Document ID: NHTSA-2019-0146-0002
Agency: nhtsa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Platform Lift Systems for Motor Vehicles; Platform Lift Installations in Motor Vehicles
Posted Date: 2021-09-30T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 187 (Thursday, September 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54294-54296]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21198]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[[Docket No. NHTSA-2019-0146; OMB No. 2127-0621]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Platform Lift 
Systems for Motor Vehicles, and Platform Lift Installations in Motor 
Vehicles

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments on a reinstatement of a 
previously approved information collection.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
this notice (``30-day notice'') announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) summarized below is being forwarded to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR 
describes the nature of the information collection and its expected 
burden and is a request for a reinstatement of a previously approved 
information collection regarding Platform lift systems for motor 
vehicles, and Platform lift installations in motor vehicles. A Federal 
Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on 
this information collection was published on February 6, 2020 (85 FR 
7008). No comments were received.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or November 1, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection, including suggestions for reducing the burden, 
should be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget at 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. To find this information collection, 
select ``Currently under Review--Open for Public Comment'' or use the 
search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or access 
to background documents, contact Michael Pyne, 202-366-4171, Office of 
Rulemaking (NRM230), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
U.S. Dept. of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W43-457, 
Washington, DC 20590. Please identify the relevant collection of 
information by referring to its OMB Control Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), a 
Federal agency must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) before it collects certain information from the public and 
a person is not required to respond to a collection of information by a 
Federal agency unless the collection displays a valid OMB control 
number. In compliance with these requirements, this notice announces 
that the following information collection request will be submitted to 
the OMB.
    A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting 
comments on the following information collection was published on 
February 6, 2020 (85 FR 7008). No comments were received in response to 
the 60-day notice.
    Title: 49 CFR 571.403, Platform lift systems for motor vehicles, 
and 49 CFR 571.404, Platform lift installations in motor vehicles.
    OMB Control Number: 2127-0621.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement with changes of a previously 
approved information collection.
    Type of Review Requested: Regular.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from date of 
approval.
    Summary of the Collection of Information: Federal Motor Vehicle 
Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 403, Platform lift systems for motor 
vehicles, establishes minimum performance standards for platform lifts 
intended for installation in motor vehicles to assist wheelchair users 
and other persons of limited mobility in entering and exiting a 
vehicle. The standard's purpose is to prevent injuries and fatalities 
to passengers and bystanders during the operation of platform lifts. 
The related standard, FMVSS No. 404, Platform lift installations in 
motor vehicles, establishes specific requirements for vehicle 
manufacturers or alterers that install platform lifts in new vehicles. 
Lift manufacturers must certify that their lifts meet the requirements 
of

[[Page 54295]]

FMVSS No. 403 and must declare in the owner's manual, in the 
installation instructions, and on the operating instruction label, that 
the lift is certified. Certification of compliance with FMVSS No. 404 
is included on the vehicle certification label required on all motor 
vehicles under 49 CFR part 567. Certain requirements in FMVSS No. 403 
and FMVSS No. 404 contain information collections. FMVSS No. 403 
requires lift manufacturers to produce an insert that is placed in the 
vehicle owner's manual and lift installation instructions. 
Additionally, lift manufacturers must affix either one or two labels to 
be placed near the controls for the lift. The latter illustrate and 
describe procedures for operating the lift. NHTSA's estimates of burden 
and cost to lift manufacturers to meet these requirements are described 
below. FMVSS No. 404 requires manufacturers or alterers that install 
platform lifts to insert the instructions provided by the lift 
manufacturer into the vehicle owners' manuals and ensure that labels 
with lift operating procedures are affixed to a location adjacent to 
the controls.
    Description of the Need for the Information and Proposed Use of the 
Information: The information is used by:
     Platform lift installers so that they can ensure the 
correct type of lift--either public-use or private-use--is installed 
and has the necessary weight capacity, and that lifts are correctly 
installed and equipped with the minimum required lighting;
     Operators of public-use lifts so they have access to 
explanatory labels on lift controls and are aware of the lift operating 
capacity and maintenance requirements;
     Private-use lift owners so that they have access to 
explanatory labels on lift controls and are aware of the lift operating 
capacity and maintenance requirements.
    Affected Public: Platform lift manufacturers and vehicle 
manufacturers or alterers that install platform lifts in motor vehicles 
prior to first vehicle sale. There is no burden on the general public.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 10.
    NHTSA estimates that there are 10 platform-lift manufacturers doing 
business at a given time. Platform-lift manufacturers typically have a 
design cycle of approximately 5 years. Therefore, there are aspects of 
the information collection that only require the manufacturers to incur 
burden once every 5 years, such as changing the owner's manual inserts 
and labels. However, other aspects of the information collection, such 
as printing the inserts and labeling the lifts, require manufacturers 
to incur burden every year.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 27,398 lifts manufactured in each of 
the next three years.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,562 hours.
    NHTSA estimates that a total of 10 lift manufacturers will incur 
1,562 hours of burden annually. This estimate is comprised of time to 
make changes to required language and the time to distribute that 
information by affixing labels or placards, placing inserts into 
owners' manuals, and providing installation instructions.
    NHTSA estimates that every year approximately two lift 
manufacturers will need to change the language of the insert for the 
vehicle owners' manual stating the lift's platform operating volume, 
maintenance schedule, and operating procedures. NHTSA estimates that it 
will take manufacturers approximately 24 hours to make those changes. 
Therefore, NHTSA estimates that changes to the owners' manual inserts 
will take 48 hours annually (2 manufacturers x 24 hours = 48 hours per 
year).
    NHTSA estimates that every year approximately two manufacturers 
will need to change the installation instructions identifying the types 
of vehicles on which each lift is designed to be installed. NHTSA 
estimates that it will take manufacturers approximately 24 hours to 
make those changes. Therefore, NHTSA estimates that changes to the 
installation instructions will take 48 hours annually (2 manufacturers 
x 24 hours = 48 hours per year).
    NHTSA estimates that every year approximately two manufacturers 
will need to make changes to labels or placards which identify the 
operating functions of the lift. NHTSA estimates that it will take 
manufacturers approximately 24 hours to make those changes. Therefore, 
NHTSA estimates that changes to the labels or placards for lift 
functions will take 48 hours annually (2 manufacturers x 24 hours = 48 
hours per year).
    NHTSA estimates that every year approximately two lift 
manufacturers will need to make changes to labels and placards 
detailing back-up operating procedures. NHTSA estimates that it will 
take manufacturers approximately 24 hours to make those changes. 
Therefore, NHTSA estimates that changes to the language of labels or 
placards for back-up operating procedures will take 48 hours annually 
(2 manufacturers x 24 hours = 48 hours per year).
    In addition to making periodic changes to the wording of the 
owners' manual inserts, installation instructions, and labels or 
placards for lift operating procedures and back-up operation; lift 
manufacturers also incur burden associated with distributing that 
information by affixing labels or placards, placing inserts into 
owners' manuals, and providing installation instructions.
    NHTSA estimates that there will be 27,398 lifts manufactured in 
each of the next three years. NHTSA estimates that distributing the 
required information will take approximately 3 minutes per lift or 
approximately 1,370 hours for all lifts annually (27,398 lifts x 3 
minutes per lift = 82,194 minutes; 82,194 minutes / 60 = 1,370 hours).

