Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 25 / Monday, February 7, 2000 / Notices 5927

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety

Administration

Global Positioning System (GPS)

Technology Pilot Demonstration

Project; Extension of Deadline for

Submission of Applications

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety

Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of extension of deadline

for submission of applications to

participate in pilot demonstration

project.

SUMMARY: The FMCSA is extending the

deadline for motor carriers to submit

applications to participate in the

agency’s Global Positioning System

(GPS) technology pilot demonstration

project. This project allows qualified

motor carriers that use GPS technology

and related safety management

computer systems to enter into an

agreement with the FMCSA to use such

systems to record and monitor drivers’

hours-of-service, in lieu of requiring

them to prepare handwritten records of

duty status. This project is intended to

demonstrate that the motor carrier

industry can use this technology to

improve compliance with the hours-ofservice requirements in a manner which

promotes safety and operational

efficiency while reducing paperwork.

DATES: Applications must be received

on or before December 29, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written applications should

be mailed to: GPS Technology Pilot

Demonstration Project, Office of Bus

and Truck Standards and Operations,

Federal Motor Carrier Safety

Administration, 400 Seventh Street,

SW., Washington, D.C. 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Neill L. Thomas, Office of Bus and

Truck Standards and Operations, (202)

366–4009, Federal Motor Carrier Safety

Administration, 400 Seventh Street,

SW., Washington, D.C. 20590–0001, or

Mr. Charles Medalen, Office of Chief

Counsel (HCC–20), (202) 366–1354,

Federal Highway Administration, 400

Seventh Street, SW., Washington, D.C.

20590–0001. Office hours are from 7:45

a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through

Friday, except Federal holidays.

Application requests and specific

questions regarding this pilot

demonstration project may also be

directed to the contact person(s) named

in this notice or the Division Offices of

the FMCSA in your State.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

An electronic copy of this document

may be downloaded by using a

computer modem and suitable

communications software from the

Government Printing Office’s Electronic

Bulletin Board Service at (202) 512–

1661. Internet users may reach the

Office of the Federal Register home page

at: http://www.nara.gov/fedregand the

Government Printing Office’s database

at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.

Creation of New Agency

On December 9, 1999, the President

signed the Motor Carrier Safety

Improvement Act of 1999 (Public Law

106–159, 113 Stat. 1748). The new

statute established the FMCSA in the

Department of Transportation. On

January 4, 2000, the Office of the

Secretary published a final rule

rescinding the authority previously

delegated to the Office of Motor Carrier

Safety (OMCS) (65 FR 220). This

authority is now delegated to the

FMCSA.

The motor carrier functions of the

OMCS’s Resource Centers and Division

(i.e., State) Offices have been transferred

to FMCSA Resource Centers and

FMCSA Division Offices, respectively.

Rulemaking, enforcement and other

activities of the Office of Motor Carrier

Safety while part of the FHWA, and

while operating independently of the

FHWA, will be continued by the

FMCSA. The redelegation will cause no

changes in the motor carrier functions

and operations previously handled by

the FHWA or the OMCS. For the time

being, all phone numbers and addresses

are unchanged.

Background

On September 30, 1988, the FHWA

published a final rule (53 FR 38666) to

allow motor carriers to use certain

automatic on-board devices to record

their drivers’ duty status in lieu of the

handwritten records required by 49 CFR

395.8. This provision is now codified at

49 CFR 395.15. Many motor carriers

employing this technology found that

their compliance with the hours-ofservice regulations improved. New

technologies are emerging, however,

and the current on-board recorder

provision is becoming obsolete. Before

considering changes to the rule, the

agency determined that it would be

prudent to demonstrate the effectiveness

of more recent technology for ensuring

compliance with the hours-of-service

regulations.

On April 6, 1998 (63 FR 16697), the

FHWA announced a pilot project that

would allow motor carriers to use GPS

technology and related computer

programs to monitor compliance with

the hours-of-service regulations. Drivers

would be exempted from the

requirement to maintain paper logs.

Werner Enterprises, Inc., was the first

carrier to enter into an agreement with

the FHWA to use GPS technology for

this purpose.

On July 13, 1999 (64 FR 37689), the

FHWA extended the deadline for

submission of applications to

participate in the GPS technology pilot

demonstration project. The agency

indicated that it had received letters and

telephone calls from various entities

expressing interest in participating in

the program and that two of these

entities had acquired the software

necessary to participate. The agency

also indicated that other entities would

soon have the hardware and software

necessary. To date, however, Werner

Enterprises, Inc. is the only carrier

operating under an agreement with the

agency to use GPS technology to

monitor drivers’ hours-of-service.

Reason for Extending the Application

Deadline

The FMCSA believes GPS technology

and many of the complementary safety

management computer systems

currently available to the motor carrier

industry provide at least the same

degree of monitoring accuracy as 49

CFR 395.15. The FMCSA also believes

extending the application deadline to

enable other motor carriers to

participate will help to demonstrate that

the use of technology to reduce

paperwork and minimize recordkeeping

burdens is consistent with highway

safety.

