data will be collected using a secure online file-transfer site. The carrier application, driver information form, and driver consent form will be one-time submissions. The probation period certification and monthly activity and safety data items will require the carrier to upload files every time they are submitted but will involve data already being collected via carriers’ OBMSs and ELDs.

4. EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY DUPLICATION

FMCSA conducted a review of previously conducted studies, related studies and surveys, and reports of Federal and non-Federal sources to minimize duplication of efforts, identify best practices of completed projects, identify statistical information that can be reused for the current SDAP program, and minimize cost to the Government and taxpayers. None of the reviewed studies collected data on the safety performance of apprentice drivers as part of a SDAP program, as is mandated by section 23022 the IIJA.

Some of the information a motor carrier will need to include in their initial application is duplicative of information collected as part of the DOL/ETA RA application. The duplication is limited to basic information such as the carrier’s name, address, and a point of contact, and to a list of apprentices included in an approved program. This duplication is a small fraction of the information included in either the FMCSA or DOL/ETA application and is limited to basic carrier information. FMCSA and DOL/ETA will be working together to share carrier reports to the extent feasible and thereby limit any additional duplication.

5. EFFORTS TO MINIMIZE THE BURDEN ON SMALL BUSINESSES

Participation in the SDAP program by carriers is voluntary. Thus, only those carriers (large or small) that can safely and reasonably employ apprentice drivers in their operations will apply. The data collection plan is designed to minimize the level of data processing on behalf of carriers, which benefits smaller carriers that lack staff resources to support these tasks. By making OBMS and ELD data mandatory for participation, the program will use infrastructure and tools that qualifying carriers already possess. The burden for both large and small carriers has been minimized by requiring data that carriers already collect. The program has made an effort to minimize burden on small businesses by not requiring carriers to submit a minimum number of apprentices to participate in the SDAP program and has not imposed requirements for safety technology above and beyond what is required by IIJA.

6. IMPACT OF LESS FREQUENT COLLECTION OF INFORMATION

Not collecting the requested data would result in the failure of FMCSA to fulfill the congressional mandate to conduct the SDAP program as required in Section 23022 of the IIJA.

Less frequent data collection throughout the SDAP program would increase the opportunity for errors in data collection and hinder the ability of FMCSA to monitor and manage the operations of the participating motor carriers and drivers. FMCSA must specifically monitor the apprentice driver group over the course of the SDAP program to determine whether their safety performance is significantly inferior to the control group and whether they pose a risk to public safety. If specific drivers pose a danger to public safety, FMCSA will remove them from the SDAP program. Additionally, FMCSA will monitor carriers to determine if they are not submitting data or have a higher safety risk than other participating carriers. If that occurs with specific carriers, FMCSA will remove them from the SDAP program. Reducing the frequency of data collection would degrade FMCSA’s ability to take these correction actions to protect the public.

7. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

None.

8. COMPLIANCE WITH 5 CFR 1320.8:

On January 7, 2022, FMCSA published a notice in the Federal Register seeking public comment on the emergency approval of this ICR (87 FR 1001). A total of 144 comments were received on that notice, which are summarized here.

• Of the 144 comments received, 134 comments were from individuals while 10 comments were from organizations, associations, or motor carriers.

• A total of 31 comments supported the SDAP, which consisted of 25 individuals and 6 organizations, associations, or motor carriers.

• A total of 102 comments were opposed to the SDAP, which consisted of 98 individuals and 4 organizations, associations, or motor carriers. The majority of these comments cited previous studies showing age as a factor in safe driving performance, concerns that drivers would not be compensated properly, or that the industry would “take advantage” of younger drivers.

• A total of 11 comments, all from individuals, were neutral towards the SDAP.

Several comments provided recommendations on how to conduct the SDAP program. These are summarized below.

• Recommendation: Extend the probationary period to 6 months.
  Response: While there is no prohibition toward individual carriers, or even individual drivers on a case-by-case basis having the probationary period extended, FMCSA has decided this would fundamentally alter the intention behind Section 23022 of the IIJA and therefore has not included this recommendation as part of the SDAP program design.

• Recommendation: Require additional performance benchmarks, such as mountainous driving.
  Response: FMCSA does not consider mountainous driving to be broad enough to be required by all apprentices, as some may never require mountainous driving. These additional performance requirements should be considered at the discretion of each carrier and experienced driver to impart the knowledge required for apprentices operating in each unique circumstance.

• Recommendation: Require that apprentices continue utilizing required technology throughout the entire SDAP program.
  Response: Apprentices will be required to continue operating a vehicle equipped with OBMS until they turn 21 years old and no longer require an exemption to operate in interstate commerce. Regarding other technology, such as active braking collision mitigation systems and governed speed limiters, FMCSA has determined it is best to follow the requirements as laid out in the IIJA to enable naturalistic data collection of how these drivers would operate in a real-world setting. Furthermore, by requiring these technologies only during the apprenticeship period, data may be gathered to allow additional insights into the benefits of these technologies for this age group.

