89020 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2023 / Notices 

1Throughout the tables in this document, the 

dollar equivalent cost is derived from the 2022 

Surface Transportation Board Full Year Wage A & 

B data series using the appropriate employee group 

to calculate the average hourly rate that includes 75 

percent overhead. 

2Total burden hours are divided equally for each 

requirement 14.75 + 14.75 = 84.84 hours. 

3Total burden hours are divided equally for each 

requirement 29.42 + 29.42 = 84.84 hours. 

4Total burden hours are divided equally for each 

requirement 550 + 550 = 84.84 hours. 

5Totals may not add up due to rounding. 

REPORTING BURDEN—Continued 

CFR section Respondent universe 

Total 

annual 

responses 

Average time 

per response 

Total annual 

burden hours Wage rate 

Total cost 

equivalent 

in U.S. dollars 

(A) (B) (C = A * B) (D = C * wage 

rates) 1

240.307(c)(11)(iii)—RR service of written 

decision on employee and employee’s 

representative.

784 railroads .......... 690 copies .............. 5.00 minutes ........... 57.50 85.93 4,940.98 

240.307(f)—Personal waiver of right to 

hearing under this section.

784 railroads .......... 750 written waivers 5.00 minutes ........... 62.50 63.07 3,941.88 

240.307(j)—RR update of record with relevant information.784 railroads .......... 50 updated records 10.00 minutes ......... 8.33 85.93 715.80 

240.309—RR oversight responsibilities: 

detected poor safety conduct—annotation.

15 railroads ............ 6 annotations .......... 15.00 minutes ......... 1.50 63.07 94.61 

—Railroad annual review ......................... 51 railroads ............ 51 reviews .............. 3.00 hours .............. 153.00 85.93 13,147.29 

240.205—Data to DAC Counselor ........... 784 railroads .......... 177 records ............ 5.00 minutes ........... 14.75 123.41 1,820.30 

240.209/213—Written documentation of 

tests.

53,000 candidates .. 17,667 testing 

records.

1.00 minute ............ 294.45 85.93 25,302.09 

240.211/213—Written documentation of 

performance tests.

53,000 candidates .. 17,667 testing 

records.

1.00 minute ............ 294.45 85.93 25,302.09 

240.215—Retaining information supporting determination.784 railroads .......... 17,667 records ....... 5.00 minutes ........... 1,472.25 85.93 126,510.44 

240.303—Annual operational monitoring 

observation.

53,000 candidates .. 53,000 testing 

records.

1.00 minute ............ 883.33 85.93 75,904.55 

240.303—Annual operating rules compliance test.53,000 candidates .. 53,000 testing 

records.

1.00 minute ............ 883.33 85.93 75,904.55 

240.307(b)(4)—RR hearings/hearing 

records.

784 railroads .......... 690 hearings/ 

records.

4.00 hours .............. 2,760.00 85.93 237,166.80 

Total 5 ................................................ 784 railroads .......... 224,652 responses N/A ......................... 23,969 N/A 2,365,953 

Total Estimated Annual Responses: 

224,652. 

Total Estimated Annual Burden: 

23,969. 

Total Estimated Annual Dollar Cost 

Equivalent: $2,365,953. 

FRA informs all interested parties that 

it may not conduct or sponsor, and a 

respondent is not required to respond 

to, a collection of information that does 

not display a currently valid OMB 

control number. 

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520. 

Allison Ishihara Fultz, 

Chief Counsel. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28382 Filed 12–22–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket No. FRA–2023–0002–N–38] 

Proposed Agency Information 

Collection Activities; Comment 

Request 

AGENCY: Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of information collection; 

request for comment. 

SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its 

implementing regulations, FRA seeks 

approval of the Information Collection 

Request (ICR) summarized below. 

Before submitting this ICR to the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) for 

approval, FRA is soliciting public 

comment on specific aspects of the 

activities identified in the ICR. 

