Urgent Rail Service Issues

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
CFR-2019-title49-vol9-part1250.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-07-08	Repair queued
USCODE-2011-title49-subtitleIV-partA-chap111-subchapIII-sec11145.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-07-08	Repair queued
USCODE-2015-title49-subtitleII-chap13-subchapII-sec1321.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-07-08	Repair queued
USCODE-2009-title49-subtitleIV-partA-chap111-subchapII-sec11123.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-07-08	Repair queued
Memorandum of Justification for Expedited Approval Updated 7-8-22 (signed).pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-07-08	Repair queued
Supporting Statement (July 2022) - Urgent Rail Service Issues (to ROCIS).pdf	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2022-07-08	Repair queued

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
254514	Comprehensive and customercentric performance metrics and employment data		New
254507	Service recovery plans and biweekly progress reports		New

ICR Details

OMB Control No:	ICR Reference No: 202207-2140-001
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: STB	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Urgent Rail Service Issues
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Emergency	Approval Requested By: 07/25/2022
Date Submitted to OIRA: 07/08/2022

table that charts list comparision

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	6 Months From Approved
Responses	357	0
Time Burden (Hours)	2,964	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

---

Abstract: This information collection is to address the acute and unanticipated service issues currently facing the U.S. rail industry and network, by directing the four largest U.S. rail carriers to submit service recovery plans, along with biweekly progress reports for the next six months, in an effort to address service deficiencies. For related purposes, this collection also requires all of the Class I (large) rail carriers operating in the United States to report more comprehensive and customer-centric performance metrics and employment data, also for a six-month period.

Emergency Justfication: This is a request for an emergency clearance for a new information collection to address the acute and unanticipated service issues currently facing the U.S. rail industry and network. The collection of this information is essential to the Board’s mission of regulating the nation’s railroads and facilitating reliable rail service. See, 49 U.S.C. § 11101(a). Congress has expressly empowered the Board to address immediate service issues. See, e.g., 49 U.S.C. §§ 1321(b), 11123, and 11145(a). The Board is collecting this information to be able to timely deal with the unanticipated and urgent service issues facing the U.S. rail system and overall supply-chain issues. Thus, timely receipt of this information collection is critical for the Board to be able to use its statutory powers to help remediate the immediate service issues, to guard against continuing service issues, and to promote the reliability of the U.S. rail system. Further, public harm will likely result if the Board is prevented from immediately collecting this necessary and essential information. Failure to process this request could impede the Board’s ability to fully assess the reliability of the rail network at a time of economic stress and supply chain struggles and to determine whether particular targeted remedies are warranted. Impediments to the Board’s ability to obtain the information it is seeking would cause harm to the public, businesses, and the U.S. economy during a time of unprecedented economic stress.

---

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 49 USC 1321(b) Name of Law: Powers-Inquiries, Reports, and Orders
   US Code: 49 USC 11123 Name of Law: Situations requiring immediate action to serve the public
   US Code: 49 USC 11145(a) Name of Law: Reports by rail carriers
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

---

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

---

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	87 FR 33868	06/03/2022
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	87 FR 36569	06/17/2022
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

---

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 2

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Comprehensive and customercentric performance metrics and employment data
Service recovery plans and biweekly progress reports

---

ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list of burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	357	0	0	357	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	2,964	0	0	2,964	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: At a hearing on April 26-27, 2022, the Board received testimony and metrics that indicated immediate and critical operational and service challenges that were significantly and negatively impacting the rail network. To alleviate these concerns, the Board issued a May decision requiring the submission of rail service data and, subsequently, issued a June 13th decision clarifying and requiring additional information.

---

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $48,256

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

---

Common Form ICR:  No

---

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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 07/08/2022

---