2140-0014 (Fuel Costs) Supporting Statement 2023 (to ROCIS)

2140-0014
July 2023
Expires 9/30/23

SUPPORTING STATEMENT
FOR REQUEST OF OMB APPROVAL
UNDER THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT AND 5 C.F.R. § 1320
The Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) requests a three-year extension of
approval of the Board’s collection of the Report of Fuel Cost, Consumption, and Surcharge
Revenue.
A. Justification:
1. Why the collection is necessary. The Surface Transportation Board is, by statute,
responsible for the economic regulation of common carrier freight railroads and certain other
carriers operating in the United States. Under 49 U.S.C. § 10702, the Board has the authority to
address the reasonableness of a rail carrier’s practices. The Board has authority under 49 U.S.C.
§ 11144 to prescribe the form of records required to be prepared or compiled by regulated rail
carriers, and to inspect and copy any record of such a carrier. Moreover, the Board has specific
authority under 49 U.S.C. § 11145(a)(1) to require regulated rail carriers to file annual, periodic,
and special reports containing answers to questions asked by the Board. Under 49 CFR §
1243.3, the Board requires rail carriers to file quarterly reports on fuel costs, consumption, and
fuel surcharge revenues to permit the Board to monitor the current fuel surcharge practices of
Class I carriers in order to provide an overall picture of the use of fuel surcharges and bring some
transparency to the use of fuel surcharges by rail carriers.
2. How the collection will be used. The Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board)
requires all Class I railroads to report quarterly the following: (1) total fuel cost; (2) gallons of
fuel consumed; (3) increased or decreased cost of fuel over the previous quarter; (4) total
revenue from fuel surcharges; and (5) total revenue from fuel surcharges on regulated traffic
only. This information collection permits the Board to monitor the current fuel surcharge
practices of the Class I carriers.
3. Extent of automated information collection. These documents may be filed
electronically by carriers.
4. Identification of duplication. The information requested does not duplicate any other
information available to the Board or the public.
5. Effects on small business. There is no impact on small businesses. This collection is
required to be filed only by Class I railroads, all of which have annual operating revenues of
greater than $900 million.
6. Impact of less frequent collections. Fuel prices can fluctuate frequently. Therefore, a

quarterly collection of this information is needed to provide current and relevant information to
the Board.
7. Special circumstances. No special circumstances apply to this collection.
8. Compliance with 5 C.F.R. § 1320.8. As required, the Board published a notice
providing a 60-day comment period regarding this collection. See 88 Fed. Reg. 30830 (May 12,
2023). No comments were received. A 30-day notice was published concurrently with this
submission to Office of Management and Budget (OMB). See 88 Fed. Reg. 45265 (July 14,
2023).
9. Payments or gifts to respondents. The Board does not provide any payment or gift to
respondents.
10. Assurance of confidentiality. No confidential information is being collected in this
information collection. The collected information is posted on the Board’s website.
11. Justification for collection of sensitive information. No sensitive information is
requested.
12. Estimation of burden hours for respondents. The following information pertains to
the estimate of burden hours associated with this collection:
(1) Number of respondents: Seven.
(2) Frequency of response: Quarterly.
(3) Annual hour burden per respondent and total for all respondents: It is estimated
that it takes each respondent one hour each quarter to complete and submit the
fuel cost report. Annually, this results in four hours per respondent and, in sum,
28 hours for all respondents.
13. Other costs to respondents: None identified. Filings may be submitted electronically
to the Board.
14. Estimated costs to the Board: It is estimated that it will take four staff hours
quarterly to collect the fuel reports, annually. This time consists of two hours review (GS-15),
one hour to check for outliers (GS-14), and one hour (GS-12) to post the submissions on the
website.
15. Changes in burden hours. There are no changes in burdens.
16. Plans for tabulation and publication: The collected information is posted on the
Board’s website.
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17. Display of expiration date for OMB approval. The control number and expiration
date for this collection will appear on the form.
18. Exceptions to Certification Statement. Not applicable.
B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods:
Not applicable.

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