Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency Information

Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Department of Transportation (DOT).

[[Page 1357]]

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 1995 (44 USC

Chapter 35), this notice announces that the Information Collection

Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes

the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The

Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting

comments on the following collection of information was published on

April 18, 1996 [FR 61, page 16968].

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 10, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Earl Coles, Office of Information

Management Programs, (202) 366-054, Federal Highway Administration,

Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC

20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

Title: Driver Qualification Files.

OMB Control Number: 2125-0065.

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

approved collection for which approval has expired.

Form Number: N/A.

Affected Public: Motor Carriers.

Abstract: The authority for driver qualification files is contained

in 49 U.S.C. 504, 31133, 31136, and 31502, and 49 CFR 1.48, with

penalty provisions in 49 U.S.C. 521 and 522. 49 CFR 391.51 requires a

motor carrier to maintain a driver qualification file for each

regularly employed driver and each intermittent, casual, and occasional

driver. The file contains the minimum amount of information necessary

to document that a driver is qualified to drive a commercial motor

vehicle in interstate commerce. A driver qualification file is used by

the FHWA and motor carrier to ensure that a driver who operates a

commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce, can by reason of

experience and/or training, safely operate a type of commercial motor

vehicle; has been issued an appropriate driver's license; and has not

been disqualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle. Public demand

for highway safety requires that the hiring of commercial motor vehicle

drivers be restricted to those drivers with records which prove their

ability to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle.

Estimated Annual Burden: The total annual burden is 1,076,166

hours.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20503, Attention DOT Desk Officer.

Comments are Invited on: whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of

the Department, including whether the information will have practical

utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the

proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility

and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize

the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including

the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

Issued in Washington, DC, on January 3, 1997.

Phillip A. Leach,

Clearance Officer, United States Department of Transportation.

[FR Doc. 97-523 Filed 1-8-97; 8:45 am]

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