• Recommendation: Increase the requirements for experienced drivers to have five (5) consecutive years with no violations, crashes, etc.
  Response: FMCSA does not find benefit or reason to increase the requirement on experienced drivers from that which is described in the IIJA.

• Recommendation: Ensure experienced drivers are logged as on duty, not driving when monitoring apprentices.
  Response: FMCSA agrees that experienced drivers must be logged as on duty, not driving when they are in the passenger seat observing apprentice drivers. This will be made clear to program participants.

• Recommendation: Visibly identify drivers with high visibility markings, such as stickers.
  Response: FMCSA disagrees with this recommendation as it has the potential to bias the data collection by creating a potential for behavior changes in surrounding drivers that decreases the integrity of naturalistic data collection. Furthermore, this could impact the ability to properly compare safety performance of these drivers with other drivers.

• Recommendation: Revoke a driver’s CDL and expel carriers for any crashes resulting in death, injury, or property damage. Substantial violations of program rules should have penalties including suspension of an experienced driver’s CDL, suspension of apprentices from the program, and/or fines for motor carriers.
  Response: FMCSA does not have the authority to revoke CDLs, as these are issued by State Driver’s License Agencies. FMCSA retains the right to remove an exemption from a participating driver, carrier, or both if they are determined to present a safety concern. FMCSA cannot impose fines on a motor carrier for failing to meet the requirements of a voluntary SDAP program; however, FMCSA retains the right to revoke a motor carrier’s participation in the study if they fail to meet the requirements of the program.

• Recommendation: Add a requirement for becoming a registered apprentice with DOL.
  Response: FMCSA agrees that participating carriers must have a registered apprenticeship with the Department of Labor.

• Recommendation: Increase minimum rate of liability insurance to $10 million for participating carriers.
  Response: Minimum financial liability requirements are set by regulatory statute. FMCSA does not have the authority to increase this rate for participating carriers.

• Recommendation: Reduce monthly burden by clarifying what safety event data is required.
  Response: FMCSA has clarified that the safety event data provided will be the summary of safety events (including participating driver ID, time, date, and type of safety event for each event) as opposed to all recorded video data. It is intended that this data will be the reduced data from a carrier’s OBMS provider which can be used for coaching or training purposes.

• Recommendation: Have a hotline number to report violations of program rules.
  Response: Participating drivers will be provided with information on how to report coercion or potential violations of the program through the research team.

• Recommendation: Conduct regular, anonymized surveys of trainers and apprentices to assess compliance.
  Response: FMCSA is confident the monthly data provided as a requirement of participation in the study will illuminate any areas of non-compliance with the program.

• Recommendation: Carriers must submit electronic logs from ELDs on a quarterly basis.
  Response: Carriers are required to submit monthly exposure data that will cover the same information contained in electronic logs as well as additional information, such as days away from home duty station.

• Recommendation: FMCSA should produce guidance literature to orient all trainers and apprentices.
  Response: FMCSA will develop materials for distribution to participating drivers that contains information on participation requirements and contact information for the research team in case there are questions from the driver.

• Recommendation: FMCSA should establish an independent oversight board for the program composed of experienced drivers, industry stakeholders, and safety and training experts to meet quarterly and produce regular assessments of program safety.
  Response: FMCSA will be reviewing safety data on a monthly basis to determine if there are any immediate safety concerns. As authorized by 49 CFR Part 381, FMCSA may remove a driver, carrier, or terminate the program at any time if safety concerns are identified.

• Recommendation: FMCSA should require carriers, as a condition of their participation in the program, to report driver and trainer compensation during the time they are working in the program.
  Response: Carriers will have to report compensation information on apprentice drivers to comply with the DOL registered apprenticeship requirements.

• Recommendation: Compensable working time should follow the definition recognized by the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division.
  Response: FMCSA does not have authority to regulate compensation or wages.

Additionally, some commenters felt that becoming a registered apprentice with DOL would be too burdensome and is an additional requirement that was not in the IIJA. While this requirement was not specifically part of the IIJA, FMCSA maintains that a registered apprenticeship with DOL is an important step in the safety and monitoring oversight of the SDAP program to minimize the risk of apprentice drivers experiencing coercion, unfair wages, or other practices that could lead to unsafe behaviors from apprentice drivers.

Finally, there were several clarification questions received on the notice, which included the following:

• How will the control group be selected for comparison?
  Response: FMCSA will not be collecting data on a specific control group for this study. FMCSA will be utilizing already existing data on current CMV operators to compare inspection and crash rates of known drivers as compared to the data collected on apprentice drivers. Additionally, FMCSA will analyze the safety performance of apprentices before, during, and after their probationary periods.

• How will FMCSA decide whether the SDAP program should be extended, expanded, or discontinued in the final data analysis?
  Response: FMCSA is restricted by the limitations in the IIJA as well as the limitations in 49 CFR Part 381. Therefore, the SDAP program will not be extended or expanded at any point. The study may be discontinued at FMCSA’s discretion at any point.