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                                                                      Lift        Hours to make
                                                                 manufacturers       change        Annual hours
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Per Year Insert Language:.....................................                2              24               48
Per Year Install Instruct.:...................................                2              24               48
Per Year Label Change/Operating:..............................                2              24               48
Per Year Label Change/Back-up:................................                2              24               48
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                                                                     Lifts-each           Mins.            Total
                                                                      year next   to distribute            hours
                                                                        3 years
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Distribution..................................................           27,398               3            1,370
                                                               -------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Estimated Total Burden Hours:             1,562
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[[Page 54296]]

    The labor cost associated with the burden hours is derived by 
applying appropriate hourly labor rates published by the Bureau of 
Labor Statistics \1\ (BLS) to the hourly burden discussed previously in 
this notice. There are two categories of labor involved. First, for 
``Assemblers and Fabricators'' (Occupation code 51-2000) with an 
average wage of $22.94/hour, the labor rate is $32.72/hour (based on 
BLS statistics showing wages for private industry workers are 70.1 
percent of total compensation \2\). Multiplying that hourly labor rate, 
by the estimated 1,370 labor hours needed annually to affix and 
distribute the required informational materials, yields an annual labor 
cost of $44,832.81. Second, for ``Technical Writers'' (Occupation code 
27-3042) with an average wage of $33.98/hour, the labor rate is $47.47/
hour. Multiplying that hourly labor rate, by the estimated 192 labor 
hours needed for revisions to labels and printed materials, yields an 
annual labor cost of $9,306.93.
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    \1\ Available online at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_336100.htm.
    \2\ See Table 1 at https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ecec.pdf.
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    The total annual labor cost is thus estimated to be $54,139.74.

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                                                    Percent of
                                   Average wage        total        Labor rate     Annual hours    Annual labor
                                                   compensation                                        cost
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Assemblers and Fabricators:.....          $22.94            70.1          $32.72           1,370      $44,832.81
Technical Writers:..............           33.98            70.1           48.47             192        9,306.93
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                                  Estimated Annual Labor Cost for This Information Collection:         54,139.74
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: The cost of this collection of 
information will include printing costs. NHTSA's estimate of printing 
costs is broken down as follows:

[ssquf] Owner's manual inserts--27,398 lifts x $0.04 per page x 1 page 
= $1,095.92
[ssquf] Installation instructions--27,398 lifts x $0.04 per page x 1 
page = $1,095.92
[ssquf] Label/placard for lift operating procedures--27,398 lifts x 
$0.13 per label = $3,561.74
[ssquf] Label/placard for lift backup operation--27,398 lifts x $0.13 
per label = $3,561.74

Based on this breakdown, NHTSA estimates the total printing cost 
associated with this information collection is $9,315.32 annually.

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                                                                    Lifts-each
                                                                  year in next 3     Per unit       Total cost
                                                                       years
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Owner's Manual Insert:..........................................          27,398           $0.04       $1,095.92
Install Instructions:...........................................          27,398            0.04        1,095.92
Label Change/Operating Procedure:...............................          27,398            0.13        3,561.74
Label Change/Back-up Operation:.................................          27,398            0.13        3,561.74
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    Estimated Annual Printing Cost for This Information Collection:.............................        9,315.32
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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 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) 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 appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic submission of 
responses.
    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 
35; as amended; 49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29.

Raymond R. Posten,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2021-21198 Filed 9-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P