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[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3644-3645]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-1217]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket Number NHTSA-2001-8618]

Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection of 
information.

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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from 
the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (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 one collection of information for which 
NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 19, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket notice numbers cited at 
the beginning of this notice and be submitted to Docket Management, 
Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Please 
identify the proposed collection of information for which a comment is 
provided, by referencing its OMB clearance Number. It is requested, but 
not required, that 2 copies of the comment be provided. The Docket 
Section is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of each request for 
collection of information may be obtained at no charge from Mr. Ed 
Kosek, NHTSA 400 Seventh Street, SW, Room 6123,Washington, DC 20590. 
Mr. Kosek's telephone number is (202) 366-2589. Please identify the 
relevant collection of information by referring to its OMB Control 
Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
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:
    (i) 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;
    (ii) 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;
    (iii) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected;
    (iv) 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 collections of information:

Labeling of Retroreflective Materials for Heavy Trailer Conspicuity

    Type of Request: Reinstatement of Clearance.
    OMB Clearance Number: 2127-0569.
    Form Number: This collection of information uses no standard forms.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from date of 
approval.
    Summary of the Collection of Information: The permanent marking of 
the letters ``DOT-C2'', ``DOT-C3'' or ``DOT-C4'' at least 3mm high at 
regular intervals on retroreflective sheeting material is the 
information collection.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use of the 
information: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, ``Lamps, 
Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment,'' specifies requirements 
for vehicle lighting for the purposes of reducing traffic accidents and 
their tragic results by providing adequate roadway illumination, 
improved vehicle conspicuity, appropriate information transmission 
through signal lamps, in both day, night, and other conditions of 
reduced visibility. For certification and identification purposes, the 
Standard requires the permanent marking of the letters ``DOT-C2,'' 
``DOT-C3,'' or ``DOT-C4'' at least 3mm high at regular intervals on 
retroreflective sheeting material having adequate performance to 
provide effective trailer conspicuity.
    The manufacturers of new tractors and trailers are required to 
certify that their products are equipped with retroreflective material 
complying with the requirements of the standard. The Federal Highway 
Administration Office of Motor Carrier Safety enforces this and other 
standards through roadside inspections of trucks. There is no practical 
field test for the performance requirements, and labeling is the only 
objective way of distinguishing trailer conspicuity grade material from 
lower performance material. Without labeling, FHWA will not be able to 
enforce the performance requirements of the standard, and the 
compliance testing of new tractors and trailers will be complicated. 
Labeling is also important to small trailer manufacturers because it 
may help them to certify compliance. Because wider stripes of material 
of lower brightness also can provide the minimum safety performance, 
the marking system serves the additional role of identifying the 
minimum stripe width required for the retroreflective brightness of the 
particular material. Since the differences between the brightness 
grades of suitable retroreflective conspicuity material is not obvious 
from inspection, the marking system is necessary for tractor and 
trailer manufacturers and repair shops to assure compliance and for 
FHWA to inspect tractors and trailers in use.
    Permanent labeling is used to identify retroreflective material 
having the minimum properties required for effective conspicuity of 
trailers at night. The information enables the FHWA to make compliance 
inspections, and it aids tractor and trailer owners and repair shops in 
choosing the correct repair materials for damaged tractors and 
trailers. It also aids small trailer manufacturers in certifying 
compliance of their products.
    The FHWA will not be able to determine whether trailers are 
properly equipped during roadside inspections without labeling. The use 
of cheaper and more common reflective materials, which are ineffective 
for the

[[Page 3645]]

application, would be expected in repairs without the labeling 
requirement.
    Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number, 
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information): 
The respondents are likely to be manufacturers of the conspicuity 
material. The agency is aware of at least three. Based on the estimated 
number of feet of conspicuity material for a year's installation on new 
tractors and trailers, the number of imprints of the information is 
estimated to be 10 million.
    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden 
Resulting from the Collection of Information: The cost to manufacturers 
of extending the label requirement is the maintenance and amortization 
of printing rollers and the additional dye or ink consumed. The labels 
are to be placed at intervals of about 18 inches on rolls of 
retroreflective conspicuity tape. The labels are printed during the 
normal course of steady flow manufacturing operations without a direct 
time penalty.
    Two methods of printing the label are in use. One method uses the 
same roller that applies the dye to the red segments of the material 
pattern. The roller is resurfaced annually using a computerized etching 
technique. The ``DOT-C2'' label was incorporated in the software to 
drive the roller resurfacing in 1993, and there is no additional cost 
to continue the printing of the label. In fact, costs would be incurred 
to discontinue the label.
    The second method uses a separate roller to apply the label. The 
manufacturer using this technique reports that these rollers have been 
in service for 5 years without detectable wear and predicts a service 
life of at least fifteen years. Four rollers costing about $2,500 each 
are used. A straight line depreciation of the rollers over 15 years 
equals $667 per year. With an annual allowance for $333 for additional 
dye, the annual total industry cost of maintaining the ``DOT-C2'' label 
is about $1,000.

    Authority: 440 U.S.C. 3506(c); delegation of authority at 49 CFR 
1.50.

    Issued on: January 9, 2001.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards
[FR Doc. 01-1217 Filed 1-12-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
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