The following is a listing of transportation-related terms developed by CCMPO. Acronyms are listed by letter, but are not in
alphabetical order.
| Term | Acronym | Definition |
| 3C's Process | 3Cs
| A federally-mandated (via the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962) initiative, requiring a "Continuing, Cooperative, & Comprehensive" transportation planning process to be carried out by states, regions, and local communities. |
| 3PL Provider | 3PL
| A third-party or outsourced freight management service provider, customizing shipping, warehousing, and administrative logistics activities. |
| 10 MPH Pace Speed |
| 10 mph range in which the majority of vehicles are traveling. |
| 85th Percentile Speed |
| The maximum speed at which 85% of all vehicles are travelling. |
| 4PL Provider | 4PL
| Similar to a 'Third-Party Logisitcs' (3PL) service provider, a 4PL specializes in expertise in the design of 'Supply Chain Management' systems, but has no freight moving assets (e.g. warehouses or infrastructure) of its own, |
| 511 | 511
| National traveller information phone number designated by the FCC. |
| Access Management | AM
| Techniques of Transportation infrastructure management intended to; reduce congestion and accident rates, lessen need for highway widening, conserve energy, and reduce pollution. Examples include; limiting entrance and exit of traffic on highways, use of medians and turn lanes, placement and timing of signals, as well as implementation of supportive local ordinances. |
| Accessibility |
| The facilities and services that make it possible to get to any destination, measured by the availability of physical connections (roads, sidewalks, etc.), travel options, ease of movement, and proximity of destinations. |
| Act 250 |
| A Vermont State land use law that requires a permit from the District Environmental Commission or the Vermont Environmental Board prior to commencing a major development or subdivision on a property. |
| Advanced Traffic Management System | ATMS
| ITS applications designed to enhance traffic movement usually along transportation corridors. |
| Airport Improvement Program | AIP
| FAA program that assists the development of public-use airports by providing funding for airport planning and development projects. |
| Agency of Natural Resources | ANR
| A cabinet-level Vermont state agency that oversees environmental issues for the state and is responsible for SIP adoption (T3 VSA, Chapter 51). |
| Alternatives Analysis | AA
| A study which explores the effect of a project on the overall transportation system. Information included in an AA are costs, benefits, and impacts of potential changes to the transportation system. |
| Albany-Bennington-Rutland-Burlington-Essex | ABRB-E
| Congressional earmarked project, authorized in SAFETEA-LU intended to enhance Vermont's rail infrastructure on the Western Vermont Corridor. |
| American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials | AASHTO
| Publishes standards for transportation infrastructure for use throughout the U.S. |
| American Public Works Association | APWA
| Chartered in 1937, the APWA is the international educational and professional association of public agencies, private sector companies, and individuals dedicated to improving public works goods and services. |
| Americans with Disabilities Act | ADA
| Federal legislation passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. |
| Annual Average Daily Traffic | AADT
| A key statistical indicator for roadway counts (i.e. traffic volume), known as the 'Annual Average Daily Traffic', or AADT, has been developed to represent the average amount of vehicular traffic in both directions of travel, passing on a given point of road, over a 24-hour period, on a typical day (i.e. seasonally adjusted) of a specified year. |
| Arc/Info |
| Geographic Information System (GIS) software for database development and management. |
| ArcView |
| Windows-based Geographic Information System (GIS) for the layperson to use geographical data. |
| Arterial Street or Highway |
| A major street or highway. It is a general term which includes expressways, major and minor arterial streets and interstate, state or county highways having regional continuity. It is a road intended to move a relatively large volume of traffic at medium to high speeds. |
| American Association of Railroads | AAR
| Association members include primary freight railroad companies in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, as well as Amtrak. |
| American Institute of Certified Planners | AICP
| A non-compulsory planning certification recognized in the United States. |
| American Planning Association | APA
| A nonprofit education and membership guild for professional planners. |
| Asphalt Concrete | AC
| A macadam or petroleum based, flexible substance used in roadway surface construction (also known as "tarmac" - i.e. tar macadam). |
