Agency Information Collection Activities; Revision of an Approved Information Collection: National Consumer Complaint Database, 382-384 [2024-31549]

Agencies

• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 2 (Friday, January 3, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 382-384]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-31549]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2024-0313]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Revision of an Approved 
Information Collection: National Consumer Complaint Database

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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. This revision is for 
the National Consumer Complaint Database (NCCDB), which is an online 
interface allowing consumers, drivers, and others to file complaints 
against unsafe and unscrupulous companies and/or their employees, 
including shippers, receivers, and transportation intermediaries, 
depending on the type of complaint. These complaints cover a wide range 
of issues, including but not limited to driver harassment, coercion, 
movement of household goods, financial responsibility instruments for 
brokers and freight forwarders, Americans with Disability Act (ADA) 
compliance, Electronic Logging Device (ELD), Entry-Level Driver 
Training (ELDT), Medical Review Officer (MRO), and Substance Abuse 
Professional (SAP) complaints. FMCSA requests approval to revise the 
ICR titled ``National Consumer Complaint Database.''

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before March 4, 
2025.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Docket Number FMCSA-
2024-0313 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: (202) 493-2251.
    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: Ms. Donnice Wagoner, Commercial 
Enforcement Division/MC-SEI, DOT, FMCSA, West Building 6th Floor, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001; (202) 366-8045; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 383]]

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-2024-0313), 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.
    To submit your comment online, go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2024-0313/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 regulatory process. DOT posts these 
comments, including any personal information the commenter provides, to 
www.regulations.gov as described in the system of records notice DOT/
ALL 14 (Federal Docket Management System (FDMS)), which can be reviewed 
at https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/privacy/privacy-act-system-records-notices. The comments are posted without edits and are 
searchable by the name of the submitter.

Background

    FMCSA maintains online information and resources to assist 
consumers, drivers, and others associated with the motor carrier 
industry with understanding their consumer protection rights and, if 
necessary, with filing a complaint with the Agency. When effectively 
applied, this information can contribute to safer motor carrier 
operations on our nation's highways and improved consumer protection. 
NCCDB complaint data also provides FMCSA with statistical information 
regarding motor carriers, in particular the household goods moving 
industry. NCCDB data is used to alert consumers of those motor carriers 
with a history of complaints related to transporting household goods 
and helps FMCSA provide guidance to the public on how to avoid being 
victimized by unscrupulous moving companies. The data also allows FMCSA 
to identify problematic motor carriers for enforcement actions and 
promote compliance. Motor carriers can use NCCDB data to assist with 
complaint reconciliation.
    Since 2016, the NCCDB system has been the central repository for 
motor carrier complaints received by FMCSA; however, responding to 
consumer complaints has a long-standing Agency regulatory history. 
Congress first mandated a Safety Violation Hotline Service in section 
4017 of the ``Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century,'' (Pub. L. 
105-178, 112 Stat. 107 (June 9, 1998)). Congress required DOT to 
establish, maintain, and promote the use of a nationwide toll-free 
telephone system to be used by drivers of commercial motor vehicles and 
others to report potential violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Regulations.
    The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 (Pub. L. 106-159, 
113 Stat. 1748 (Dec. 9, 1999)) created FMCSA and expanded the Safety 
Violation Hotline Service to include a 24-hour operation and accept 
consumer complaints on violations of the commercial regulations 
previously administered by the Interstate Commerce Commission (i.e., 
household goods and hostage load complaints).
    The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation 
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 109-59, 119 Stat. 
1144 (Aug. 10, 2005)) required FMCSA to create a system, database, and 
procedures for filing and logging consumer complaints relating to 
household goods motor carriers for the purpose of compiling or linking 
complaint information gathered by FMCSA and the States with regard to 
such carriers. SAFETEA-LU also required FMCSA to create procedures to 
allow the public to have access, subject to 5 U.S.C. 552(a), to 
aggregated complaint information and a process for carriers to 
challenge duplicate or fraudulent information in the database.
    Complaints are also accepted through the NCCDB in connection with 
other statutory mandates including the protection of drivers against 
harassment and coercion under sections 32301(b) and 32911, 
respectively, of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act 
(Pub. L. 112-141, 126 Stat. 405 (July 6, 2012)).
    FMCSA is in the process of modernizing its NCCDB complaint program 
and system as well as expanding the program alongside process 
recommendations submitted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office 
in September 2023. These recommendations are being implemented to 
expand and enhance FMCSA's ability to centralize the collection, 
monitoring, and response to consumer complaints about Agency programs, 
to establish reasonable procedures to provide timely responses to 
consumers regarding their complaints, and to share complaint 
information with the public as well as Federal and State agencies, as 
necessary and applicable.
    Title: National Consumer Complaint Database.
    OMB Control Number: 2126-0067.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved ICR.
    Respondents: Consumers, Drivers, and Other Participants in the 
Motor Carrier Industry.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 64,545.
    Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.
    Expiration Date: June 30, 2025.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 16,136. The annual burden was 
calculated using the complaint volume for each of the 12 categories of 
complaint types.
    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.

[[Page 384]]

    Issued under the authority of 49 CFR 1.87.

Thomas P. Keane,
Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Registration.
[FR Doc. 2024-31549 Filed 1-2-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P