DATES: Interested persons are invited to 

submit comments on or before February 

26, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments and 

recommendations for the proposed ICR 

should be submitted on regulations.gov 

to the docket, Docket No. FRA–2023– 

0002. All comments received will be 

posted without change to the docket, 

including any personal information 

provided. Please refer to the assigned 

OMB control number (2130–0597) in 

any correspondence submitted. FRA 

will summarize comments received in a 

subsequent 30-day notice and include 

them in its information collection 

submission to OMB for approval. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Arlette Mussington, Information 

Collection Clearance Officer, at email: 

arlette.mussington@dot.gov or 

telephone: (571) 609–1285, or Ms. 

Joanne Swafford, Information Collection 

Clearance Officer, at email: 

joanne.swafford@dot.gov or telephone: 

(757) 897–9908. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 

44 U.S.C. 3501–3520, and its 

implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 

1320, require Federal agencies to 

provide 60 days’ notice to the public to 

allow comment on information 

collection activities before seeking OMB 

approval of the activities. See 44 U.S.C. 

3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 

1320.12. Specifically, FRA invites 

interested parties to comment on the 

following ICR regarding: (1) whether the 

information collection activities are 

necessary for FRA to properly execute 

its functions, including whether the 

activities will have practical utility; (2) 

the accuracy of FRA’s estimates of the 

burden of the information collection 

activities, including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used to 

determine the estimates; (3) ways for 

FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information being 

collected; and (4) ways for FRA to 

minimize the burden of information 

collection activities on the public, 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2023 / Notices 89021 

1Public Law 110–432, 122 Stat. 4883 (Oct. 16, 

2008), codified at 49 U.S.C. 20162. 

2 79 FR 66459. 

including the use of automated 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology. See 44 U.S.C. 

3506(c)(2)(A); 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1). 

FRA believes that soliciting public 

comment may reduce the administrative 

and paperwork burdens associated with 

the collection of information that 

Federal regulations mandate. In 

summary, comments received will 

advance three objectives: (1) reduce 

reporting burdens; (2) organize 

information collection requirements in a 

‘‘user-friendly’’ format to improve the 

use of such information; and (3) 

accurately assess the resources 

expended to retrieve and produce 

information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 

3501. 

The summary below describes the ICR 

that FRA will submit for OMB clearance 

as the PRA requires: 

Title: Training, Qualification, and 

Oversight for Safety-Related Railroad 

Employees. 

OMB Control Number: 2130–0597. 

Abstract: The regulations under 49 

CFR part 243 set forth FRA’s minimum 

training and qualification requirements 

for each category and subcategory of 

safety-related railroad employee, 

regardless of whether the employee is 

employed by a railroad or a contractor 

of the railroad. In 2014, FRA published 

a final rule establishing minimum 

training standards for all safety-related 

railroad employees, as required by the 

Rail Safety Improvement Act (RSIA) of 

2008.1 The final rule required each 

railroad or contractor that employs one 

or more safety-related employees to 

develop and submit a training program 

to FRA for approval and to designate the 

minimum training qualifications for 

each occupational category of employee. 

Additionally, the rule required most 

employers to conduct periodic oversight 

of their own employees and annual 

written reviews of their training 

programs to close performance gaps.2

FRA will use the information 

collected to ensure each employer— 

railroad or contractor—conducting 

operations subject to 49 CFR part 243 

develops, adopts, submits, and complies 

with a training program for each 

category and subcategory of safetyrelated railroad employee. Each program 

must have training components 

identified so that FRA will understand 

how the program works when it reviews 

the program for approval. Further, FRA 

will review the required training 

programs to ensure they include initial, 

ongoing, and on-the-job criteria; testing 

and skills evaluation measures designed 

to foster continual compliance with 

Federal standards; and the identification 

of critical safety defects and plans for 

immediate remedial actions to correct 

them. In 2020, FRA developed 

requirements for a training program 

under § 243.101 for each Class I 

railroad, and each intercity or commuter 

passenger railroad conducting 

operations with 400,000 or more total 

annual employee work hours. 

In this 60-day notice, FRA makes 

adjustments that will reduce the 

currently approved burden hours from 

91,069 to 66,565 hours. The decrease, 

after a thorough review, is the result of 

a reduced estimate of annual responses 

for the number of training programs 

under § 243.103. 

Type of Request: Extension without 

change (with changes in estimates) of a 

currently approved collection. 

