[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 194 (Monday, October 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81134-81136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23135]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2024-0054]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for 
Comment; Limousine Crashworthiness Safety Research

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments on a request for approval of a 
new collection of information.

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SUMMARY: NHTSA invites public comments about our intention to request 
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new 
information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain 
information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under 
procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before 
seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on 
proposed collections of information, including extensions and 
reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document 
describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek 
OMB approval on a new information collection to research limousine 
crash safety.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 6, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by the Docket No. NHTSA-
2024-0054 through any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Electronic submissions: Go to the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions 
for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    <bullet> Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management, U.S. Department 
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except on Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help 
you, please call (202) 366-9322 before coming.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
docket number for this notice. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading 
below.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the street 
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the 
dockets via internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access 
to background documents, contact Jason Greb, Structures and Restraints 
Research Division (NSR-210), (202) 366-3637, National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, W46-443, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), before an agency submits a proposed 
collection of information to OMB for approval, it must first publish a 
document in the Federal Register providing a 60-day comment period and 
otherwise consult with members of the public and affected agencies 
concerning each proposed collection of information. The OMB has 
promulgated regulations describing what must be included in such a 
document. Under OMB's regulation (at 5 CFR 1320.8(d)), an agency must 
ask for public comment on the following: (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the agency, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of 
the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) how to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (d) how to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses. In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA 
asks for public comments on the following proposed collection of 
information for which the agency is seeking approval from OMB.

[[Page 81135]]

    Title: Limousine Crashworthiness Safety Research
    OMB Control Number: New
    Form Number(s): NHTSA Form 1802 Interview Guide--OEM; NHTSA Form 
1803 Interview Guide--OEM Program Non-Participant; NHTSA Form 1804 
Interview Guide--OEM Program Participant.
    Type of Request: New.
    Type of Review Requested: Regular.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of 
approval.
    Summary of the Collection of Information:
    In an effort to understand the limousine market and the 
characteristics of limousine vehicles with respect to crashworthiness 
and occupant safety, and to comply with a Congressional mandate, the 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking 
approval for a new information collection request (ICR).
    Many federal safety regulations (e.g., FMVSS Nos. 207, 208, 209, 
210) do not currently apply to limousines and, as a result, the extent 
of limousine crash safety features and performance is not well known. 
Furthermore, limousine manufacturers fall into one of three categories 
(Vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturer [OEM], OEM program 
participant, and OEM program nonparticipants) and the respective 
differences of these manufacturer's approach to fabrication and vehicle 
safety requires targeted research. The proposed NHTSA research approach 
will consist of one-time voluntary interviews of three groups related 
to the limousine market: (a) Vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturer 
[OEM], (b) OEM program participant, and (c) OEM program 
nonparticipants. The interviews will consist of approximately 10-15 
open-ended questions about limousine fabrication intended for reporting 
on safety characteristics related to evacuation, crashworthiness, 
occupant seating, and restraints. Three versions of the interview will 
be used, one for each category of manufacturer. Interview results will 
be collected and summarized in a final report available for public 
consumption and the data will help provide NHTSA with data required for 
necessary cost-benefit analyses prior to potential rulemaking 
activities.
    Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the 
Information:
    On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure 
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), 
Public Law 117-58. Sections 23015 and 23023 of the Bipartisan 
Infrastructure Law (BIL) mandated that the Secretary of Transportation, 
NHTSA through delegation, shall conduct a variety of research and 
actions including research into the development of motor vehicle safety 
standards for side impact protection, roof crush resistance, and air 
bag systems for the protection of occupants in limousines with 
alternative seating positions--including perimeter seating 
arrangements, safety features and standards that aid evacuation in the 
event that an exit in the passenger compartment of a limousine is 
blocked, and amending FMVSS Nos. 207, 208, 209, and 210 such that they 
apply to limousines on each designated seating position, including 
side-facing seats.
    This information collection will also aid in any cost-benefit 
analyses that would be required for promulgating new federal safety 
regulation and other regulatory alternative considerations under 
Executive Orders (E.O.) 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review), 13563 
(Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review), and 14094 (Modernizing 
Regulatory Review), DOT Order 2100.6A and the Department of 
Transportation's regulatory policies and procedures. Therefore, NHTSA 
has a need to understand the limousine market and characteristics of 
limousine vehicles.
    Affected Public: This includes selected limousine manufacturers/
fabricators which will fall into one of three categories, including 
Vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), limousine fabricators 
associated with an OEM limousine program (OEM program participant), and 
limousine fabricator not associated with an OEM program (OEM program 
nonparticipants). Participation is voluntary.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 53.
    Frequency: Once.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 53 hours.
    This information collection will consist of interviews conducted 
across three categories of limousine manufacturers: Vehicle Original 
Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), OEM program participant, and OEM program 
nonparticipants. The interviews in this ICR will be one-time responses 
of limousine manufacturers. For each manufacturer type, the target for 
minimum number of responses is 10, and then approximately equal 
distribution of the 11 remaining planned interviews to arrive at a 
total of a minimum of 41 successful responses. These interviews will 
take place over the entirety of the information collection (3-year 
collection period). Respondents in some of the groups may be more 
difficult for interview completion than others and thus the target 
maximum respondent outreach of 160 contacts is as follows: the number 
of interview attempts for a maximum of 20 OEMs will be contacted in 
total with an annual average of 7 OEMs contacted (greatest expected 
response rate), a maximum of 40 OEM program participants will be 
contacted in total with an annual average of 13 OEM program 
participants contacted (mid-range expected response), and a maximum of 
100 OEM program non-participants will be contacted in total with an 
annual average of 33 OEM program non-participants contacted (these will 
be the smaller businesses and response rate is expected to be low).
    While each interview guide varies slightly, the time to complete 
the interview is not expected to vary greatly with an average of 60 
minutes per interview. While NHTSA and the research team will 
discontinue the interview process after a minimum of 41 successful 
responses is complete across a relatively equal distribution of the 
categories, there is no similar study to calculate response rates nor 
average completion time of an incomplete response or declined 
interview. Therefore, for calculation of burden, NHTSA and the research 
team have used the maximum number of contacts to provide an absolute 
maximum burden. The table below provides estimated burden costs and 
hours, both total burden and annual burden. Based on the average 
interview time from a preliminary round of nine interviews with 
limousine manufacturers, the time required to complete each interview 
is expected to be 60 minutes. This results in a total burden to 
respondents of 160 hours for the entire study and an annual burden of 
53 hours.
    The database of respondents for limousine manufacturers will be 
from S&P Global Mobility and their extensive canvasing of the 
automotive industry. The respondents in each category will be selected 
at random and given the opportunity to accept or decline the interview 
before moving on to the subsequent outreach effort.
    Estimated Annual Burden Cost: $4,999.
    To calculate the labor cost associated with the interviews, NHTSA 
looked at wage estimates for the type of personnel responding to the 
interviews. NHTSA estimates the total labor costs associated with these 
burden hours by looking at the average wage for Marketing/Sales 
Managers in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