The FMCSA continues to receive

letters or telephone calls from motor

carriers expressing interest in

participating in the GPS pilot

demonstration project. Many of these

motor carriers are either considering

modifications to their current GPS

technology programs, or planning to

have changes made to GPS technology

being purchased, in order to meet the

hardware and software requirements for

participation in the pilot demonstration

project. The FMCSA is extending the

application deadline until December 29,

2000, to provide these motor carriers

with an opportunity to participate in the

pilot demonstration project once they

have in place the hardware and software

needed to satisfy the criteria for

participation. Motor carriers that wish

to participate in the pilot demonstration

project must have GPS technology and

complementary safety management

computer systems which meet all of the

5928 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 25 / Monday, February 7, 2000 / Notices

conditions specified in the April 6,

1998, notice.

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 31136, and 31502;

and 49 CFR 1.73.

Issued on: January 26, 2000.

Julie Anna Cirillo,

Acting Deputy Administrator.

[FR Doc. 00–2675 Filed 2–4–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4010–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket No. MARAD–2000–6853]

Information Collection Available for

Public Comments and

Recommendations

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice announces the Maritime

Administration’s (MARAD’s) intentions

to request extension of approval for

three years of a currently approved

information collection.

DATES: Comments should be submitted

on or before April 7, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard Walker, Maritime

Administration, MAR 810, 400 Seventh

St., SW, Room 7209, Washington, DC

20590. Telephone: 202–366–8888, or

FAX 202–366–6988.

Copies of this collection can also be

obtained from that office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title of Collection: Inventory of

American Intermodal Equipment.

Type of Request: Extension of

currently approved information

collection.

OMB Control Number: 2133–0503.

Form Numbers: None.

Expiration Date of Approval:

September 30, 2000.

Summary of Collection of

Information: The collection consists of

an intermodal equipment inventory that

provides data essential to both the

government and the transportation

industry in planning for the most

efficient use of intermodal equipment.

Need and Use of the Information: The

information contained in the inventory

provides data about U.S.-based

companies that own or lease intermodal

equipment and is essential to both

government and industry in planning

for contingency operations.

Description of Respondents: The

report requests information from U.S.

steamship and intermodal equipment

leasing companies.

Annual Responses: 22.

Annual Burden: 66 hours.

Comments: Comments should refer to

the docket number that appears at the

top of this document. Written comments

may be submitted to the Docket Clerk,

U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL–401, 400

Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC

20590. Comments may also be

submitted by electronic means via the

Internet at http://dmses.dot.gov/submit.

Specifically address whether this

information collection is necessary for

proper performance of the function of

the agency and will have practical

utility; accuracy of the burden

estimates, ways to minimize this

burden, and ways to enhance quality,

utility, and clarity of the information to

be collected. All comments received

will be available for examination at the

above address between 10 a.m. and 5

p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday,

except Federal Holidays. An electronic

version of this document is available on

the World Wide Web at http://

dms.dot.gov.

Dated: February 2, 2000.

By Order of the Maritime Administrator.

Joel C. Richard,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–2711 Filed 2–4–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–81–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket No. MARAD-2000-6854]

Information Collection Available for

Public Comments and

Recommendations

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice announces the Maritime

Administration’s (MARAD) intentions

to request approval for three years of an

existing information collection entitled

‘‘Seamen’s Claims; Administrative

Action and Litigation.’’

DATES: Comments should be submitted

on or before April 7, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Otto

A. Strassburg, Chief, Division of Marine

Insurance, Office of Insurance and

Shipping Analysis, Maritime

Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW,

Room 8117, Washington, D.C. 20590,

telephone number—202–366–4161.

Copies of this collection can also be

obtained from that office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title of Collection: Seamen’s Claims;

Administrative Action and Litigation.

Type of Request: Approval of an

existing information collection.

OMB Control Number: 2133–0522.

Form Number: None.

Expiration Date of Approval: Three

years from the date of approval.

Summary of Collection of

Information: The collection of

information is obtained from claimants

for death, injury or illness suffered

while serving as officers or members of

a crew employed on vessels as

employees of the United States through

the National Shipping Authority,

Maritime Administration (MARAD), or

successor.

Need and Use of the Information: The

information obtained will be evaluated

by MARAD officials to determine if the

claim is fair and reasonable. If the claim

is allowed it is settled, a release is

obtained from the claimant verifying

consummation of the settlement, and

payment is made to the claimant.

Description of Respondents: Officers

or members of a crew who suffered

death, injury, or illness while employed

on vessels as employees of the United

States through the National Shipping

Authority, Maritime Administration, or

successor. Also included in this

description of respondents are surviving

dependents, beneficiaries, and/or legal

representatives of officers or crew

members.

Annual Responses: 250 responses.

Annual Burden: 3,125 hours.

Comments: Comments should refer to

the docket number that appears at the

top of this document. Written comments

may be submitted to the Docket Clerk,

U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL–401, 400

Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC

20590. Comments may also be

submitted by electronic means via the

Internet at http://dmses.dot.gov/submit.

Specifically, address whether this

information collection is necessary for

proper performance of the function of

the agency and will have practical

utility, accuracy of the burden

estimates, ways to minimize this

burden, and ways to enhance quality,

utility, and clarity of the information to

be collected. All comments received

will be available for examination at the

above address between 10 a.m. and 5

p.m., et. Monday through Friday, except

Federal Holidays. An electronic version

of this document is available on the

World Wide Web at http://dms.dot.gov.

Dated: February 2, 2000.