• What quantitative safety metrics, if any, will be part of the final analysis? If crashes and fatalities occur during the program, will those be made public?
  Response: FMCSA will conduct analysis on all data collected, to include crashes, inspections, and safety events. All analysis will be peer reviewed and contained in a final report. Crashes and fatalities occurring during the program will be contained in the analysis but identifying information on drivers will not be made public to ensure the research is conducted in an ethical manner that protects the privacy of participating individuals.

• Will FMCSA continue gathering data from apprentices once they begin operating CMVs in interstate commerce unaccompanied by an experienced driver?
  Response: FMCSA will continue gathering data from apprentices until they turn 21 years old and no longer require an exemption to operate in interstate commerce.

FMCSA published a 60-day notice for public comment on this ICR renewal on April 18, 2022 (87 FR 23010). FMCSA received 16 comments in the docket for that notice. Of these, nine were comments on the ICR, and seven were misfiled comments on a separate notice issued by FMCSA. Of the nine comments on the ICR, four were submitted by individuals. The remaining five comments were filed by Samsara, Inc., the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the Shippers Coalition, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), and jointly by the Truck Safety Coalition (TSC), Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH), and Parents Against Tired Truckers (PATT).

The comments received from the Shippers Coalition, ATA, Samsara, Inc., and two of the individuals supported the SDAP program generally, and the information collection discussed in the 60-day notice. One of the individual commenters caveated his support by noting that both apprentice and experienced drivers must be thoroughly vetted for safety. The other individual questioned why the number of apprentice participants is being capped at 3000. ATA commended FMCSA on clarifying the burden estimate and recommended that FMCSA re-consider other suggestions posed in their prior comment.

Response. FMCSA appreciates the support and will be ensuring a thorough vetting of participating motor carriers, experienced drivers, and apprentices. As to the number of participants, the IIJA limits the total number of apprentices in the program at any one time to 3000 (see IIJA § 23022(b)(4)). Regarding ATA’s suggestion on minimizing burden for the monthly data collection, FMCSA is committed to working with participating carriers to ensure data is collected in a meaningful and least-burdensome method.

The comments submitted by the remaining two individuals focused on elements of or questions on the underlying SDAP program and were not specific to the ICR. One of these individuals questioned who will insure the “high risk young drivers.” The other noted that he does not think the SDAP program will help alleviate a truck driver shortage, stating that trucking companies will just mistreat young drivers the way they mistreat drivers over the age of 21, resulting in more drivers leaving the profession.

Response. FMCSA is not in a position to answer the question about who will insure the apprentice drivers but notes that any motor carrier wishing to participate in the SDAP program will need to provide proof that their apprentice drivers are covered by a valid insurance policy, or that the motor carrier is a participant in FMCSA’s self-insurance program. As to the comment regarding mistreatment of apprentice drivers, FMCSA notes that the requirements for RA programs under DOL regulations provide protection from the type of mistreatment the commenter discussed. This is one reason why FMCSA partnered with the DOL and is requiring that motor carriers participating in the SDAP program also become Registered Apprenticeship participants.

APCIA’s comment raised questions regarding the data FMCSA will collect and the data that FMCSA will use as comparison data. APCIA stated that FMCSA “must show that participating drivers are no more likely than the current population of interstate commercial truck drivers [to] have highway accidents.” APCIA also noted that the information collected should capture any additional training that individual motor carriers might add on top of those required by the SDAP program, and requested that the final public data set include detailed statistical information on the program’s safety results, to aid insurers in making decisions in the future.

Response. While the APCIA has provided statistics on crash rates of younger drivers, one of the key components of this pilot program is to identify how a structured training and probationary period can enhance the safety of younger CMV operators, which can only be determined through conducting the pilot program. FMCSA agrees that it is important to collect information on any remedial or additional training that occurs and has included this information in the monthly data collection plan. FMCSA will publish all detailed statistics collected during the study provided no personally identifiable information is included.

Finally, TSC, CRASH, and PATT noted their opposition to the SDAP program, and urged that FMCSA immediately terminate it. In the alternative, the commenters requested that FMCSA add several requirements to the SDAP program, including: extending requirements for the technology that is required to be installed in a CMV past the probationary periods to the entirety of the apprenticeship; requiring both front- and rear-facing cameras; and requiring all participating motor carriers to agree to a compliance review or DOT audit within 18 months of acceptance into the SDAP program. Additionally, Samsara, Inc. also recommended requiring both forward facing and in-cab camera views.

Response. FMCSA agrees with and accepts the requirement for both forward facing- and rear- (in-cab) facing cameras throughout the participation period of apprentices to be able to collect adequate safety data. Requiring additional technology, such as speed limiters or active braking mitigation devices past the probationary period could be prohibitive to smaller carriers wishing to participate, and therefore FMCSA has decided not to extend the technology requirements past what is in the IIJA. FMCSA will note that the adoption of these technologies is steadily increasing, and it is therefore likely that a large percentage of apprentices, if not all, will continue to utilize these technologies throughout their tenure in the program despite the lack of requirement. FMCSA will collect data on a monthly basis regarding which technologies are currently employed on the vehicles which apprentices are driving. FMCSA requiring a compliance review or DOT audit of up to 1,000 carriers participating in the program would detract resources from carriers who have been flagged for a compliance review or DOT audit due to safety-related reasons. This requirement is not feasible for FMCSA to implement at this time.

