Notice of Request for Approval To Collect New Information: Collection of Safety Culture Data, 11988-11990 [2010-5417]
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11988
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Notices
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USTR strongly urges submitters to file
comments through regulations.gov, if at
all possible. Any alternative
arrangements must be made with Ms.
Blue in advance of transmitting a
comment. Ms. Blue should be contacted
at (202) 395–3475. General information
concerning USTR is available at https://
www.ustr.gov.
Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2010–5482 Filed 3–11–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190–W0–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
Notice of Applications for Certificates
of Public Convenience and Necessity
and Foreign Air Carrier Permits Filed
Under Subpart B (Formerly Subpart Q)
During the Week Ending February 27,
2010
The following Applications for
Certificates of Public Convenience and
Necessity and Foreign Air Carrier
Permits were filed under Subpart B
(formerly Subpart Q) of the Department
of Transportation’s Procedural
Regulations (See 14 CFR 301.201 et.
seq.). The due date for Answers,
Conforming Applications, or Motions to
Modify Scope are set forth below for
each application. Following the Answer
period DOT may process the application
by expedited procedures. Such
procedures may consist of the adoption
of a show-cause order, a tentative order,
or in appropriate cases a final order
without further proceedings.
Docket Number: DOT–OST–2010–
0048.
Date Filed: February 25, 2010.
Due Date for Answers, Conforming
Applications, or Motion to Modify
Scope: March 18, 2010.
Description: Application of ACG Air
Cargo Germany GmbH (‘‘ACG’’)
requesting a foreign air carrier permit to
the full extent authorized by the Air
Transport Agreement between the
United States and the European
Community and the Member States of
the European Community to enable it to
engage in: (i) Foreign scheduled and
charter air transportation of property
and mail from any point or points
behind any Member State of the
European Union via any point or points
in any Member State and via
intermediate points to any point or
points in the United States and beyond;
(ii) foreign scheduled and charter air
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17:18 Mar 11, 2010
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transportation of property and mail
between any point or points in the
United States and any point or points in
any member of the European Common
Aviation Area; (iii) foreign scheduled
and charter air transportation of
property and mail between the United
States and any point or points; (iv) other
charters pursuant to prior approval
requirements; and (v) transportation
authorized by any additional route
rights made available to European
Community carriers in the future. ACG
further requests exemption authority to
the extent necessary to enable it to
provide the services described above
pending the issuance of a foreign air
carrier permit and such additional or
other relief as the Department may deem
necessary or appropriate.
Docket Number: DOT–OST–2010–
0049.
Date Filed: February 25, 2010.
Due Date for Answers, Conforming
Applications, or Motion to Modify
Scope: March 18, 2010.
Description: Application of TUI
Airlines Nederland, B.V. d/b/a Arkefly
(Arkefly) requesting an exemption and a
foreign air carrier permit authorizing
Arkdfly to conduct operations to and
from the United States to the full extent
authorized by the United StatesEuropean Union Air Transport
Agreement, including authority to
engage in: (i) Charter foreign air
transportation of persons, property and
mail from any point(s) behind any
Member State(s) of the European
Community via any point(s) in any
Member State(s) and intermediate
points to any point(s) in the United
States and beyond; (ii) charter Foreign
air transportation of persons, property
and mail between any point(s) in the
United States and any point(s) in any
member of the European Common
Aviation Area; (iii) charter foreign cargo
air transportation between any point(s)
in the United States and any other
point(s); (iv) other charters pursuant to
the prior approval requirements; and (v)
transportation authorized by any
additional route or other right(s) made
available to European Community
carrier in the future. Arkefly also
registers its trade name pursuant to Part
215.
Renee V. Wright,
Program Manager, Docket Operations,
Federal Register Liaison.
[FR Doc. 2010–5409 Filed 3–11–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
Aviation Proceedings, Agreements
Filed the Week Ending February 27,
2010
The following Agreements were filed
with the Department of Transportation
under sections 412 and 414 of the
Federal Aviation Act, as amended (49
U.S.C. 1382 and 1384) and procedures
governing proceedings to enforce these
provisions. Answers may be filed within
21 days after the filing of the
application.
