Control of Alcohol and Drug Use in Railroad Operations
Extension without change of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
Approved without change
09/23/2025
05/19/2025
table that charts list comparision
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
09/30/2028
36 Months From Approved
09/30/2025
456,302
0
495,744
2,674
0
4,830
0
0
0
49 CFR 219 FRA prescribes minimum Federal safety standards for control of alcohol and drug use. FRA and the railroad industry use the information collected to improve safety through the detection and deterrence of alcohol misuse and illicit drug use on railroad property. This is accomplished through compliance with all part 219 requirements covering railroads and their safety sensitive regulated employees. As mandated by the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act or Act), FRA expanded the scope of its alcohol and drug regulation to cover mechanical employees. This information collection is mandatory, submitted as needed, and there is a requirement for record keeping.
US Code:
49 USC 20103
Name of Law: Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970
This is an extension without change (with changes in estimates) of a currently approved information collection request (ICR). The current OMB inventory for this ICR shows a total burden of 4,830 hours and 495,744 responses, while the requesting inventory estimates a total burden of hours of 2,674 and 456,302 responses. Overall adjustments decreased the burden by 2,156 hours and responses by 39,442.
FRA has conducted a thorough review and analysis of this ICR and has determined that some of the higher estimates were based on the initial requirements to incorporate an additional 19,058 mechanical employees that were newly subject to part § 219 of the 2022 final rule. Therefore, these numbers were decreased accordingly to more accurately reflect the much lower number of anticipated submissions recorded under each requirement over the next three-year period.
Burden hours under § 219.4, comments on petitions, was removed as public comments received in response to general solicitation of comments published in the Federal Register are not considered information under PRA. Additionally, after further review FRA determined that § 219.203, Obtaining cooperation of facility, does not create additional paperwork burden. This section merely outlines a railroadâs need to reference this subpart as the regulatory authority that may be necessary when obtaining specimens from an uncooperative medical facility in a post-accident testing event.
Finally, with this submission FRA has removed the previously reported burden under §219.25 Previous employer drug and alcohol checks and §219.800 Annual reports. The burden hours associated with these requirements are now covered under OMB control number 2105-0529 Procedures for Transportation Drug and Alcohol Testing Program.
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.
Form FRA F6180.75 FRA Collection of Post-Mortem Toxicology Samples Required by 49 CFR Part 219
PC_202412-2130-002_061625_060718_1.pdf
2130-0526_Control of Alcohol and Drug Use_SJ clean-5-16-25.docx
49 U.S.C. 20103.doc
Controle of Alcohol and Drug Use in Railroad Operations