FMCSA published a 30-day notice in the Federal Register on July 11, 2022 (87 FR 41164), in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8.

9. PAYMENTS OR GIFTS TO RESPONDENTS

No payments or gifts will be made to respondents.

10. ASSURANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY

Consent forms provided to drivers will explain the ways in which their data will be used and which data will be anonymized. PII will be kept private to the extent possible under law. Data will be treated in a secure manner and will not be disclosed unless FMCSA is compelled by law. The contractor(s) that support the SDAP program will sign nondisclosure agreements to ensure confidentiality. Participants’ PII will not be included in SDAP program documents. All analysis will be conducted using de-identified data sets and no PII will be contained in the final report.

In accordance with DOT’s policy on research involving human subjects, this SDAP program will be reviewed and approved by an IRB prior to beginning data collection. This document will be updated with the date of approval once IRB review has been completed. The designated points of contact for the approved motor carriers who will recruit control group and apprentice drivers will receive IRB ethics training to ensure that the rights of the research subjects are protected.

11. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE COLLECTION OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION

Sensitive information is required to maintain safety throughout the SDAP program. One of the requirements of a pilot program is to ensure measures for maintaining safety throughout the program. This will be done by identifying participating drivers (using PII, such as a driver’s name and address) and recording information related to safety-related incidents. Participating drivers whose performance benchmarks poses a risk to public safety will be removed from the program. Furthermore, these sensitive data are required for analysis to enable FMCSA to identify and control possible confounding variables, ensuring the analysis is meaningful and the program’s results useful to promoting public safety.

12. ESTIMATE OF BURDEN HOURS FOR INFORMATION REQUESTED

The burden hours associated with this information collection are incurred by three groups: motor carriers, apprentice drivers, and experienced drivers. Motor carriers will incur the largest burden while submitting data monthly. Apprentice and experienced drivers will only need to submit the application forms. Subsequent data on participating apprentice drivers will be submitted by the motor carrier on their behalf.

FMCSA estimates that up to 1,000 motor carriers will be participating in the SDAP program at any given time. The motor carrier burden is associated with completing the application to participate in the SDAP program (IC-1), certifying safety benchmark performance for apprentice drivers (IC-4), and submitting the monthly driver activity and safety data information (IC-5), including OBMS and ELD logs, ADAS data, and post-crash investigations when applicable (IC-5a). Motor carriers will also need to interact with the research team to notify them within 24 hours of any injury or fatality crashes, if a driver chooses to leave the SDAP program (or has left the carrier), if a participant receives an alcohol-related citation (such as driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated), or if a participating driver fails a random or post-crash drug/alcohol test (IC-5b).

It is assumed that for motor carriers, first line supervisors of drivers, or an equivalent position, will be submitting data. The mean hourly wage of first line supervisors of transportation and material-moving workers for the truck transportation industry (North American Industry Classification System [NAICS] code 484000), $29.79, is taken from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.³

To arrive at a loaded wage, we first calculate the load factor by dividing the total cost of compensation for private industry workers of the trade, transportation, and utilities industry by the average cost of hourly wages and salaries as reported by the BLS in its Employer Costs for Employee Compensation for June 2021 ($31.32 total compensation cost / $22.24 wage and salary = 1.408).⁽⁴⁾ Multiplying median hourly wage for first-line supervisors of transportation and material-moving workers by the load factor results in a loaded wage hourly cost of $41.94 ($29.79 x 1.408 = $41.94), as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Estimated wage and compensation of first-line supervisors.

Occupation	BLS Occupation Code	NAICS Occupational Designation	Mean Hourly Wage	Load Factor	Hourly Compensation Cost
First Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material-Moving Workers	53-1040	Truck Transportation (484000)	$29.79	1.408	$41.94

It is assumed that both apprentice and experienced drivers correspond to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers from the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics. This occupation has a mean hourly wage of $23.42 for the truck transportation industry (NAICS code 484000) according to the June 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.⁽⁵⁾ Multiplying mean hourly wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in the truck transportation industry by the previously calculated load factor results in a loaded hourly wage of $31.91, as shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Estimated wage and compensation of participating truck drivers.

Occupation	BLS Occupation Code	NAICS Occupational Designation	Mean Hourly Wage	Load Factor	Hourly Compensation Cost
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	53-3032	Truck Transportation (484000)	$22.66	1.408	$31.91

The estimated number of respondents varies by the individual Information Collection (IC) piece, as carriers and drivers will apply for participation (IC-1, IC-2, and IC-3) but some will ultimately not be accepted into the program. IC-4 and IC-5 will only be collected on those accepted into the SDAP program. The number of anticipated respondents per IC are shown in Table 3.

Table 3. Number of respondents by type of IC and year of collection.