[[Page 81136]]

estimates that the average hourly wage for Marketing/Sales Managers 
(BLS Occupation code 11-2020) in the Motor Vehicle Manufacturing 
Industry is $66.60. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 
private industry workers' wages represent 70.6% of total labor 
compensation costs. Therefore, NHTSA estimates the hourly labor costs 
to be $94.33 for Marketing/Sales Managers.
    NHTSA estimates the total burden cost for the complete study to be 
$15,093, while the annual burden cost is estimated to be $4,999. Table 
1 provides a summary of the estimated burden hours and labor costs 
associated with those submissions. Note there are slight variations 
between the total and the annual figures based on rounding.

                                                                Table 1--Burden Estimates
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                                     Number of respondents   Frequency of                    Hourly labor                               Burden costs
       Information collection            (total/annual)        response     Time (minutes)       cost            Burden hours            (rounded)
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Interview Guide--OEM (NHTSA Form     20 total.............               1              60          $94.33  20 total.............  $1,887 total
 1802).                              7 annual.............                                                  7 annual.............  $660 annual.
Interview Guide--OEM Program         40 total.............               1              60           94.33  40 total.............  $,3773 total
 Participant (NHTSA Form 1804).      13 annual............                                                  13 annual............  $1,226 annual.
Interview Guide--OEM Program Non-    100 total............               1              60           94.33  100 total............  $9,433 total
 participant (NHTSA Form 1803).      33 annual............                                                  33 annual............  $3,113 annual.
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    Total..........................  .....................  ..............  ..............  ..............  160..................  $15,093.
    Annual.........................  .....................  ..............  ..............  ..............  53...................  $4,999.
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    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspects of 
this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Department, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Department's estimate 
of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 
35, as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29A.

Cem Hatipoglu,
Associate Administrator, Office of Vehicle Safety Research.
[FR Doc. 2024-23135 Filed 10-4-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P