Affected Public: Businesses. 

Form(s): N/A. 

Respondent Universe: 1,155 railroads/ 

contractors/training organizations/ 

learning institutions. 

Frequency of Submission: On 

occasion. 

Total Estimated Annual Responses: 

164,275. 

REPORTING BURDEN

CFR section Respondent 

universe 

Total annual 

responses 

Average time per 

response 

Total annual 

burden hours Wage rates 

Total cost 

equivalent in 

U.S. dollars 

(A) (B) (C = A * B) (D = C * wage 

rates) 3

243.101(a)(2)—Training program required 

for each employer not covered by 

(a)(1) and subject to this part by May 

1, 2021.

1,046 railroads/contractors.200 training programs.250 hours ............... 50,000.00 $85.93 $4,296,500.00 

—(b) Submission by new employers 

commencing operations after Jan. 1, 

2020, not covered by (a)(2).

10 new railroads/ 

contractors.

10 training programs.20 hours ................. 200.00 123.41 24,682.00 

—(e) Contractor’s duty to validate approved program to a railroad (Revised 

requirement).

400 railroad contractors.150 documents ....... 15 minutes .............. 37.50 85.93 3,222.38 

—(f) Railroad’s duty to retain copies of 

contractor’s validation documents (Revised requirement).

1,046 railroads/contractors.1,046 copies ........... 2 minutes ................ 34.87 85.93 2,996.38 

243.103(d)—Training components identified in program; modifications to components of the training programs.1,155 railroads/contractors.10 modified training 

programs.

5 hours ................... 50.00 85.93 4,296.50 

243.109(b)—Previously approved programs requiring an informational filing 

when modified.

155 railroads/contractors/learning 

institutions.

75 informational filings.8 hours ................... 600.00 85.93 51,558.00 

—(c) New portions or substantial revisions to an approved training program.10 railroads/contractors.10 revised training 

programs.

16 hours ................. 160.00 85.93 13,748.80 

—(c) New portions or substantial revisions to an approved training program 

found non-conforming to this part by 

FRA—revisions required.

50 railroads/contractors.50 revised training 

programs.

8 hours ................... 400.00 85.93 34,372.00 

—(d)(1)(i) Copy of additional submissions, resubmissions, and informational 

filings to labor organization presidents.

50 railroads/contractors.50 copies ................ 10 minutes .............. 8.33 85.93 715.80 

—(d)(1)(ii) Railroad statement affirming 

that a copy of submissions, resubmissions, or informational filings has been 

served to labor organization presidents.

228 railroads/contractors.76 affirming statements.10 minutes .............. 12.67 85.93 1,088.73 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
89022 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2023 / Notices 

REPORTING BURDEN—Continued 

CFR section Respondent 

universe 

Total annual 

responses 

Average time per 

response 

Total annual 

burden hours Wage rates 

Total cost 

equivalent in 

U.S. dollars 

(A) (B) (C = A * B) (D = C * wage 

rates) 3

—(d)(2) Labor comments on railroad 

training program submissions, resubmissions, or informational filings.

228 railroad labor 

organizations.

3 comments ............ 30 minutes .............. 1.50 85.93 128.90 

243.111(g)—Safety-related railroad employees instructed by training organizations or learning institution—recordkeeping.109 training organizations/learning 

institutions.

5,450 records ......... 5 minutes ................ 454.17 85.93 39,026.83 

—(h) Training organizations or learning 

institutions to provide student’s training 

transcript or training record to any employer upon request by the student.

109 training organizations/learning 

institutions.

545 records ............ 5 minutes ................ 45.42 85.93 3,902.94 

—(b) New employers operating after January 1, 2020, not covered by (a)(2), 

designation of safety-related employees by job category—lists.

10 new railroads/ 

contractors.

10 designation lists 15 minutes .............. 2.50 85.93 214.83 

—(c) Training records of newly hired employees or those assigned new safetyrelated duties.4,800 employees .... 4,800 records ......... 15 minutes .............. 1,200.00 85.93 103,116.00 

—(d)(1)(i) Requests for relevant qualification or training record from an entity 

other than current employer.

