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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 235 (Friday, December 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 97165-97166]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28698]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2024-0216]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Renewal of an Approved 
Information Collection; Waiver and Exemption Requirements

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA 
announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) 
described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its 
review and approval and invites public comment. FMCSA requests approval 
to renew the ICR titled ``Waiver and Exemption Requirements''. The ICR 
estimates the burden applicants incur to comply with the reporting 
tasks required for requesting waivers and exemptions.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before February 
4, 2025.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Docket Number FMCSA-
2024-0216 using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Dockets Operations; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Dockets Operations, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, 
Ground Floor, Washington, DC, 20590-0001 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. To be sure someone is 
there to help you, please call (202) 366-9317 or (202) 366-9826 before 
visiting Dockets Operations.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for instructions on submitting 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernadette Walker, Driver and Carrier 
Operations Division, DOT, FMCSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, 
DC 20590-0001; 202-385-2415; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Instructions

    All submissions must include the Agency name and docket number. For 
detailed instructions on submitting comments, see the Public 
Participation heading below. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading 
below.

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
notice (FMCSA-2024-0216), indicate the specific section of this 
document to which your comment applies, and provide a reason for each 
suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material 
online or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only one of 
these means. FMCSA recommends that you include your name and a mailing 
address, an email address, or a phone number in the body of your 
document so FMCSA can contact you if there are questions regarding your 
submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2024-0216/document, click on this notice, click 
``Comment,'' and type your comment into the text box on the following 
screen.
    If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them 
in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for 
copying and electronic filing.
    Comments received after the comment closing date will be included 
in the docket and will be considered to the extent practicable.

Privacy Act

    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the 
public to better inform its regulatory process. DOT posts these 
comments, including any personal information the commenter provides, to 
www.regulations.gov as described in the system of records notice DOT/
ALL 14 (Federal Docket Management System (FDMS)), which can be reviewed 
at https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/privacy/privacy-act-system-records-notices. The comments are posted without edits and are 
searchable by the name of the submitter.

Background

    In 1998, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the predecessor 
agency of FMCSA, adopted 49 CFR part 381 as an interim final rule 
(IFR), establishing procedures for applying for waivers, exemptions, 
and pilot programs (63 FR 67600, December 8, 1998). Section 4007 of the 
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) amended 49 
U.S.C. 31315 and 31136(e) to provide authority to the Secretary of 
Transportation to grant waivers and exemptions from motor carrier 
safety regulations. Section 4007 of TEA-21 requires that the terms and 
conditions for all waivers and exemptions likely achieve a level of 
safety equivalent to or greater than what would be achieved by 
complying with the safety regulations. In 2004, FMCSA adopted its IFR 
as final at 49 CFR part 381, consistent with section 4007 of TEA-21 (69 
FR 51589, August 20, 2004). The final rule also established procedures 
that govern how FMCSA reviews, grants, or denies requests for waivers 
and applications for exemptions. The final rule included requirements 
for publishing notice of exemption applications in the Federal Register 
to afford the public an opportunity for comment. There is no statutory 
requirement to publish Federal Register notices concerning waiver 
applications.
    The ICR estimates the burden an individual, motor carrier, State, 
or State Driver's Licensing Agency (SDLA) incurs to comply with the 
reporting tasks required for requesting waivers and exemptions in 49 
CFR part 381. The current burden estimate associated with this 
information collection, approved by OMB on May 23, 2022, is 97 hours. 
Through this ICR renewal, the Agency requests an increase in the burden 
hours from 97 hours to 119 hours. The increase is the result of the 
increase in estimated waiver and exemption applications the Agency 
expects to receive in the next three years.
    Title: Waiver and Exemption Requirements.
    OMB Control Number: 2126-0076.
    Type of Request: Renewal, of a currently approved ICR.
    Respondents: Individuals and motor carriers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 447 per year.

[[Page 97166]]

    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes to 2 hours.
    Expiration Date: May 31, 2025.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion (respondents are not required to 
submit request for waivers or exemptions).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 119 hours.
    Definitions: N/A.
    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 performance of FMCSA's functions; (2) 
the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways for the FMCSA to enhance 
the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and 
(4) ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the 
quality of the collected information.
    The Agency will summarize or include your comments in the request 
for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

    Issued under the authority of 49 CFR 1.87.

Thomas P. Keane,
Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Registration.
[FR Doc. 2024-28698 Filed 12-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P
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