
[Federal Register: April 1, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 63)]
[Notices]               
[Page 17413-17414]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01ap08-98]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

 
Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR 
describes the nature of the information collections and their expected 
burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was 
published on October 2, 2007 (72 FR 56027). The agency received no 
comments.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 1, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, within 30 days, to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention NHTSA Desk Officer.
    Comments are invited on: Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the

[[Page 17414]]

burden of the collection of information on respondents, including the 
use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology. A comment to OMB is most effective if OMB receives it 
within 30 days of publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Deborah Mazyck at the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of International Policy, 
Fuel Economy and Consumer Programs, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West 
Building, Room W43-443, NVS 131, Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Mazyck's 
telephone number is (202)-366-4139.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

    Title: Consolidated Labeling Requirements for 49 CFR Parts 565, 
541, and 567.
    OMB Number: 2127-0510.
    Type of Request: Request for public comment on a previously 
approved collection of information.
    Abstract:

Parts 565 and 567

    NHTSA's statute at 15 U.S.C. 1392, 1397, 1401, 1407, and 1412 of 
the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 authorizes 
the issuance of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) and the 
collection of data which support their implementation. The agency, in 
prescribing an FMVSS, is to consider available relevant motor vehicle 
safety data and to consult with other agencies as it deems appropriate. 
Further, the Act mandates, that in issuing any FMVSS, the agency should 
consider whether the standard is reasonable, practicable and 
appropriate for the particular type of motor vehicle or item of motor 
vehicle equipment for which it is prescribed, and whether such 
standards will contribute to carrying out the purpose of the Act. The 
Secretary is authorized to revoke such rules and regulations as deemed 
necessary to carry out this subchapter. Using this authority, the 
agency issued the initial FMVSS No. 115, Vehicle Identification Number, 
specifying requirements for vehicle identification numbers to aid the 
agency in achieving many of its safety goals.
    The standard was amended in August 1978 by extending its 
applicability to additional classes of motor vehicles and by specifying 
the use of a 30-year, 17-character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) 
for worldwide use. The standard was amended in May 1983 by deleting 
portions of FMVSS No. 115 and reissuing those portions as a general 
agency regulation, Part 565. Subsequently, the standard was amended 
again in June 1996 transferring the text of the FMVSS No. 115 to Part 
565, without making any substantive changes to the VIN requirements as 
a result of the proposed consolidation. The provision of the Part 565 
(amended) regulation requires vehicle manufacturers to assign a unique 
VIN to each new vehicle and to inform NHTSA of the code used in forming 
the VIN. These regulations apply to all vehicles: passenger cars, 
multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, trailers, incomplete 
vehicles, and motorcycles.
    NHTSA has proposed amendments to Part 565 to revise certain 
sections in order to extend the existing VIN system for another thirty 
years, and to ensure a sufficient supply of unique available VINs and 
manufacturer identifiers for that time period (72 FR 56027, October 2, 
2007). The agency may require information to be provided in a slightly 
different way (e.g., vehicle make being transferred from the first to 
the second section of the VIN), the scope of the overall reporting 
requirement of Part 565 will not change. The agency does not anticipate 
an increase or decrease in the collection of information requirements 
if these proposals are adopted.
    Part 567 specifies the content and location of, and other 
requirements for, the certification label or tag to be affixed to motor 
vehicles and motor vehicle equipment. Specifically, the VIN is required 
to appear on the certification label. Additionally, this certificate 
will provide the consumer with information to assist him or her in 
determining which of the FMVSS are applicable to the vehicle or 
equipment, and its date of manufacture.
    NHTSA estimates the vehicle manufacturers will incur a decrease in 
total annual hour burden of 423,333. The recordkeeping hour burden for 
Part 565 and 567 represents a decrease in hour burden because of a 
decrease in the number of respondents.
    NHTSA estimates an increase in cost burden of $3,400.00. Due to the 
fluctuation of the U.S. economy, there was an increase in cost to 
comply with the reporting requirements. The change in cost burden 
reflects the 2007 Consumer Price Index as compared to that of 1987.

Part 541

    The Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act was amended by 
the Anti-Car Theft Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-519). The enacted Theft Act 
requires specified parts of high-theft vehicles to be marked with 
vehicle identification numbers. In a final rule published on April 6, 
2004, the Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard was extended 
to include all passenger cars and multipurpose passenger vehicles with 
a gross vehicle weight rating of 6,000 pounds or less, and to light 
duty trucks with major parts that are interchangeable with a majority 
of the covered major parts of multipurpose passenger vehicles. Each 
major component part must be either labeled or affixed with the VIN and 
its replacement component part must be marked with the DOT symbol, the 
letter (R) and the manufacturers' logo. On May 19, 2005, in response to 
petitions for reconsideration, NHTSA amended the final rule. The final 
rule became effective September 1, 2006. Due to expansion of the Theft 
Prevention Standard (Part 541), all passenger cars, and multipurpose 
passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 6,000 pounds 
or less, and to light duty trucks with major parts that are 
interchangeable with a majority of the covered major parts of 
multipurpose passenger vehicles, are required them to be parts marked. 
This creates a program change for this collection.
    Part 541 shows an increase in recordkeeping costs because there 
will be a greater number of vehicles required to be parts marked 
resulting in an additional cost of affixing labels or stamping the VIN 
on motor vehicles and startup costs for the manufacturers. NHTSA 
estimates the vehicle manufacturers will incur a total cost burden of 
$87,550,100 million. NHTSA estimates a decrease in reporting and 
recordkeeping hours because current estimates are based on fewer 
vehicles complying with the Theft Prevention Standard. However, there 
is an increase in the number of target area submissions per vehicle 
required by vehicle manufacturers. NHTSA estimates the vehicle 
manufacturers will incur a net decrease for a total annual hour burden 
of 502,519.
    Affected Public: Motor vehicle manufacturers.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: NHTSA estimates that the overall 
total estimated annual hour burden for this collection is 925,852. The 
overall total estimated cost burden for this collection is $87,553,500 
million.

    Issued on: March 26, 2008.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
 [FR Doc. E8-6622 Filed 3-31-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