| Attainment Area |
| Air quality designation where measures of selected pollutants do not exceed established (NAAQS) standards. |
| Automatic Traffic Recorders | ATR
| A pneumatic triggered device, utilizing rubber tubes installed upon a roadway to count, classify, and record speed data. ATRs are the tool used to capture Total Vehicle volume (used to calculate AADT), truck & bus data, 85th percentile & 10 MPH pace speed data, et al. |
| Automatic Vehicle Identification | AVI
| A type of ITS, AVI generally signifies the recognition and recording of motor vehicles, usually automobiles, as they pass through facilities for automatic collection of tolls, thus eliminating stops. |
| Backhaul |
| Describing the return trip of a transportation vehicle (rail, truck, or container). Backhaul often refers to a lower revenue-generating leg of a shipment haul, because the vehicle is either empty or partially loaded. |
| Ballast |
| Crushed angular stone used to distribute the heavy loads of moving locomotives and their freight, facilitate drainage, and reduce vegetation growth along a railroad bed. |
| Bill of Lading |
| Same as 'Waybill'. |
| Bottleneck |
| A metaphorical expression indicating a narrowing or reduction of roadway capacity due to; construction, maintenance, congestion, accidents, infrastructure (e.g. bridges, tunnels, reduced lanes, etc.). |
| Bridge Program |
| Federal funding program for rehabilitation and reconstruction of bridges. |
| Bureau of Transportation Statistics | BTS
| The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) was established by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. BTS administers federal transportation data collection, analysis, and reporting resources. |
| Burlington International Airport | BIA
| Burlington International Airport is the preeminent Airport in the State of Vermont, located in South Burlington and owned by the City of Burlington. |
| Bus Rapid Transit | BRT
| Fixed-route bus system operating on its own exclusive "Right of Way". |
| Byways |
| America's Byways is a registered umbrella term used to promote a collection of distinct and diverse roads, designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation as a National Scenic Byway. Further, there are also state-designated Byways in Vermont, which may or may not have national designation. |
| Campus Area Transportation Management Association | CATMA
| Organization formed by several institutions in Burlington’s 'Hill Institutions' to jointly address localized transportation, commuter, and parking issues. |
| Calibration |
| The process of developing the model parameters using observed transportation data (e.g. traffic counts). |
| Capacity |
| A transportation facility's (road, railway, etc.) ability to accommodate a moving stream of people or vehicles in a given time period. |
| Carbon Monoxide | CO
| A colorless, tasteless gas produced primarily by inefficient combustion of organic fuels in transportation and industrial activities. Overly high levels of CO reduces oxygen in the bloodstream, preventing normal respiration. CO emissions are regulated by the Agency of Natural Resources. |
| Centerline |
| The middle of a right-of-way, not considering direction or number of lanes. |
| Central Business District | CBD
| Often the geographic center or 'downtown' secton of a city, town, or village, typifying a concentration of commercial, government, residential, and mixed-use buildings or development |
| Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization | CCMPO
| The State’s only MPO. Established under federal law and responsible for transportation planning and programming within its jurisdiction. |
| Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission | CCRPC
| Land use planning agency for Chittenden County, Vermont |
| Chittenden County Transportation Authority | CCTA
| Operator of Chittenden County’s regional bus system and rideshare services. Chartered in 1973 by the Vermont General Assembly, CCTA serves the communities of Burlington, Essex, South Burlington, Shelburne, Williston, Winooski and a portion of Colchester. There are also express route service to Montpelier, Middlebury, and St. Albans. |
| Class of Railroad |
| Originally defined by the Interstate Commerce Commission (which was disbanded in the mid-1990's), Class of Railroad generally refers to a railroad company's size in terms of its average annual operating revenue. Specific figures (in 2001 dollars), outlining 'Classes' 1-3 are: Class 1 = railroads with an operating income above $256m (many miles of track, serving many states with a fleet of locomotives sometimes in the thousands), Class 2 = railroads with an operating income of $40m - $256m (regional railroad serving a few states with perhaps 30-200 locomotives), Class 3 = railroads with an operating income of $20m or less (typically operates only in one state, has only a handful of locomotives, usually operating less than 200 miles of track). |
| Class of Road |
| Vermont State classification of roads based on level of traffic and percent of the state-aid apportionment for town highways. For example, apportionment a town's Class 2 roads is determined by the town's percentage of all Class 2 town highway mileage in the entire state (see: VSA Title 17, Chapter 3, § 306 Appropriation). The scheme may be expressed as: Class 1 = 6% of state annual highway appropriation, Class 2 = 54% of state annual highway appropriation, Class 3 = 50% of state annual highway appropriation, Class 4 = 0% of state annual highway appropriation. Local selectpersons determine which highways are class 4 town highways. State = State highways are those highways maintained exclusively by the Agency of Transportation. |
| Class of Track |
| A Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) track designation, establishing maximum authorized speed for passenger and freight trains, whilst placing requirements on the track maintenance criteria, vehicle standards, and train control signal systems. The maximum speed, outlined in Track Classes 1-9 (freight speed/passenger speed) are: Class 1 = 10/15mph, Class 2 = 25/30mph, Class 3 = 40/60mph, Class 4 = 60/80mph, Class 5 = 80/90mph, Class 6 = 110/110mph, Class 7 = 125/125mph, Class 8 = 160/160mph, Class 9 = 200/200mph. |
| Class of Vehicle |
| An FHWA vehicle classification scheme distinguishing 14 categories, depending on whether the vehicle carries passengers or commodities. |
| Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 | CAA
| Federal legislation that sets allowable levels, known as NAAQS, for various pollutants. Where these standards are not attained, officials must take specified actions within a mandatory time frame or face sanctions such as loss of federal highway funds. |
| Cold Start |
| The starting of an engine which is significantly below normal operating temperature, of significance in understanding vehicle emissions since the rate and composition of emissions vary with engine temperature. Often the most polluting time of car operation. |
| Collector Street or Highway |
| A street or highway that provides for traffic movement between major streets (major corridors or arterials) and local streets. A collector is a road intended to collect traffic from local streets and land-access roads. The term -Collector Highway- does not include a city street or local service road or a country road designed for local service and constructed under the supervision of local government. |
| Commercial Drivers' License | CDL
| A CDL is required for those operating any type of vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight of 26,001 lbs. or greater (such as; tractor trailers, buses, and tow trucks). |
| Commuter Rail |
| Generally applies to multi-car, high-speed rail transport utilizing exclusive, frequently at-grade, rights-of-way with service between urban areas or between outlying suburbs and the urban core. Usually involves greater distances and fewer stops than those normally found with light and heavy rail transit within urban areas. |
| Commodity Flow Survey | CFS
| Primary source of national and state-level data on domestic freight shipments by American establishments in mining, manufacturing, wholesale, auxiliaries, and selected retail industries. |
| Compressed Natural Gas | CNG
| Fuel for natural gas powered vehicles (primarily buses). Natural gas is comprised mostly of methane that is compressed (about 2,400 lbs. per square inch) and stored in high-pressure design containers. |
| Conformity |
| The requirement that the state or metropolitan transportation plan, programs, and projects are consistent with the purpose of the State Implementation Plan (SIP). The CAAA does not permit federal approvals of funding of any project that does not meet this test. |
| Congestion |
| A condition which hinders movement on a transportation facility at optimal legal speeds. Frequently characterized by unstable traffic flows. |
| Congestion Management System | CMS
| A systematic process for managing congestion and enhancing mobility through alternative transportation strategies and timely information to the traveling public. |
| Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality | CMAQ
| A program authorized by the 1991 ISTEA provided billions of dollars in funding for surface transportation and other projects that contribute to air quality improvements and reduce traffic congestion. The CMAQ program has been improved and reauthorized in all subsequent federal transportation re-authorization bills. |
| Congestion Pricing |
| Charging users of a transportation network during peak periods of traffic, in order to reduce traffic congestion and pollution. |
| Containerization |
| The practice of using a International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Containers as a unit in transport of freight. Containers are strong enough for repeated use, can carry goods on truck, rail, seabourne, and airborne modes, and are outfitted with devices for efficient modal shift. Standard containers come in five general sizes; 20 ft., 40 ft., 45 ft., 48 ft., and 53 ft. Capacity is often expressed in twenty-foot equivalent units (see TEU). |
| Container-on-Flatcar | COFC
| A shipping container capable of transport upon a rail flat car or truck flat bed trailer. Same as TOFC. |
| Context-Sensitive Solutions | CSS
| The process of CSS seeks to preserve aesthetics, historical context, and environmental resources in areas of proposed development, while maintaining efficiency and safety of the transportation system. It is a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach, involving a variety of stakeholders to develop facilities and infrastructure in harmony with their current physical setting. |
| Continuous Traffic Counters | CTC
| Operated by VTrans, CTCs are permanently deployed traffic counters, which are capable of collecting traffic data for an entire year or longer. |
| Continuous Welded Rail | CWR
| Superior to traditional "jointed track", where rails are bolted together, CWR provides superior strength for higher speed locomotives and requires less maintenance. |
| Contraflow Lane |
| Otherwise known as a "reversible lane", it is utilised for buses where the direction of travel is opposite to the flow of traffic in the other lanes. Contraflow lanes are also employed for maintenance purposes, or in cases of emergency evacuation where both sides of an interstate highway are used for outbound traffic. |
| Coordination |
| Comparisons of transportation-planning materials on one agency with those of other agencies and subsequent adjustment of these materials to reduce omissions, duplications, and conflict. |
| Corridor |
| A geographic area that is defined by major highway and rail facilities, and major flows of travel. Transportation corridors are identified for the purpose of analyzing the patterns and flows of traffic between origins and destinations. |
| Crossdock |
| Operations in a warehouse not relating to storage, where freight is shifted from different trucks to consolidate loads for immediate shipping. |
| Culvert |
| Often constructed out of steel, concrete, plastic, or PVC, a culvert is conduit infrastructure used to channel water underneath and away from a road or railway embankment. |
| Deadhead |
| A empty transit vehicle commute to or from a garage, terminal, or a destination between routes. |
| Decision-Support System | DSS
| Computer assessment tool that examines the relationships between land use and transportation. |
| Department of Public Works | DPW
| Municipal entity responsible for repair and maintenance of streets, sewers, greenspace, and urban landscape. DPWs also designs and manage the construction of public facilities. |
| Department of Transportation | DOT
| State agency responsible for coordination, operation, and safety of transportation facilities and services, including; highways, bridges, railroads, airports, etc. |
| Development Review Board | DRB
| Development Review Boards are quasi-judicial, citizen volunteer bodies created under Vermont Statute 24 VSA Chapter 117, intended to interpret and uphold zoning ordinances of their municipality. |
| Design Hour Volume | DHV
| Commonly (but, not strictly) the 30th highest hourly traffic volume for a given year. DHV has been considered to be an optimal traffic volume estimation for designing future transportation infrastructure (e.g. intersection and roadway capacity analysis, bridge design, and geometric specifications, et al.) since the 1950 release of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM). |
| Destination |
| The place or zone in which a trip terminates. |
| Destination Choice |
| An estimate of a trip endpoint determined by a combination of the purpose and origin of the trip. Destination choice is believed to depend on characteristics of the individual (income, auto ownership), characteristics and location of activities at which the trip’s purpose can be accomplished, and characteristics of transportation modes connecting the origin to each possible location. |
| Diesel Multiple Unit | DMU
| Self-propelled railcar, powered by one or more diesel engines. |
| Discretionary Funds |
| Funds whose distribution is not automatic and not by formula but dependent on the decision of some agency or party. |
| District Transportation Administrator | DTA
| Administrative supervisor of regional transportation services or infrastructure. |
| Double-Stack Railcars |
| Rail-freight configuration allowing double-stacking of shipping containers-on-flat-cars (COFC) during transport. Operation of such a configuration can be hindered by clearance restrictions on rail lines.
