[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 210 (Monday, October 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64739-64740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27725]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2000-8136]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Request for Comments; 
Clearance of a New Information Collection; Heavy Vehicle Travel 
Information System

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to 
request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new 
information collection. The collection involves information on truck 
travel miles to be included in the Heavy Vehicle Travel Information 
System (HVTIS). We are required to publish this notice in the Federal 
Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by December 29, 2000.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand deliver comments to the U.S. Department 
of Transportation, Dockets Management Facility, Room PL-401, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590; telefax comments to 202/493-
2251; or submit electronically at http://dmses.dot.gov/submit. All 
comments should include the docket number in this notice's heading. All 
comments may be examined and copied at the above address from 9 a.m. to 
5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. If you 
desire a receipt you must include a self-addressed stamped envelope or 
postcard or, if you submit your comments electronically, you may print 
the acknowledgment page.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ed Kashuba, 202-366-0160, Office 
of Highway Policy Information, Policy Service Business Unit, Federal 
Highway Administration, Department of Transportation, 400 7th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are from 6:45 a.m. to 4:15 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Heavy Vehicle Travel Information System (HVTIS).
    Background: Title 49, United States Code, Section 301, authorizes 
the DOT to collect statistical information relevant to domestic 
transportation. Title 23, United States Code, Section 307, authorizes 
the DOT to engage in studies to collect data for planning future 
highway programs. The FHWA is developing the HVTIS to house data that 
would be used to analyze the amount

[[Page 64740]]

and nature of truck travel at the national and regional levels. The 
information would be used by the FHWA and other DOT administrations to 
evaluate changes in truck travel in order to assess impacts on highway 
safety; the role of travel in economic productivity; impacts of changes 
in truck travel on infrastructure condition; and maintaining our 
mobility while protecting the human and natural environment. The 
increasing dependence on truck transport requires that data be 
available to better assess its overall contribution to the Nation's 
well-being. In conducting the data collection, the FHWA will be 
requesting that State Departments of Transportation provide periodic 
reporting of vehicle classification and weight data which they collect 
as part of their existing traffic data collection programs. The 
majority of States collect this vehicle weight data periodically 
throughout the year using weigh-in-motion devices and also collect 
vehicle classification data continuously. The data will allow 
transportation professionals at the Federal, state and metropolitan 
levels to make informed decisions about policies and plans.
    Respondents: 51 State Transportation Departments, including the 
District of Columbia.
    Frequency: It is proposed that continuous vehicle classification 
data be reported on a monthly basis to assure timely information that 
can be compared to monthly reports of economic activity. Based on data 
collection practices in common use by the State Transportation 
Departments, it is proposed that data collected using weigh-in-motion 
devices be submitted to FHWA annually.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: The average State 
Transportation Department operates 40 continuous vehicle classification 
installations as well as 10 weigh-in-motion sites. It is estimated that 
the additional processing necessary to make 48 hours of weigh-in-motion 
data available to FHWA would be 6 minutes per site per year and that 
processing one month of vehicle classification data would take 5 
minutes per site per month.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 41 per State; 2,091 total.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection is necessary for the FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of 
the estimated burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA to enhance the quality, 
usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that 
the burdens could be minimized, including use of electronic technology, 
without reducing the quality of the collected information. The agency 
will summarize and/or include your comments in the request for OMB's 
clearance of this information collection.
    Electronic Access: Internet users may access all comments received 
by the U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, by using the universal resource 
locator (URL): http://dms.dot.gov. It is available 24 hours each day, 
365 days each year. Please follow the instructions online for more 
information and help. An electronic copy of this document may be 
downloaded using a modem and suitable communications software from the 
Government Printing Office Electronic Bulletin Board Service at 
telephone number 202-512-1661. Internet users may reach the Federal 
Register's home page at http://www.nara.gov/fedreg and the Government 
Printing Office's database at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.

    Authority:  The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: October 24, 2000.
James R. Kabel,
Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 00-27725 Filed 10-27-00; 8:45 am]
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