More FRA paperwork comments? Groundhog Day strikes again
Published Date: 9/16/2026
Notice
Summary
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Annual Paperwork Burden Reduced
If you operate one of the 773 railroads in the respondent universe, FRA reduced the annual information-collection burden for 49 CFR part 220 from 95,902 hours to 76,237 hours, a decrease of 19,665 hours. The ICR shows 3,068,004 total annual responses and an annual burden-hour dollar equivalent of $6,024,274.08. Comments on the ICR are due November 16, 2026.
Written Mandatory Directives Burden
For the written copy of mandatory directives (Sec. 220.61(b)(3)), the ICR estimates 3,040,000 directives annually, with an average of 90 seconds per response, totaling 76,000 burden hours and a wage-equivalent cost of $6,005,520 per year. This applies to the 773 railroads in the respondent universe.
More Employee Training Records Estimated
FRA increased its estimate of employee training records under Sec. 220.313(c) to 28,000 records annually, with each record estimated at 30 seconds, totaling 233 burden hours and a wage-equivalent cost of $18,438 per year for the respondent universe of 773 railroads.
Petitions for Waiver Paperwork Small Burden
Under Sec. 220.8, petitions to the Administrator for waiver of compliance are estimated as 2 petition letters totaling 2 burden hours and a wage-equivalent cost of $158.04 annually for the respondent universe. This applies to railroads that seek waivers.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
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Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-18981, Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.
Next: 2026-18983, Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.