IC Item	Respondent Type	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Total	Annual Average
IC-1: Motor Carrier Application	Motor Carriers	1,200	200	200	1,600	533
IC-2: Apprentice Driver Application	Apprentice Drivers	3,780	630	630	5,040	1,680
IC-3: Experienced Driver Application	Experienced Drivers	6,300	945	945	8,190	2,730
IC-4: Safety Performance Benchmarks	Motor Carriers	1,000	1,000	1,000	3,000	1,000
IC-5a: Recurring Monthly Data Submissions	Motor Carriers	1,000	1,000	1,000	3,000	1,000
IC-5b: Miscellaneous Monthly Data Submissions	Motor Carriers	1,000	1,000	1,000	3,000	1,000

The burden hours associated with each IC are shown in Table 4.

Table 4. Burden hours associated with each IC by respondent type.

IC Item	Motor Carriers	Apprentice Drivers	Experienced Drivers	Total	Annual Average
IC-1: Motor Carrier Application	533 hours	n/a	n/a	533 hours	178 hours
IC-2: Apprentice Driver Application	n/a	1,680 hours	n/a	1,680 hours	560 hours
IC-3: Experienced Driver Application	n/a	n/a	2,730 hours	2,730 hours	910 hours
IC-4: Safety Performance Benchmarks	2,400 hours	n/a	n/a	2,400hours	800 hours
IC-5a: Recurring Monthly Data Submissions	108,000 hours	n/a	n/a	108,000 hours	36,000 hours
IC-5b: Miscellaneous Monthly Data Submissions	54,000 hours	n/a	n/a	54,000 hours	18,000 hours
Total	164,933 hours	1,680 hours	2,730 hours	169,343 hours	56,448 hours
Annual Average	54,978 hours	560 hours	910 hours	56,448 hours

Utilizing the loaded wage rates show in Table 1 and Table 2, the calculated costs to respondents are shown in Table 5.

Table 5. Costs to respondents associated with each IC in the SDAP program.

IC Item	Motor Carrier	Apprentice Drivers	Experienced Drivers	Total Burden	Average Annual Burden
IC-1: Motor Carrier Application	$22,368.00	n/a	n/a	$22,368.00	$7,456.00
IC-2: Apprentice Driver Application	n/a	$53,608.80	n/a	$53,608.80	$17,869.60
IC-3: Experienced Driver Application	n/a	n/a	$ 87,114.30	$ 87,114.30	$ 29,038.10
IC-4: Safety Performance Benchmarks	$100,656.00	n/a	n/a	$100,656.00	$33,552.00
IC-5a: Recurring Monthly Data Submissions	$4,529,520.00	n/a	n/a	$4,529,520.00	$1,509,840.00
IC-5b: Miscellaneous Monthly Data Submissions	$2,264,760.00	n/a	n/a	$2,264,760.00	$754,920.00
Total	$6,917,304.00	$53,608.80	$87,114.30	$7,058,027.10	$2,352,675.70
Annual Average	$2,305,768.00	$17,869.60	$29,038.10	$2,352,675.70

Estimated Total Annual Burden by Respondent:

• Carriers: The average annual burden for all participating motor carriers is 54,978 hours, or 55 hours per carrier.

• Apprentice Drivers: The average annual burden for all apprentice drivers is 3,689 hours, or 0.33 hours per driver.

• Experienced Drivers: The average annual burden for all experienced drivers is 910 hours, or 0.33 hours per driver.

Estimated Annualized Cost of Burden Hours by Respondent:

• Carriers: The average annual cost for all participating motor carriers is $2,305,768.00, or $2,305.77 per carrier.

• Apprentice Drivers: The average annual cost for all apprentice drivers is $17,869.60, or $10.64 per driver.

• Experienced Drivers: The average annual cost for all experienced drivers is $29,038.10, or $10.64 per driver.

The average annual burden for all respondents is 56,448 hours at a cost of $2,352,675.70.

1. IC-1: Motor Carrier Application

It is anticipated that not all motor carriers who apply for the program will be accepted into the program. Furthermore, it is expected that the majority of carriers will apply during year 1, however, additional carriers may be added during years 2 and 3 due to carriers leaving the SDAP program or being removed. Therefore, during the first year, FMCSA expects 1,200 motor carriers to spend approximately 20 minutes completing the one-time motor carrier application, resulting in a total of 1,000 carriers being accepted into the program. FMCSA is estimated that an additional 200 carriers will apply in year two and in year three. No more than 1,000 carriers are expected to participate at any given time during the program due to considerations with monitoring and data collection.

The burden for a motor carrier to complete the application is a one-time response of 20 minutes per respondent. Every motor carrier that applies will incur this one-time cost, estimated to be $13.97 ($41.94 hourly compensation x 20 minutes to complete application = $13.97). The total cost for 1,600 carriers to apply is estimated to be $22,368.00, or $7,456.00 annually over the 3-year SDAP program, as shown in Table 6.

Table 6. IC-1: Motor carrier burden hours and cost for motor carrier application; one response per respondent, 20 minutes per response, with an average loaded hourly wage rate of $41.94.

