[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 78 (Monday, April 23, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20519-20520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-9995]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[U.S. DOT Docket Number NHTSA-01-9402]
Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Request for extension of a currently approved collection of
information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 June 22, 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. P. L.
Moore, NHTSA 400 Seventh Street, SW., room #5320-C, NPS-32,Washington,
DC 20590. Mr. Moore's telephone number is (202) 366-5222. 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; 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 for public
comments on the following proposed collections of information:
Title: 49 CFR 575-104.
OMB Control Number: 2127-0519.
Affected Public: All passenger car tire manufacturers and brand
name owners offering passenger car tires for sale in the United States.
Form Number: This collection of information uses no standard form.
Abstract: Part 575 requires tire manufacturers and tire brand
owners to submit reports to NHTSA regarding the UTQGS grades of all
passenger car tire lines they offer for sale in the United States. This
information is used by consumers of passenger car tires to compare tire
quality in making their purchase decisions. The information is provided
in several different ways to insure that the consumer can readily see
and understand the tire grades: (1) The grades are molded into the
sidewall of the tire so that they can be reviewed on both the new tires
and the old tires that are to be replaced; (2) a paper label is affixed
to the tread face of the new tires that provides the grades of that
particular tireline along with an explanation of the grading system;
(3) tire manufacturers provide dealers with brochures for public
distribution listing the grades of all of the tirelines they offer for
sale; and (4) NHTSA compiles the grading information of all
manufacturers' tirelines into a booklet that is available to the public
both in printed form and on the website.
Estimated Annual Burden to the Manufacturer: NHTSA estimates that a
total of 72,450 man-hours are required to write the brochures, engrave
the new passenger car tire molds, and affix the paper labels to the
tires. Based on an average hourly rate of $18.00 per hour for rubber
workers in the United States, the total cost to the manufacturers is
$1,304,100.00 to perform those items listed above. The largest portion
of the cost burden imposed by the UTQGS program arises from the testing
necessary to determine the grades that should be assigned to the tires.
An average of 125 convoys, consisting of four vehicles each, are run
each year for treadwear testing. NHTSA estimates it cost $0.46 per
vehicle mile including salaries, overhead, and reports. This brings the
annual treadwear testing cost to $1,656,000.00. For traction testing,
it is estimated that 1,500 tires are tested annually with an estimated
cost of $33,000 for use of the government test facility. Using a factor
of 3.5 times the $33,000 to cover salary and overhead of
[[Page 20520]]
test contractors, the estimated cost of traction testing is $115,500.
The temperature grade test for tires is an extension of the high speed
performance test of 49 CFR 571.109 that is required for safety
certification. The additional cost for UTQGS temperature grading is
minimal. Thus, the total estimated cost for testing is $1,771,500. The
cost of printing the tread labels and brochures is estimated at
$900,000. This yields a total annual financial burden of $3,975,600
(approximately $4 million) on the tire manufacturers.
Estimated Annual Burden to the Government: The annual estimated
cost of reviewing, storing and displaying the information submissions
is 250 man-hours at $10.00 per hour, for a cost of $2,500 per year.
Printing and distributing the Consumer Guide to Uniform Tire Quality
Grading costs about $5,000 per year. The total cost to the Government
runs about $7,500 per year.
Number of Respondents: 130. The actual number of respondents is
much less than the 130 individual tire brands. In light of company
acquisitions, company mergers, and the actual manufacturers reporting
for the various individual brand names that they produce tires for, the
actual number of respondents is about 83 individual responses.
Issued on April 17, 2001.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 01-9995 Filed 4-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P