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.
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.
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
US Code: 49
USC 1321(b) Name of Law: Powers-Inquiries, Reports, and
Orders
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.