Year	Number of Respondents (a)	Total Number of Responses (b) = (a) x 1	Total Burden Hours (0.33 hours per response) (c) = (b) x 0.33 hours	Total Respondent Labor Cost (average loaded hourly rate of $41.94) (d) = (c) x $41.94
Year 1	1,200	1,200	400	$16,776.00
Year 2	200	200	67	$2,796.00
Year 3	200	200	67	$2,796.00
Total	1,600	1,600	533	$22,368.00
Annual Average	533	533	178	$7,456

2. IC-2: Apprentice Driver Application and Informed Consent Form

FMCSA anticipates 3,200 apprentice drivers will apply for the SDAP program in the first three months, with 3,000 being approved to participate. As drivers turn 21, drop out of the program, or are removed from the program due to safety concerns, additional drivers will be added to the SDAP program, such that no more than 3,000 apprentices are participating in the SDAP program at any given time.

FMCSA is estimating a 15 percent turnover rate in drivers choosing to leave the program, and assuming that 5 percent of drivers will age out of the program every year, resulting in approximately 600 drivers being added to the program each year, as shown in Table 4. Additionally, FMCSA is estimating 5 percent of drivers who apply will not be accepted into the program. It is estimated that a total of 5,040 drivers will apply to participate as apprentices over the 3-year program, or 1,680 annually.

The burden for a participating apprentice driver to complete the application and sign an informed consent form is a one-time response of 20 minutes per respondent. Every apprentice driver that applies will incur this one-time cost, estimated to be $10.64 ($31.91 hourly compensation x 20 minutes to complete application = $10.64). The total cost for 5,040 apprentice drivers to apply is estimated to be $53,608.80, or $17,869.60 annually over the 3-year SDAP program, as shown in Table 7.

Table 7. IC-2: Apprentice drivers’ burden hours and cost for driver application and informed consent form; one response per respondent, 20 minutes per response, with an average loaded hourly wage rate of $31.91.

Year	Number of Respondents (a)	Total Number of Responses (b) = (a) x 1	Total Burden Hours (0.33 hours per response) (c) = (b) x 0.33 hours	Total Respondent Labor Cost (average loaded hourly rate of $31.91) (d) = (c) x $31.91
Year 1	3,780	3,780	1,260	$40,206.60
Year 2	750	750	210	$6,701.10
Year 3	750	750	210	$6,701.10
Total	5,040	5,040	1,680	$53,608.80
Annual Average	1,680	1,680	560	$17,869.60

3. IC-3: Experienced Driver Application and Informed Consent Form

FMCSA will need at least one experienced driver enrolled for every apprentice operating under a probationary period. FMCSA is estimating two experienced drivers per apprentice driver in the event that carriers choose to have multiple experienced drivers available to accommodate schedule conflicts, sick time, personal time off, etc. These drivers will accompany apprentice drivers from the passenger seat until an apprentice has satisfactorily demonstrated their second set of performance benchmarks. FMCSA anticipates needing 6,000 experienced drivers to participate throughout each year, as not all experienced drivers will be participating at the same time due to their own schedule limitations. FMCSA is anticipating a turnover rate of 15% for experienced drivers who may leave the company or become ineligible to participate. Additionally, FMCSA anticipates 5% of experienced drivers who apply may not be qualified to serve as an experienced driver. Therefore, FMCSA expects 6,300 experienced drivers to apply in year 1, and 945 experienced drivers to apply in years 2 and 3.

The burden for an experienced driver to complete the application is a one-time response of 20 minutes per respondent. Every experienced driver that applies will incur this one-time cost, estimated to be $10.64 ($31.91 hourly compensation x 20 minutes to complete application = $10.64). The total cost for 2,730 experienced drivers to apply is estimated to be $87,114.30, or $29,038.10 annually over the 3-year SDAP program, as shown in Table 6.

Table 9. IC-3: Experienced drivers’ burden hours and cost for experienced driver application; one response per respondent, 20 minutes per response, with an average loaded hourly wage rate of $31.91.

Year	Number of Respondents (a)	Total Number of Responses (b) = (a) x 1	Total Burden Hours (0.33 hours per response) (c) = (b) x 0.33 hours	Total Respondent Labor Cost (average loaded hourly rate of $31.91) (d) = (c) x $31.91
Year 1	6,300	6,300	2,100	$67,011.00
Year 2	945	945	315	$10,051.65
Year 3	945	945	315	$10,051.65
Total	8,190	8,190	2,730	$87,114.30
Annual Average	2,730	2,730	910	$29,038.10

4. IC-4: Performance Benchmark Certifications

Participating motor carriers will need to submit a performance benchmark certification twice for each participating apprentice drivers. These forms will certify that an apprentice has successfully demonstrated the performance benchmarks required by the IIJA after each probationary period. It is anticipated that each form will take no more than 15 minutes to complete.

Every motor carrier will experience a different cost depending upon the number of apprentices employed by each driver. Two responses must be submitted per driver, for an estimated cost of $20.97 per driver ($41.94 hourly compensation x 15 minutes x 2 = $20.97). The cost across all participating motor carriers is estimated to be $100,656.00 or $33,552.00 annually over the 3-year SDAP program, as shown in Table 7.

