2023-21766. Agency Information Collection Activities; Renewal of an Approved Information Collection: Financial Responsibility for Motor Carriers of Passengers and Motor Carriers of Property

AGENCY:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its review and approval and invites public comment. FMCSA requests approval to renew an ICR titled, “Financial Responsibility for Motor Carriers of Passengers and Motor Carriers of Property.” The information collected will be used to help ensure that motor carriers of passengers and property maintain the statutorily mandated levels of financial responsibility to operate on public highways.

DATES:

Comments on this notice must be received on or before December 4, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by Docket Number FMCSA–2023–0178 using any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal:https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.

• Mail: Dockets Operations; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590–0001.

• Hand Delivery or Courier: Dockets Operations, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor, Washington, DC, 20590–0001 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 366–9317 or (202) 366–9826 before visiting Dockets Operations.

• Fax: [phone].

To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. See the “Public Participation and Request for Comments” portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for instructions on submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Jeffrey Secrist, Office of Registration, Chief, Registration, Licensing and Insurance Division, DOT, FMCSA, West Building 6th Floor, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; (202) 385–2367; [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Instructions

All submissions must include the Agency name and docket number. For detailed instructions on submitting comments, see the Public Participation heading below. Note that all comments received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.

Public Participation and Request for Comments

If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this notice (FMCSA–2023–0178), indicate the specific section of this document to which your comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. FMCSA recommends that you include your name and a mailing address, an email address, or a phone number in the body of your document so FMCSA can contact you if there are questions regarding your submission. If you want us to notify you that we received your comments, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope or postcard, or print the acknowledgement page that appears after submitting comments online.

To submit your comment online, go to https://www.regulations.gov/​docket/​FMCSA-2023-0178/​document, click on this notice, click “Comment,” and type your comment into the text box on the following screen.

If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 8 1/2 by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing.

Comments received after the comment closing date will be included in the docket and will be considered to the extent practicable.

Privacy Act

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at www.dot.gov/​privacy.

Background

The Secretary of Transportation is responsible for implementing regulations which establish minimum levels of financial responsibility for: (1) for-hire motor carriers of property to cover public liability, property damage, and environmental restoration, and (2) for-hire motor carriers of passengers to cover public liability and property damage. The Endorsement for Motor Carrier Policies of Insurance for Public Liability (Forms MCS–90/90B) and the Motor Carrier Public Liability Surety Bond (Forms MCS–82/82B) contain the minimum amount of information necessary to document that a motor carrier of property or passengers has obtained, and has in effect, the minimum levels of financial responsibility as set forth in applicable regulations (49 CFR 387.9 (motor carriers of property) and 49 CFR 387.33T (motor carriers of passengers)). FMCSA and the public can verify that a motor carrier of property or passengers has obtained, and has in effect, the required minimum levels of financial responsibility by reviewing the information enclosed within these documents.

Title: Financial Responsibility for Motor Carrier of Passengers and Motor Carriers of Property.

OMB Control Number: 2126–0008.

Type of Request: Renewal of a currently approved ICR.

Respondents: Insurance underwriters for insurance companies and financial specialists for surety companies of motor carriers of property (Forms MCS–90 and MCS–82) and passengers (Forms MCS–90B and MCS–82B), and motor carrier compliance officers employed by motor carriers to store and maintain insurance and/or surety bond documentation in motor carrier vehicles.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 413,948.

Estimated Time per Response: FMCSA estimates that it takes 2 minutes to complete the Endorsement for Motor Carrier Policies of Insurance for Public Liability (Forms MCS–90 for property carriers and MCS–90B for passenger carriers) or the Motor Carrier Public Liability Surety Bond (Forms MCS–82 for property carriers and MCS–82B for passenger carriers); 1 minute to store/maintain documents at the motor carrier's principal place of business (49 CFR 387.7(d); 49 CFR 387.31(d)); and 1 minute per vehicle to place the respective document on board the vehicle as required for non-U.S.-domiciled carriers (49 CFR 387.7(f); 49 CFR 387.31(f)).

Expiration Date: May 31, 2024.

Frequency of Response: Upon creation, change, or replacement of an insurance policy or surety bond. Approximately one time per year.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 12,249.

Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of this information collection, including: (1) whether the proposed collection is necessary for the performance of FMCSA's functions; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways for FMCSA to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of the collected information. The Agency will summarize or include your comments in the request for OMB's clearance of this ICR.

Issued under the authority of 49 CFR 1.87.

Thomas P. Keane,

Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Registration.