4,800 employees .... 250 record requests 5 minutes ................ 20.83 85.93 1,789.92 

243.203—(a)–(e) Recordkeeping—Systems set up to meet FRA requirements—general requirements for qualification status records, accessibility.10 railroads/ contractors/training 

organizations/ 

learning institutions.

10 recordkeeping 

systems.

30 minutes .............. 5.00 85.93 429.65 

—(f) Transfer of records to successor 

employer—If an employer ceases to do 

business and its assets will be transferred to a successor employer, it shall 

transfer to the successor employer all 

records required to be maintained 

under this part, and the successor employer shall retain them for the remainder of the period prescribed in this part.

1,155 railroads/contractors/training 

organizations/ 

learning institutions.

3 railroads .............. 30 minutes .............. 1.50 85.93 128.90 

243.205(c)—Railroad identification of supervisory employees who conduct periodic oversight tests by category/subcategory.746 railroads .......... 300 identifications .. 5 minutes ................ 24.90 85.93 2,139.66 

—(f) Notification by RR of contractor employee non-compliance with federal 

laws/regulations/orders to employee 

and employee’s employer.

300 contractors ...... 90 employee notices.10 minutes .............. 15.00 85.93 1,288.95 

—(f) Notification by RR of contractor employee non-compliance with federal 

laws/regulations/orders to employee 

and employee’s employer.

300 contractors ...... 270 employer notices.10 minutes .............. 45.00 85.93 3,866.85 

—(i) and (j) Employer records of periodic 

oversight.

1,046 railroads/contractors.150,000 records ..... 5 minutes ................ 12,500.00 85.93 1,074,125.00 

243.207(a)—Written annual review of 

safety data (Railroads with 400,000 annual employee work hours or more).

22 railroads ............ 22 reviews .............. 16 hours ................. 352.00 85.93 30,247.36 

—(b) Railroad copy of written annual review at system headquarters.22 railroads ............ 22 review copies .... 5 minutes ................ 1.83 85.93 157.25 

—(e) Railroad notification to contractor of 

relevant training program adjustments.

22 railroads ............ 2 notifications ......... 15 minutes .............. 0.50 85.93 42.97 

243.209(a)–(b)—Railroad-maintained list 

of contractors utilized.

746 railroads .......... 746 lists .................. 30 minutes .............. 373.00 85.93 32,051.89 

—(c) Railroad duty to update list of contractors utilized and retain record for at 

least 3 years showing if a contractor 

was utilized in last 3 years.

746 railroads .......... 75 updated lists ...... 15 minutes .............. 18.75 85.93 1,611.19 

Total 4 ................................................ 1,155 railroads/contractors/training 

organizations/ 

learning institutions.

164,275 responses N/A ......................... 66,565 ........................ 5,727,450 

Total Estimated Annual Responses: 

164,275. 

Total Estimated Annual Burden: 

66,565. 

Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour 

Dollar Cost Equivalent: $5,727,450. 

FRA informs all interested parties that 

it may not conduct or sponsor, and a 

respondent is not required to respond 

to, a collection of information that does 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2023 / Notices 89023 

3Throughout the tables in this document, the 

dollar equivalent cost is derived from the 2022 

Surface Transportation Board Full Year Wage A & 

B data series using the appropriate employee group 

to calculate the average hourly rate that includes 75 

percent overhead. 

4Totals may not add up due to rounding. 

not display a currently valid OMB 

control number. 

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520. 

Allison Ishihara Fultz, 

Chief Counsel. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28380 Filed 12–22–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration 

[DOT–NHTSA–2023–0033] 

National Emergency Medical Services 

Advisory Council; Notice of Public 

Meeting 

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic 

Safety Administration, U.S. Department 

of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces a 

meeting of the National Emergency 

Medical Services Advisory Council 

(NEMSAC). 