Table 10. IC-4: Motor carriers’ burden hours and cost for submitting performance benchmark certifications; two responses per driver, 15 minutes per response, with an average loaded hourly wage rate of $41.94.

Year	Number of Respondents (all participating motor carriers) (a)	Total Number of Responses (2x per driver) (b)	Total Burden Hours (0.25 hours per response) (c) = (b) x 0.25 hours	Total Respondent Labor Cost (average loaded hourly rate of $41.94) (d) = (c) x $41.94
Year 1	,1,000	7,200	1,800	$75,492.00
Year 2	1,000	1,200	300	$12,582.00
Year 3	1,000	1,200	300	$12,582.00
Total	3,000	9,600	2,400	$100,656.00
Annual Average	1,000	3,200	800	$33,552.00

5. IC-5: Monthly Driving and Safety Data

Participating motor carriers will need to submit monthly data on all apprentice drivers throughout their participation in the SDAP program. Carriers will submit monthly data on apprentice drivers until they turn 21 years of age, leave the carrier, are removed from, or choose to leave the SDAP program (in which case they can no longer operate in interstate commerce).

There are two components to IC-5, which are IC-5a: recurring monthly data and IC-5b: miscellaneous monthly data submissions. For both of these submissions, motor carriers will need to compile data from their existing records and submit the data via a secure upload to the research team.

IC-5a, recurring monthly data, will contain the required driver activity and safety data, as described in Section 2(a)(iv). It is expected that the regular, recurring monthly data will take 60 minutes (1 hour) per participating apprentice driver. Every motor carrier will experience a different cost depending upon the number of apprentices employed by each driver. Monthly data must be submitted per driver, for an estimated cost of $41.94 per driver ($41.94 hourly compensation x 1 hour = $41.94). The cost across all participating motor carriers is estimated to be $4,529,520.00 or $1,509,840.00 annually over the 3-year SDAP program, as shown in Table 8.

Table 11. IC-5a: Motor carriers’ burden hours and cost for submitting monthly driver activity and safety data on apprentices; one response per apprentice per month, 1 hour per response, with an average loaded hourly wage rate of $41.94.

Year	Number of Respondents (all participating motor carriers) (a)	Total Number of Responses (12x per driver) (b)	Total Burden Hours (1 hour per response) (c) = (b) x 1 hours	Total Respondent Labor Cost (average loaded hourly rate of $41.94) (d) = (c) x $41.94
Year 1	1,000	36,000	36,000	$1,509,840
Year 2	1,000	36,000	36,000	$1,509,840.00
Year 3	1,000	36,000	36,000	$1,509,840.00
Total	3,000	108,000	108,000	$4,529,520.00
Annual Average	1,000	36,000	36,000	$1,509,840.00

IC-5b, miscellaneous monthly submissions will cover the need for carriers to report certain items to the research team within 24 hours of being made aware of the event, which may include events such as an apprentice being involved in an injury or fatality crash, an apprentice leaving the carrier or the program, or an apprentice receiving a drug or alcohol related citation (among others). Additionally, carriers may be asked to provide supplemental or clarifying data on the previous month’s activities if there are gaps or missing data. It is expected that each carrier will incur no more than 1.5 additional hours per month on these miscellaneous items. Every motor carrier is expected to incur this maximum additional cost once per month, estimated at $754.92 per year per carrier ($41.94 hourly compensation x 1.5 hours x 12 months = $754.92). The cost across all participating motor carriers is estimated to be $2,264,760.00 or $754,920.00 annually over the 3-year SDAP program, as shown in Table 9.

Table 12. IC-5b: Motor carriers’ burden hours and cost for submitting additional miscellaneous monthly data; one response per carrier, per month, 1.5 hours per response, with an average loaded hourly wage rate of $41.94.

Year	Number of Respondents (all participating motor carriers) (a)	Total Number of Responses (b) = (a) x 12	Total Burden Hours (1.5 hours per response) (c) = (b) x 1.5 hours	Total Respondent Labor Cost (average loaded hourly rate of $41.94) (d) = (c) x $41.94
Year 1	1,000	12,000	18,000	$754,920.00
Year 2	1,000	12,000	18,000	$754,920.00
Year 3	1,000	12,000	18,000	$754,920.00
Total	3,000	36,000	54,000	$2,264,760.00
Annual Average	1,000	12,000	18,000	$754,920.00

Estimated Number of Respondents:

IC-1: 1,600 motor carriers over the course of the study

IC-2: 5,040 apprentice drivers over the course of the study

IC-3: 8,190 experienced drivers over the course of the study

IC-4: 1,000 motor carriers (at any given time) responding for 4,800 apprentice drivers over the course of the study

IC-5a: 1,000 motor carriers (at any given time) responding for 4,800 experienced drivers over the course of the study (3,000 participating drivers at any given time)

IC-5b: 1,000 motor carriers (at any given time) over the course of the study

Estimated Total Annual Burden by Respondent:

Carriers: The average annual burden for all participating motor carriers is 54,978 hours per year, or 55 hours per carrier per year.