Docket Number: DOT–OST–2010–
0050.
Date Filed: February 26, 2010.
Parties: Members of the International
Air Transport Association.
Subject: PTC COMP Mail Vote 620,
Resolution 024d, Currency Names,
Codes, Rounding Units and
Acceptability of currencies. Intended
effective date: 1 April 2010.
Docket Number: DOT–OST–2010–
0051.
Date Filed: February 26, 2010.
Parties: Members of the International
Air Transport Association.
Subject: PTC COMP Mail Vote 626,
Resolution 011a, Mileage Manual Non
TC Member/Non IATA Carrier Sectors.
Intended effective date: 15 March for
implementation 1 April 2010.
Docket Number: DOT–OST–2010–
0053.
Date Filed: February 26, 2010.
Parties: Members of the International
Air Transport Association.
Subject: Mail Vote 625—Resolution
010p, TC3 Japan, Korea-South East Asia,
Special Passenger Amending Resolution
from Korea (Rep. of) to Guam, Northern
Mariana Islands (Memo 1357). Intended
effective date: 22 February 2010.
Renee V. Wright,
Program Manager, Docket Operations,
Federal Register Liaison.
[FR Doc. 2010–5412 Filed 3–11–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–62–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Innovative Technology
Administration
[Docket Number: RITA–2008–0002]
Notice of Request for Approval To
Collect New Information: Collection of
Safety Culture Data
AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation
Statistics (BTS), Research and
Innovative Technology Administration
(RITA), DOT.
E:\FR\FM\12MRN1.SGM
12MRN1
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Notices
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
This notice announces that
the Bureau of Transportation Statistics
(BTS) intends to request the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) to
approve a data collection effort to
evaluate a demonstration research study
on the use of close calls data to improve
safety in the rail industry. The study is
conducted by the Office of Human
Factors in the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) and is designed to
identify safety issues and propose
corrective actions based on voluntary
reports of close calls submitted to BTS.
Because of the innovative nature of this
program, the FRA is implementing an
evaluation program to determine
whether the program is succeeding, how
it can be improved, and what is needed
to implement the program throughout
the railroad industry. This collection is
necessary in order to carry out the
evaluation program. Specifically,
information about changes to the safety
culture of the affected workplaces will
be used as one of several data sources
for potentially establishing a causative
relationship between close call
reporting and increase in rail safety.
This notice is required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act.
DATES: Comments must be received by
May 11, 2010.
ADDRESSES: You can mail or handdeliver comments to the U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT),
Docket Management Facility (DMF).
You may submit your comments by mail
to the Docket Clerk, Docket No. RITA–
2008–0002, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave,
SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room
W12–140, Washington, DC 20590–0001.
Comments should identify the docket
number; paper comments should be
submitted in duplicate. The DMF is
open for examination and copying, at
the above address, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday except Federal
holidays. If you wish to receive
confirmation of receipt of your written
comments, please include a selfaddressed, stamped postcard with the
following statement, ‘‘Comments on
Docket: RITA–2008–0002.’’ The Docket
Clerk will date stamp the postcard prior
to returning it to you via the U.S. mail.
Please note that due to delays in the
delivery of U.S. mail to Federal offices
in Washington, DC, we recommend that
persons consider an alternative method
(the Internet, fax, or professional
delivery service) to submit comments to
the docket and ensure their timely
receipt at U.S. DOT. You may fax your
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:18 Mar 11, 2010
Jkt 220001
comments to the DMF at (202) 493–
2251.
If you wish to file comments using the
Internet, you may use the Web site
https://www.regulations.gov. Please
follow the instructions for submitting an
electronic comment. You can also
review comments on-line at the same
Web site https://www.regulations.gov.
Please note that anyone is able to
electronically search all comments
received into our docket management
system by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the
comment if submitted on behalf of an
association, business, labor union, etc.)