DATES: This meeting will be held inperson and simultaneously transmitted 

via virtual interface. It will be held on 

February 7–8, 2024, from 12 p.m. to 5 

p.m. ET. Pre-registration is required to 

attend this meeting. Once registered, a 

link permitting access to the meeting 

will be distributed to registrants by 

email. If you wish to speak during the 

meeting, you must submit a written 

copy of your remarks to DOT by January 

31, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: General information about 

the Council is available on the NEMSAC 

internet website at www.ems.gov. The 

registration portal and meeting agenda 

will be available on the NEMSAC 

internet website at www.ems.gov at least 

one week in advance of the meeting. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Clary Mole, EMS Specialist, National 

Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 

U.S. Department of Transportation is 

available by phone at (202) 868–3275 or 

by email at Clary.Mole@dot.gov. Any 

committee-related requests should be 

sent to the person listed in this section. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

The NEMSAC was established 

pursuant to section 31108 of the Moving 

Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century 

(MAP–21) Act of 2012, under the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act. The 

purpose of NEMSAC is to serve as a 

nationally recognized council of 

emergency medical services (EMS) 

representatives to provide advice and 

consult with: 

a. The Federal Interagency Committee 

on Emergency Medical Services 

(FICEMS) on matters relating to EMS 

issues; and 

b. The Secretary of Transportation on 

matters relating to EMS issues affecting 

DOT. 

The NEMSAC provides an important 

national forum for the non-Federal 

deliberation of national EMS issues and 

serves as a platform for advice on DOT’s 

national EMS activities. NEMSAC also 

provides advice and recommendations 

to the FICEMS. NEMSAC is authorized 

under section 31108 of the MAP–21 Act 

of 2012, codified at 42 U.S.C. 300d–4. 

II. Agenda 

At the meeting, the agenda will cover 

the following topics: 

• Informational sessions 

• Updates on NHTSA Initiatives 

• Subcommittee Reports on Advisory 

Statuses 

• Strategic Planning 

III. Public Participation 

This meeting will be open to the 

public. We are committed to providing 

equal access to this meeting for all 

participants. Persons with disabilities in 

need of an accommodation should send 

a request to the individual in the FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 

this notice no later than January 31, 

2024. 

A period of time will be allotted for 

comments from members of the public 

joining the meeting. Members of the 

public may present questions and 

comments to the Council using the live 

chat feature available during the 

meeting. Members of the public may 

also submit materials, questions, and 

comments in advance to the individual 

listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section of this notice. 

Members of the public wishing to 

reserve time to speak directly to the 

Council during the meeting must submit 

a request. The request must include the 

name, contact information (address, 

phone number, and email address), and 

organizational affiliation of the 

individual wishing to address NEMSAC; 

it must also include a written copy of 

prepared remarks and must be 

forwarded to the individual listed in the 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

section of this notice no later than 

January 31, 2024. 

All advance submissions will be 

reviewed by the Council Chairperson 

and Designated Federal Officer. If 

approved, advance submissions shall be 

circulated to NEMSAC representatives 

for review prior to the meeting. All 

advance submissions will become part 

of the official record of the meeting. 

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 300d–4(b); 49 

CFR 1.95(i)(4). 

Issued in Washington, DC. 

Gamunu Ukwattege Wijetunge, 

Acting Associate Administrator, Research 

and Program Development. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28378 Filed 12–22–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

[Docket No. DOT–OST–2023–0166] 

Transportation Services for Individuals 

With Disabilities: ADA Standards for 

Transportation Facilities 

AGENCY: Department of Transportation 

(DOT). 

ACTION: Extension of comment period. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Transportation (DOT, or Department) is 

extending through February 20, 2024 

the period for interested persons to 

submit comments to its request for 

information on whether to amend the 

accessibility requirements for 

transportation facilities under the 

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 

(ADA) currently contained in appendix 

A to DOT’s regulations governing 

transportation services for individuals 

with disabilities. 

DATES: The comment period for the 

notice published November 6, 2023, at 

88 FR 76272, is extended. Comments 

should be submitted on or before 

February 20, 2024. Late-filed comments 

will be considered to the extent 

practicable. 

ADDRESSES: You may file comments 

identified by docket number OST– 

2023–0166 by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

https://www.regulations.gov and follow 

the online instructions for submitting 

comments. 

• Mail: Docket Operations, U.S. 

Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Ave. SE, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. 

• Hand Delivery or Courier: West 

Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. 

Commenters using this method of 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES