Reports, Forms, and Record keeping Requirements

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. 96-101; Notice No. 1 ]

Reports, Forms, and Record keeping Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collections of

information.

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SUMMARY: This notice solicits public comments that requires each tire

manufacturer to collect and maintain records of the names and addresses

of the first purchasers of new tires.

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the

public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB). Under new 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 reinstatements of previously approved

collections.

This document describes the collection of data used by a tire

manufacturer, when it determines that some of its tires either fail to

comply with an applicable safety standard or contain a safety-related

defect, for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 28, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket and notice numbers cited

at the beginning of this notice and be submitted to Docket Section,

Room 5109, NHTSA, 400 Seventh St. S.W., Washington, D.C. 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 1 original plus 2 copies of the comments be

provided. The Docket Section is open on weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4

p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of each NHTSA request

for collection of information approval may be obtained at no charge

from Mr. Ed Kosek, NHTSA Information Collection Clearance Officer,

NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Room 6123, Washington, D.C. 20590. Mr.

Kosek's telephone number is (202) 366-2589. Please identify the

relevant collection of information by referring to its OMB Clearance

Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

before an agency submits a proposed

[[Page 68811]]

collection of information to OMB for approval, it must 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 regulations (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; and

(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 public comment on the following proposed collections of

information:

49 CFR Part 574, Tire Identification and Record

Type of Request--Reinstatement, with change, of a previously

approved collection for which approval has expired.

OMB Clearance Number--2127-0050.

Form Number--This collection of information uses no standard form.

Requested Expiration Date of Approval--Three years from the

approval date.

Summary of the Collection of Information--NHTSA requires each tire

manufacturer to collect and maintain records of the names and addresses

of the first purchasers of new tires. To carry out this mandate, 49 CFR

Part 574 requires tire dealers and distributors to record the names and

addresses of retail purchasers of new tires and the identification

number(s) of the tire sold.

Description of the need for the information and proposed use of the

information--The information is used by a tire manufacturer, when it

determines that some of its tires either fail to comply with an

applicable safety standard or contain a safety-related defect. With the

information on the registration form, the tire manufacturer can notify

the first purchaser of the tire and provide the purchaser with any

necessary information or instructions.

Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number,

and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information)--

Estimated number is 3,750,000; Frequency of response--occurs each time

a tire is sold.

Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Record keeping Burden

Resulting from the Collection of Information--747,500 hours.

NHTSA estimates that small businesses will need to spend the same

45 seconds per tire sale to register the tires as the larger

businesses. It is not possible to reduce this burden further because

Congress mandated that the same forms and the same procedures used to

register each manufacturer's tires (49 U.S.C. 30117(b)). However, since

these small businesses make fewer sales than larger dealers, they will

spend less time on tire registrations. The amount of time per sale

spent to register tires does not impose an undue burden on the small

businesses involved.

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c); delegation of authority at 49 CFR

1.50.

Dated: December 13, 1996.

L. Robert Shelton,

Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.

[FR Doc. 96-33119 Filed 12-27-96; 8:45 am]

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