You may review DOT’s complete
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal
Register published on April 11, 2000
(Volume 65, Number 70; pages 19477–
78) or you may review the Department’s
Privacy Policy at https://www.dot.gov/
Privacy.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Demetra V. Collia, E–36, Room 314,
Bureau of Transportation Statistics,
Research and Innovative Technology
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave.,
SE., Washington, DC 20590; (202) 366–
1610; Fax No. (202) 366–3676; e-mail:
demetra.collia@dot.gov.
Data Confidentiality Provisions: The
confidentiality of data collected by BTS
is protected under the BTS
confidentiality statute (49 U.S.C. 111
(k). In accordance with the BTS
confidentiality statute, only statistical
and non-identifying data will be made
publicly available through reports.
Further, BTS will not release to FRA or
any other public or private entity any
information that might reveal the
identity of individuals or organizations
mentioned in the collected survey data.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. The Data Collection
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. Chapter 35; as amended) and
5 CFR Part 1320 require each Federal
agency to obtain OMB approval to
initiate an information collection
activity. BTS is seeking OMB approval
for the following BTS information
collection activity:
Title: Collection of Safety Culture
Data.
OMB Control Number: 2139– NEW.
Type of Review: Approval of data
collection.
Respondents: Employees of selected
(pilot) railroad sites.
Number of Respondents: 4,000
Estimated Time per Response: 0.50
hours.
Frequency: The survey will be
conducted twice either as a mid-term or
end-of-study evaluation.
PO 00000
Frm 00156
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
11989
Total Annual Burden: 2,000 hours.
II. Background
Collecting data on the nation’s
transportation system is an important
component of BTS’ responsibility to the
transportation community and is
authorized in BTS statutory authority
(49 U.S.C. 111(c)(1) and (2) and 49
U.S.C. 111(c)(5) (j)). Further, BTS and
FRA share a common interest in
promoting rail safety based on better
data. In recognition of the need for new
approaches to improving safety, the
FRA has initiated a research program
called the Confidential Close Call
Reporting System (C 3RS). The C 3RS is
designed to identify safety issues and
propose corrective actions based on
voluntary reports of close calls
submitted to BTS. A close call
represents a situation in which an
ongoing sequence of events was stopped
from developing further, preventing the
occurrence of potentially serious safetyrelated consequences. This might
include the following: (1) Events that
happen frequently, but have low safety
consequences; (2) events that happen
infrequently but have the potential for
high consequences (e.g., a train in dark
territory proceeds beyond its authority);
(3) events that are below the FRA
reporting threshold (e.g., an event that
causes a minor injury); and (4) events
that are reportable to FRA but have the
potential for a far greater accident than
the one reported (e.g., a slow speed
collision with minor damage to the
equipment and no injuries.)
BTS is collecting close call reports
submitted by railroad employees while
protecting the confidentiality of these
data through its own statute (49 U.S.C.
111(i)) and the Confidential Information
Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act
of 2002 (CIPSEA). The operating
assumption behind C 3RS is that by
assuring confidentiality, employees will
report events which, if dealt with, will
decrease the likelihood of accidents.
C 3RS therefore has both a confidential
reporting component, and a problem
analysis/solution component. C 3RS is
expected to affect safety in two ways.
First, it will lead to problem solving
concerning specific safety conditions.
Second, it will engender an
organizational culture and climate that
supports greater awareness of safety and
a greater cooperative willingness to
improve safety. BTS has received a
separate OMB approval for the
collection of close call reports (2139–
0010) which does not involve the
evaluation of the reporting system.
While C 3RS has been developed and
is being implemented with the
participation of the FRA, railroad labor,
E:\FR\FM\12MRN1.SGM
12MRN1
11990
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Notices
and railroad management, there are
legitimate questions about whether it is
being implemented in the most effective
way, and whether it will have its
intended effect. Further, even if C 3RS is
successful, it will be necessary to know
if it is successful enough to implement
on a wide scale. To address these
important questions, the FRA is
implementing a formative evaluation to
guide program development, a
summative evaluation to assess impact,
and a sustainability evaluation to
determine how C 3RS can continue after
the test period is over. The evaluation
is needed to provide the FRA with
guidance as to how it can improve the
program, and how it might be scaled up
throughout the railroad industry.
