Federal Rail Agency Probes Public on Info Collection Plans
Published Date: 2/18/2026
Notice
Summary
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is asking for your thoughts on a new paperwork plan they want to send to the Office of Management and Budget for approval. This affects anyone who deals with FRA’s information requests, and you have until March 20, 2026, to share your comments. No big costs or changes yet—just a chance to weigh in before the paperwork gets the green light!
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Paperwork Burden for Track Owners
Railroads, track owners, States, the District of Columbia, and political subdivisions must keep complying with FRA’s information collections under the Bridge Safety Standards. FRA estimates a respondent universe of 784 track owners, 50 States and DC, and 200 political subdivisions with a total of 200,480 annual responses, 34,616 total annual burden hours, and a total annual burden dollar cost equivalent of $3,085,383.04.
Bridge Worker Safety Net Testing Rules
Bridge safety nets used as fall protection must be drop-tested at the job site after initial installation and before use, after major repairs, and at 6-month intervals if left at one site; if a drop-test is not feasible, the railroad, railroad contractor, or a designated certified person must provide written certification that the net meets the standards in 49 CFR 214.105. FRA and State inspectors use this information to enforce the rule.
Public Access to Bridge Inspection Reports
Under the FAST Act and FRA implementation, a State or a political subdivision can obtain a public version of a railroad-generated bridge inspection report by using FRA’s "Bridge Inspection Report Public Version Request Form" (FRA F 6180.167); FRA notes it developed that form to facilitate such requests.
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