Apprentice Drivers: The average annual burden for all participating apprentice drivers is 560 hours per year, or 0.33 hours per apprentice total (apprentices complete their paperwork only once).

Experienced Drivers: The average annual burden for all participating experienced drivers is 910 hours per year, or 0.33 hours per experienced driver total (experienced drivers complete their paperwork only once).

Total annual estimated burden for all respondents: (54,978 + 560 +910) = 56,448 hours.

Estimated Annualized Cost of Burden Hours by Respondent:

Carriers: The average annual cost for all participating motor carriers is $2,305,768.00 per year, or $2,305.77 per carrier per year.

Apprentice Drivers: The average annual cost for all participating apprentice drivers is $17,869.60 per year, or $10.64 per apprentice total (apprentices complete their paperwork only once).

Experienced Drivers: The average annual cost for all participating experienced drivers is $29,038.10 per year or $10.64 per experienced driver total (experienced drivers complete their paperwork only once).

13. ESTIMATE OF TOTAL ANNUAL COSTS TO RESPONDENTS

Participating motor carriers will incur additional burden under the approved information collection for the Department of Labor’s RA program.

14. ESTIMATE OF COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

The Government has procured a research contract with MDAC for this effort to collect and analyze the data, as the Government lacks the personnel resources and expertise required to complete this study without contract support. This contract has been awarded for a total value of $1,599,878.77, including optional tasks.

Staff costs to the Government will include 15 percent of full-time hours for two GS-14s and one GS-13. Assuming mid-level steps within grade and the Washington, D.C. adjustments, this represents a yearly cost of $59,287.20 [15 percent x ($117,516 + $138,866 + $138,866) = $59,287.20].

As Government staff support will be required for 4 years, this adds up to a total program cost to the Government of $237,148.80.

There are no additional costs to the Government, as all employees working on this program are within their normal position duties and there is no anticipated travel or overtime associated with this program.

15. EXPLANATION OF PROGRAM CHANGES OR ADJUSTMENTS

This is a request for a full 3-year approval for a collection that currently has an emergency approval which expires on July 31, 2022. There have been no changes since FMCSA requested emergency approval.

16. PUBLICATION OF RESULTS OF DATA COLLECTION

Safety performance data (and the limited demographic data required for context) will be analyzed and integrated into the SDAP program report. Data collection will be completed within 120 days of the end of the SDAP program period, followed by a statistical analysis and a final report detailing the analysis. Both descriptive and analytical methods will be employed during the data analysis. Statistical methods, such as regression and hypothesis testing, will be adopted when appropriate. The results of the SDAP program will be documented in a technical report that will be delivered to and maintained by FMCSA. This report will be made available to the public on the FMCSA Web site, at www.fmcsa.dot.gov. The contents of the technical report will contribute to the report that FMCSA is required to provide to Congress pursuant to Section 23022 of the IIJA.

17. APPROVAL FOR NOT DISPLAYING THE EXPIRATION DATE OF OMB APPROVAL

FMCSA is not seeking an exemption from displaying the expiration date on the information collection forms.

18. EXCEPTIONS TO CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

None.

ATTACHMENTS

1. 49 CFR part 391.11(b)(1)

2. IIJA, Section 23022

3. 49 CFR 381.505

4. 29 CFR Part 29

5. 49 CFR 381.400

6. Draft Motor Carrier Application.

7. Draft Experienced Driver Information Form.

8. Draft Apprentice Driver Application.

9. Safety Benchmark Certification – Probation Period 1.

10. Safety Benchmark Certification – Probation Period 2.

11. Federal Register Notice.

REFERENCES

Costello, B., and Suarez, R. (2020). Truck Driver Shortage Analysis. American Trucking Associations.

Massie, D. et al. 1995. Traffic Accident Involvement Rates by Driver Age and Gender. Accident Analysis and Prevention 27(1), pp. 73-87.

Knipling, R. et al. 2004. Individual Differences and the “High-Risk” Commercial Driver Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. (1975). Minimum Age Requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

National Transportation Safety Board. (2002). Safety Report: Analysis of Intrastate Trucking Operations.

Blower, D.F. (1996). The Accident Experience of Younger Truck Drivers. University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

Campbell, K.L. (1991). Fatal Accident Involvement Rates by Driver Age for Large Trucks. Accident Analysis and Prevention 23 (4), pp. 287-295.

1 Some motor carriers may already be approved as having Registered Apprenticeship programs. These carriers will be able to skip this step and proceed directly to identifying drivers, as discussed below.

2 Motor carriers who are already participants in the RA program may include their RA number as part of their initial application.

3 Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: NAICS 484000 – Truck Transportation, https://www.bls.gov/oes/2020/may/naics3_484000.htm , Accessed December 13, 2021.

4 Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation of private industry workers, by industry, June 2021.” https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ecec.pdf . Accessed December 13, 20201.

5 Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages – May 2019, 53-3032 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes533032.htm, Accessed August 28, 2020.

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