Program evaluation is an inherently
data-driven activity. Its basic tenet is
that as change is implemented, data can
be collected to track the course and
consequences of the change. Because of
the setting in which C 3RS is being
implemented, that data must come from
the railroad employees (labor and
management) who may be affected.
Employees of selected railroad sites
(pilot sites) will be asked to fill out a
questionnaire which will be made
available to them at their workplace and
collected by BTS staff or BTS
contractors. The questionnaire will
request the respondent to provide
information such as: (a) Beliefs about
rail safety; (b) issues and personal
concerns related to implementation of
safety programs in their work
environment; (c) knowledge and views
on voluntary reporting of unsafe events;
and (d) opinions and observations about
the operation of C 3RS at their work site.
III. Request for Comments
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
BTS requests comments on any
aspects of these information collections,
including: (1) The accuracy of the
estimated burden; (2) ways to enhance
the quality, usefulness, and clarity of
the collected information; and (3) ways
to minimize the collection burden
without reducing the quality of the
information collected, including
additional use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Issued in Washington, DC on March 5,
2010.
Steven D. Dillingham,
Director, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,
Research and Innovative Technology
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010–5417 Filed 3–11–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–HY–P
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17:18 Mar 11, 2010
Jkt 220001
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Chicago Executive Airports Noise
Exposure Map Approval and Noise
Compatibility Program Review
AGENCY: Federal Aviation
Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) announces its
determination that the noise exposure
maps submitted by the Chicago
Executive Airport Board of Directors for
Chicago Executive Airport under the
provisions of 49 U.S.C. 47501 et. seq
(Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement
Act) and 14 CFR Part 150 are in
compliance with applicable
requirements. The FAA also announces
that it is reviewing a proposed noise
compatibility program that was
submitted for Chicago Executive Airport
under Part 150 in conjunction with the
noise exposure map, and that this
program will be approved or
disapproved on or before October 1,
2010.
DATES: Effective Date: The effective date
of the FAA’s determination on the noise
exposure maps and of the start of its
review of the associated noise
compatibility program is March 1, 2010.
The public comment period ends May 1,
2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Amy Hanson, Environmental Protection
Specialist, CHI–603, Federal Aviation
Administration, Chicago Airport District
Office, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Des
Plaines, IL 60018. Telephone number:
847–294–7354. Comments on the
proposed noise compatibility program
should also be submitted to the above
office.
This
notice announces that the FAA finds
that the noise exposure maps submitted
for Chicago Executive Airport are in
compliance with applicable
requirements of Part 150, effective
March 1, 2010. Further, FAA is
reviewing a proposed noise
compatibility program for that airport
which will be approved or disapproved
on or before October 1, 2010. This
notice also announces the availability of
this program for public review and
comment. Under 49 U.S.C. 47503 (the
Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement
Act, hereinafter referred to as ‘‘the Act’’),
an airport operator may submit to the
FAA noise exposure maps which meet
applicable regulations and which depict
non-compatible land uses as of the date
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
Frm 00157
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
of submission of such maps, a
description of projected aircraft
operations, and the ways in which such
operations will affect such maps. The
Act requires such maps to be developed
in consultation with interested and
affected parties in the local community,
government agencies, and persons using
the airport.
An airport operator who has
submitted noise exposure maps that are
found by FAA to be in compliance with
the requirements of Federal Aviation
Regulations (FAR) Part 150,
promulgated pursuant to the Act, may
submit a noise compatibility program
for FAA approval which sets forth the
measures the operator has taken or
proposes to take to reduce existing noncompatible uses and prevent the
introduction of additional noncompatible uses.
Chicago Executive Airport Board of
Directors submitted to the FAA on June
18, 2009 noise exposure maps,
descriptions and other documentation
that were produced during noise
compatibility planning study conducted
from 2000 through 2009. It was
requested that the FAA review this
material as the noise exposure maps, as
described in section 47503 of the Act,
and that the noise mitigation measures,
to be implemented jointly by the airport
and surrounding communities, be
approved as a noise compatibility
program under section 47504 of the Act.
The FAA has completed its review of
the noise exposure maps and related
descriptions submitted by Chicago
Executive Airport Board of Directors.
