[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 210 (Thursday, October 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64647-64648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25760]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board


Notice and Request for Comments

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT.

ACTION: 30-day notice of request for approval: Extension of Generic 
Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service 
Delivery.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to streamline the process to 
seek feedback from the public on agency service delivery, and as 
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3519 
(PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) gives notice 
that it is requesting from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
approval of generic clearance for the collection of qualitative 
feedback on agency service delivery.
    The Board previously published a notice about this collection in 
the Federal Register on July 28, 2014, at 79 FR 43820. That notice 
allowed for a 60-day public review and comment period. No comments were 
received.
    Comments may now be submitted to OMB concerning: (1) The accuracy 
of the Board's burden estimates; (2) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information collected; (3) ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology when appropriate; and (4) whether the collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the Board, including whether the collection has practical utility. 
Submitted comments will be considered and also included in the Board's 
request for OMB approval.

Description of Collection

    Title: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback 
on Agency Service Delivery.
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0019.
    STB Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension without change.
    Affected Public: Individuals and Households, Businesses and 
Organizations, State, and Local or Tribal Government.
    Average Expected Annual Number of Activities: 5.
    Respondents: 15 (for one focus group), 150 (for each of two 
surveys), 200 (for each of two comments card requests).
    Annual Responses: 15 (for focus groups), 300 (for surveys), and 400 
(for comment cards).
    Frequency of Response: Once per request.
    Average Minutes per Response: 24 minutes (2 hours per focus group, 
36 minutes per survey, 10 minutes per comment card).
    Burden Hours: 277.
    Total Burden Hours (annually including all respondents): We 
estimate a total of 277 hours for all respondents (24 minutes per 
response x 715 responses).
    Total ``Non-hour Burden'' Cost: Because respondents email their 
response letters to the Board, there are no non-hour costs to 
respondents.
    Needs and Uses: The information collection activity will garner 
qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback in an efficient, timely 
manner, in accordance with the Government-wide commitment to improving 
service delivery. By qualitative feedback we mean information that 
provides useful insights on perceptions and opinions, as opposed to 
statistical surveys that yield quantitative results that can be 
generalized to the population of study. This feedback will provide 
insights into customer or stakeholder perceptions, experiences and 
expectations; provide an early warning of issues about how the Board 
provides service to the public; or focus attention on areas where 
communication, training, or changes in operations might improve 
delivery of products or services. These collections will allow for 
ongoing, collaborative and actionable communications between the Board 
and its customers and stakeholders. It will also allow feedback to 
contribute directly to the improvement of the Board's program 
management.
    Feedback collected under this generic clearance will provide useful 
information, but it will not yield data that can be generalized to the 
overall

[[Page 64648]]

population. This type of generic clearance for qualitative information 
will not be used for quantitative information collections that are 
designed to yield reliably actionable results, such as monitoring 
trends over time or documenting program performance. Such data uses 
require more rigorous designs.

DATES: Comments on this information collection should be submitted by 
December 1, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be identified as ``Paperwork 
Reduction Act Comments, Surface Transportation Board, Generic Clearance 
for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service 
Delivery.'' These comments should be directed to the Office of 
Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Patrick Fuchs, Surface Transportation Board Desk Officer, by 
email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a1eee8f3e0fef2f4e3ece8f2f2e8eeefe1eeece38fe4eef18fe6eef7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cf80869d8e909c9a8d82869c9c8680818f80828de18a809fe1888099">[email protected]</span></a>; by fax at (202) 395-6974; or by 
mail to Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the 
``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on 
Agency Service Delivery,'' contact Chris Oehrle at (202) 245-0271 or 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#553a303d27393036152621377b313a217b323a23"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="79161c110b151c1a390a0d1b571d160d571e160f">[email protected]</span></a>. [Assistance for the hearing impaired is available 
through the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-
8339.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA, a federal agency conducting 
or sponsoring a collection of information must display a currently 
valid OMB control number. A collection of information, which is defined 
in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c), includes agency requirements 
or requests that persons submit reports, keep records, or provide 
information to the agency, third parties, or the public. Section 
3507(b) of the PRA requires, concurrent with an agency's submitting a 
collection to OMB for approval, a 30-day notice and comment period 
through publication in the Federal Register concerning each proposed 
collection of information, including each proposed extension of an 
existing collection of information.

    Dated: October 24, 2014.
Brendetta S. Jones,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2014-25760 Filed 10-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P


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