[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 213 (Monday, November 4, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 87720-87722]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25597]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2024-0006]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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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 
January 3, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR 
should be submitted on regulations.gov to the docket, Docket No. FRA-
2024-0006. 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-NEW) in any correspondence 
submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in response to this 
notice in a subsequent notice, made available to the public, 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: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c4a5b6a8a1b0b0a1eaa9b1b7b7adaaa3b0abaa84a0abb0eaa3abb2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a2c3d0cec7d6d6c78ccfd7d1d1cbccc5d6cdcce2c6cdd68cc5cdd4">[email protected]</span></a> or 
telephone: (571) 609-1285 or Ms. Joanne Swafford, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c8a2a7a9a6a6ade6bbbfa9aeaea7baac88aca7bce6afa7be"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4a20252b24242f64393d2b2c2c25382e0a2e253e642d253c">[email protected]</span></a> 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, 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

[[Page 87721]]

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: Women of Rail (WoR) Gender Diversity Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-NEW.
    Abstract: This project is being conducted as a one-time effort to 
administer research that will inform development of resources to 
improve gender diversity outcomes for the rail industry. The 
information collected in this study will be used to develop a richer 
understanding of effective practices for promoting gender diversity at 
all levels of the rail industry and to obtain greater insight into 
challenges and barriers that currently exist to attracting and 
retaining a more gender diverse workforce.
    The study will also be used to address research needs as identified 
in FRA Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) RSI-003 Workforce Recruitment: 
Attracting and Retaining Women of Rail and to inform development of a 
resource toolkit to support the rail industry in attracting and 
retaining a more gender-diverse workforce. The data collection effort 
will consist of surveys, interviews, and focus groups that are designed 
to (1) identify the current attitudes, gender-specific barriers, 
cultural norms, and beliefs (written and unwritten) regarding women in 
traditionally male-dominated positions and (2) identify lessons 
learned, strategies, and practices that organizations are implementing 
to attract more women in the workplace.
    A digital outreach strategy will be employed to solicit volunteer 
participants. Eligible participants include all rail industry workers, 
leaders in similar industries, middle and high school teachers and 
students, and college faculty and students. Surveys will be conducted 
via an online platform. The only data that will be collected through 
the survey is attitude and opinion data. Following the survey, 
interviews and focus groups will be conducted via established 
conferences, organization meetings, and through conference calls. 
Participants will only be asked to share opinions on the research 
topics. No personally identifying data will be collected with either 
the survey or interview/focus group activities.
    The results of this study will be published in an FRA research 
report and will be used to inform development of a resource toolkit to 
support the rail industry in attracting and retaining a more gender-
diverse workforce.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new collection of information.
    Affected Public: Businesses. Rail stakeholders including those in 
labor positions, carrier management, research/academia, professional 
association staff, Human Resource personnel, regulators, executive 
level staff, students, and faculty.
    Form(s): FRA F 6180.280; FRA F 6180.285; FRA F 6180.286; FRA F 
618.287.
    Respondent Universe: Rail Employees, Rail Leaders, Education Focus 
Groups, Industry Focus Groups.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:
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    \1\ Unless otherwise stated, the dollar cost equivalent 
throughout the burden table was derived using the wage rates from 
the May 2023 Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 
classified within the NAICS 482000, Rail Transportation. This data 
source was also used to determine the respondent universe for all 
rail occupations. All benefit costs are calculated using the BLS 
June 2023 Employer Costs for Employee Compensation. Student wage 
rates were calculated using SALARY TABLE 2023-GS (opm.gov). Benefit 
rates were not applied to student cost burdens.
    \2\ In order to get a representative sample of 181,210 employees 
FRA must contact approximately 5.65% of the respondent universe, 
which equates to approximately 10,245 persons.
    \3\ Totals may not add up due to rounding.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Estimated #
                                                     contacted (* using
                                                      20% response rate
                                     Respondent      for online surveys      Total annual      Average time per     Total annual      Wage    Total cost
         Survey methods               universe          and industry           responses           response         burden hours      \1\     equivalent
                                                     interviews; 5% for                                                              rates      U.S. D
                                                       education focus
                                                           groups)
                                                                         (A).................  (B).............  (C) = A * B......      (D)  (E) = C * D
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FRA Rail Workers Form FRA F      All rail industry   10,245............  2,049...............  12 minutes......  410 hours........    46.26   $18,966.60
 6180.280 Survey #1 \2\.          employees (N =
                                  181,210).
Senior Leadership & Human        Rail Companies (N   654...............  131.................  10 minutes......  22 hours.........    81.16     1,785.52
 Resources Form FRA F 6180.287    = 654 (approx.)
 Survey #2-.                      Class I-III,
                                  commuter, Amtrak).
Interviews Form FRA F 6180.285   Non-managerial (N   250...............  50..................  30 minutes......  25 hours.........    46.26     1,156.50
 Survey #3.                       = 174,430).
                                 Managerial (N =     250...............  50..................  30 minutes......  25 hours.........    81.16     2,029.00
                                  7,780).
                                 Similar Industry    125...............  25..................  30 minutes......  12.5 hours.......    81.16     1,014.50
                                  Managerial (N >>
                                  7,780).
FRA Focus Groups Form FRA F      Middle and High     1,500 students      75 responses........  1 hour..........  75.00 hours......    15.50     1,162.50
 6180.286 Survey #4.              school students     (min. 10 schools
                                  (N = 30 schools).   to ensure
                                                      demographic
                                                      diversity.
                                 College students    1,000 Students      50 responses........  1 hour..........  50.00 hours......    16.54       827.00
                                  (N = 40             (min. 5 IHEs to
                                  institutes of       ensure
                                  higher education    demographic
                                  (IHE)).             diversity).
                                 Middle and High     400 faculty (min.   20 responses........  1 hour..........  20.00 hours......    62.60     1,252.00
                                  school faculty (N   10 schools to
                                  = 40 schools).      ensure
                                                      demographic
                                                      diversity).
                                 College faculty (N  400 faculty (min.   20 responses........  1 hour..........  20.00 hours......    94.48     1,889.60
                                  = 40 institutes     5 IHEs to ensure
                                  of higher           demographic
                                  education (IHE)).   diversity).
                                                                        --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total \3\..................  ..................  ..................  2,470 responses.....  N/A.............  659.50 hours.....      N/A    30,083.22
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 2,470.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 659.50 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$30,083.22.

[[Page 87722]]

    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.

Christopher S. Van Nostrand,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2024-25597 Filed 11-1-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


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