The specific documentation determined
to constitute the noise exposure maps
includes: Exhibit S1, Exhibit S2,
Chapters C–F, and the Supplemental
Chapter of the Part 150 study
document). The FAA has determined
that these maps for Chicago Executive
Airport are in compliance with
applicable requirements. This
determination is effective on March 1,
2010. FAA’s determination on an airport
operator’s noise exposure maps is
limited to a finding that the maps were
developed in accordance with the
procedures contained in Appendix A of
FAR Part 150. Such determination does
not constitute approval of the
applicant’s data, information or plans,
or constitute a commitment to approve
a noise compatibility program or to fund
the implementation of that program.
If questions arise concerning the
precise relationship of specific
properties to noise exposure contours
depicted on a noise exposure map
submitted under section 47503 of the
Act, it should be noted that the FAA is
not involved in any way in determining
E:\FR\FM\12MRN1.SGM
12MRN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 48 (Friday, March 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11988-11990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5417]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Innovative Technology Administration
[Docket Number: RITA-2008-0002]
Notice of Request for Approval To Collect New Information:
Collection of Safety Culture Data
AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Research and
Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), DOT.
[[Page 11989]]
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces that the Bureau of Transportation
Statistics (BTS) intends to request the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) to approve a data collection effort to evaluate a demonstration
research study on the use of close calls data to improve safety in the
rail industry. The study is conducted by the Office of Human Factors in
the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and is designed to identify
safety issues and propose corrective actions based on voluntary reports
of close calls submitted to BTS. Because of the innovative nature of
this program, the FRA is implementing an evaluation program to
determine whether the program is succeeding, how it can be improved,
and what is needed to implement the program throughout the railroad
industry. This collection is necessary in order to carry out the
evaluation program. Specifically, information about changes to the
safety culture of the affected workplaces will be used as one of
several data sources for potentially establishing a causative
relationship between close call reporting and increase in rail safety.
This notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act.
DATES: Comments must be received by May 11, 2010.
ADDRESSES: You can mail or hand-deliver comments to the U.S. Department
of Transportation (DOT), Docket Management Facility (DMF). You may
submit your comments by mail to the Docket Clerk, Docket No. RITA-2008-
0002, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE., West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Comments should identify the docket number; paper comments should be
submitted in duplicate. The DMF is open for examination and copying, at
the above address, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday except
Federal holidays. If you wish to receive confirmation of receipt of
your written comments, please include a self-addressed, stamped
postcard with the following statement, ``Comments on Docket: RITA-2008-
0002.'' The Docket Clerk will date stamp the postcard prior to
returning it to you via the U.S. mail. Please note that due to delays
in the delivery of U.S. mail to Federal offices in Washington, DC, we
recommend that persons consider an alternative method (the Internet,
fax, or professional delivery service) to submit comments to the docket
and ensure their timely receipt at U.S. DOT. You may fax your comments
to the DMF at (202) 493-2251.
If you wish to file comments using the Internet, you may use the
Web site https://www.regulations.gov. Please follow the instructions for
submitting an electronic comment. You can also review comments on-line
at the same Web site https://www.regulations.gov.
Please note that anyone is able to electronically search all
comments received into our docket management system by the name of the
individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment if submitted
on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.) You may
review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; pages 19477-78) or
you may review the Department's Privacy Policy at https://www.dot.gov/Privacy.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Demetra V. Collia, E-36, Room 314,
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Research and Innovative Technology
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20590; (202)
366-1610; Fax No. (202) 366-3676; e-mail: demetra.collia@dot.gov.
Data Confidentiality Provisions: The confidentiality of data
collected by BTS is protected under the BTS confidentiality statute (49
U.S.C. 111 (k). In accordance with the BTS confidentiality statute,
only statistical and non-identifying data will be made publicly
available through reports. Further, BTS will not release to FRA or any
other public or private entity any information that might reveal the
identity of individuals or organizations mentioned in the collected
survey data.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. The Data Collection
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35; as
amended) and 5 CFR Part 1320 require each Federal agency to obtain OMB
approval to initiate an information collection activity. BTS is seeking
OMB approval for the following BTS information collection activity:
Title: Collection of Safety Culture Data.
