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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 63 (Monday, April 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19747-19748]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7804]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary of Transportation

[Docket No. DOT-OST-2012-0046]

Notice of Transportation Services' Transition from Paper to 
Electronic Fare Media

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of 
Transportation Services (TRANServe), located within the Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Administration, has initiated the adoption of a 
new program distribution methodology for transit benefits. TRANServe 
has shifted to electronic fare media in specific areas in New York, 
parts of the National Capitol Region, and parts of the Southeast. 
TRANServe intends to implement electronic fare media across the United 
States within the eight TRANServe Geographic Service Areas as it 
ensures that the implementation in each area will be consistent with 
applicable statutes and regulations. The implementation of electronic 
distribution, and a limited paper voucher process, allows for the most 
effective and efficient mechanism for the qualified transportation 
fringe benefit.

DATES: TRANServe will consider all comments received on or before April 
23, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov to submit or view comments and to view supporting 
and related materials available electronically.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send one copy of 
your comment to Docket No. DOT-OST-2012-0046, DOT/TRANServe, 1200 New 
Jersey Ave. SE., Washington, DC 20590.
    Reading Room (Public Terminal): You may read any comments that we 
receive on this docket in our reading room (Public Terminal). The 
reading room is located in room W12-140 of the US DOT 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. To be sure 
someone is there to help you, please call (202) 366-9826 or (202) 366-
9317 before arriving.
    Other Information: Additional information about TRANServe is 
available on the internet at (http://transerve.dot.gov/index.html).

[[Page 19748]]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Denise P. Wright, Business Office 
Manager, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    TRANServe provides service to over 250,000 transit benefit 
participants employed by over 100 federal organizations nationwide. 
Since the program's inception, TRANServe has distributed the qualified 
transportation fringe benefit to participating Federal employees via a 
paper voucher process. To that end, TRANServe has operated a highly 
sophisticated ordering, inventory and distribution program supported by 
a complex network of activities, such as statistical forecasting for 
nationwide distribution, multi-million dollar contract awards, support 
arrangements for travel and distribution, and an elaborate array of 
financial analysis for billing participating Federal agencies. In 
addition to a growing number of participants, many state and local 
transit authorities have transitioned, or are transitioning, to 
electronic fare media, compelling the shift from a paper based system 
(vouchers) to an electronic fare media structure. TRANServe has also 
experienced rising program costs related to inventory, travel, and 
infrastructure support, requiring that TRANServe adopt a new 
distribution method from paper to electronic fare media. As a result, 
TRANServe is implementing an efficient and effective electronic fare 
media transition to its participating transit benefit agencies, 
consistent with statutory requirements in 49 U.S.C. 327, Administrative 
Working Capital Fund; 26 U.S.C. 132(f), Qualified Transportation 
Fringe; 31 U.S.C. 3302, Custodians of Money; Federal Employees Clean 
Air Incentives Act (Pub. L. 103-172); and Executive Order 13150, 
Federal Workforce Transportation. To date, for instance, TRANServe has 
shifted to electronic fare media in specific areas in New York, parts 
of the National Capitol Region, and parts of the Southeast. TRANServe 
intends to implement electronic fare media across the United States 
within the eight identified TRANServe areas. The eight Geographic 
TRANServe Service Areas are segmented based on TRANServe participant 
population and natural Transit Authority boundaries. The eight 
TRANServe Geographic Service Areas are as follows:
    Service Area 1--Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
    Service Area 2--(Southeast)--Tennessee, North Carolina, South 
Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana.
    Service Area 3--(Upper Midwest)--Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, 
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Virgin Islands, and 
Puerto Rico.
    Service Area 4--(Pacific Northwest)--Washington, Oregon, Alaska, 
Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska.
    Service Area 5--(Northeast)--Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New 
York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, 
Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
    Service Area 6--California.
    Service Area 7--(Southwest-HI)--Hawaii, Nevada, Arizona, New 
Mexico, Utah, and Colorado.
    Service Area 8--(Upper TX--Lower Midwest)--Texas, Missouri, 
Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
    Public Comments: Persons wishing to offer written comments and 
suggestions concerning the activities of TRANServe's distribution 
method should file comments in the Public Docket (Docket Number DOT-
OST-2012-0046) at www.Regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 26, 2012.
Marie Petrosino-Woolverton,
Director, Office of Financial Management & Transportation Services.
[FR Doc. 2012-7804 Filed 3-30-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P
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