2014-22875. Petition for Waiver of Compliance

In accordance with Part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations, this document provides the public notice that by a letter dated June 30, 2014, Housatonic Railroad Company, Inc. (HRRC) has petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for an extension of its waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal hours of service laws contained at 49 U.S.C. 21103(a)(4). FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2012-0068.

In its petition, HRRC seeks relief from 49 U.S.C. 21103(a)(4), which in part requires a train employee to receive 48 hours off-duty after initiating an on-duty period of 6 consecutive days. Specifically, HRRC seeks a waiver to allow a train employee to initiate an on-duty period, each day, for 6 consecutive days, followed by 24 hours off duty. In support of its request, HRRC explained that all employees covered by the waiver have regular work schedules, do not layover at away-from-home locations, and work well below the Federal 276-hour monthly limit. HRRC also explained that the waiver has not had a negative impact on safety since being approved 2 years ago.

A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications concerning the petition, is available for review online at www.regulations.gov and in person at the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Operations Facility is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested party desires an opportunity for oral comment, they should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and specify the basis for their request.

All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the appropriate docket number and may be submitted by any of the following methods:

• Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: [phone].
• Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
• Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Communications received by November 10, 2014 will be considered by FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be considered as far as practicable.

Anyone is able to search the electronic form of any written communications and comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). See http://www.regulations.gov/​#!privacyNotice for the privacy notice of regulations.gov or interested parties may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477).

Issued in Washington, DC, on September 22, 2014.

Ron Hynes,

Director, Office of Technical Oversight.