OMB Control Number: 2139- NEW.
Type of Review: Approval of data collection.
Respondents: Employees of selected (pilot) railroad sites.
Number of Respondents: 4,000
Estimated Time per Response: 0.50 hours.
Frequency: The survey will be conducted twice either as a mid-term
or end-of-study evaluation.
Total Annual Burden: 2,000 hours.
II. Background
Collecting data on the nation's transportation system is an
important component of BTS' responsibility to the transportation
community and is authorized in BTS statutory authority (49 U.S.C.
111(c)(1) and (2) and 49 U.S.C. 111(c)(5) (j)). Further, BTS and FRA
share a common interest in promoting rail safety based on better data.
In recognition of the need for new approaches to improving safety, the
FRA has initiated a research program called the Confidential Close Call
Reporting System (C \3\RS). The C \3\RS is designed to identify safety
issues and propose corrective actions based on voluntary reports of
close calls submitted to BTS. A close call represents a situation in
which an ongoing sequence of events was stopped from developing
further, preventing the occurrence of potentially serious safety-
related consequences. This might include the following: (1) Events that
happen frequently, but have low safety consequences; (2) events that
happen infrequently but have the potential for high consequences (e.g.,
a train in dark territory proceeds beyond its authority); (3) events
that are below the FRA reporting threshold (e.g., an event that causes
a minor injury); and (4) events that are reportable to FRA but have the
potential for a far greater accident than the one reported (e.g., a
slow speed collision with minor damage to the equipment and no
injuries.)
BTS is collecting close call reports submitted by railroad
employees while protecting the confidentiality of these data through
its own statute (49 U.S.C. 111(i)) and the Confidential Information
Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA). The
operating assumption behind C \3\RS is that by assuring
confidentiality, employees will report events which, if dealt with,
will decrease the likelihood of accidents. C \3\RS therefore has both a
confidential reporting component, and a problem analysis/solution
component. C \3\RS is expected to affect safety in two ways. First, it
will lead to problem solving concerning specific safety conditions.
Second, it will engender an organizational culture and climate that
supports greater awareness of safety and a greater cooperative
willingness to improve safety. BTS has received a separate OMB approval
for the collection of close call reports (2139-0010) which does not
involve the evaluation of the reporting system.
While C \3\RS has been developed and is being implemented with the
participation of the FRA, railroad labor,
[[Page 11990]]
and railroad management, there are legitimate questions about whether
it is being implemented in the most effective way, and whether it will
have its intended effect. Further, even if C \3\RS is successful, it
will be necessary to know if it is successful enough to implement on a
wide scale. To address these important questions, the FRA is
implementing a formative evaluation to guide program development, a
summative evaluation to assess impact, and a sustainability evaluation
to determine how C \3\RS can continue after the test period is over.
The evaluation is needed to provide the FRA with guidance as to how it
can improve the program, and how it might be scaled up throughout the
railroad industry.
Program evaluation is an inherently data-driven activity. Its basic
tenet is that as change is implemented, data can be collected to track
the course and consequences of the change. Because of the setting in
which C \3\RS is being implemented, that data must come from the
railroad employees (labor and management) who may be affected.
Employees of selected railroad sites (pilot sites) will be asked to
fill out a questionnaire which will be made available to them at their
workplace and collected by BTS staff or BTS contractors. The
questionnaire will request the respondent to provide information such
as: (a) Beliefs about rail safety; (b) issues and personal concerns
related to implementation of safety programs in their work environment;
(c) knowledge and views on voluntary reporting of unsafe events; and
(d) opinions and observations about the operation of C \3\RS at their
work site.
III. Request for Comments
BTS requests comments on any aspects of these information
collections, including: (1) The accuracy of the estimated burden; (2)
ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the collected
information; and (3) ways to minimize the collection burden without
reducing the quality of the information collected, including additional
use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Issued in Washington, DC on March 5, 2010.
Steven D. Dillingham,
Director, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Research and Innovative
Technology Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-5417 Filed 3-11-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-HY-P