|
| Drayage |
| A carrier service (or charge) for the cartage of shipping containers from a dock to an intermediate or final destination. |
| Eastern Border Transportation Coalition | EBTC
| Organization providing a cross-border issue forum for each U.S. state, Canadian province, and border service agency. |
| Earmark |
| A congressional budgetary mechanism built into the appropriation bill, often used to undertake specific projects. Earmarks are generally designated as a dollar amount. |
| Environmental Assessment | EA
| The purpose of an EA is to determine if there is sufficient evidence for a proposed project to require a more comprehensive Environmental Impact Study (EIS). Often an EA is a sufficient environmental document in itself when impacts of a project minor or can be mitigated. |
| Environmental Impact Statement | EIS
| Document that studies all likely impacts resulting from major federally-assisted programs. Impacts include those on the natural environment, economy, society, and the built (existing) environment of historical and aesthetic significance. |
| Environmental Justice | EJ
| The fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, programs and policies. |
| Environmental Protection Agency | EPA
| The federal regulatory agency responsible for administering and enforcing environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act. |
| Equivalent Single Axle Load | ESAL
| Equivalent 18-kip Single Axle Load. A basic premise of truck weight enforcement is that there is a resulting reduction in the rate of pavement deterioration. ESAL measures Truck traffic loading expressed as the number of equivalent 18,000 lb (80 kN) single axle loads. |
| Federal-Aid Highway |
| Defined in 23 United States Code 101(a) as highways on the Federal-aid highway systems and all other public roads not classified as local roads or rural minor collectors. |
| Federal Aviation Administration | FAA
| U.S. Department of Transportation agency responsible for aviation related programs. |
| Federal Highway Administration | FHWA
| U.S. Department of Transportation agency responsible for highways. |
| Federal Railroad Administration | FRA
| U.S. Department of Transportation agency responsible for railroad programs. |
| Federal Transit Administration | FTA
| U.S. Department of Transportation agency that administers federal funding to support a variety of locally planned, constructed, and operated public transportation systems throughout the U.S., including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, streetcars, monorail, passenger ferry boats, inclined railways, and people movers. |
| Feeder Service |
| Local transport providing passengers with connections to a longer service. |
| Finding of No Significant Impact | FONSI
| If a "Finding of No Significant Impact" is concluded from an Environmental Assessment, a full EIS would not be required for the project. |
| Fiscal Year | FY
| The fiscal year for the state of Vermont and the CCMPO is July 1 – June 30, while the TIP and STIP follow the federal fiscal year of October 1 – September 30. |
| Flexible Funds |
| Federal transportation funding that may be used for highway and/or transit. |
| Formula Grants |
| Funds distributed according to some legislated or regulated scheme. |
| Forty-Foot Equivalent Unit | FEU
| A Forty-Foot Equivalent Unit is used to express shipping or capacity volume of freight. Using the ISO standard of double the 20-foot shipping container (i.e. TEU - Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit) as a means of measurement, FEUs further summarise a general sense of freight traffic moving through major shipping ports commonly reported by government or industry. A FEU is an approximate measure of two containerized cargo units (20 ft. long * 8 ft. wide container), which does not account for container height. An FEU is generally the amount of freight carried by a standard 18-wheel tractor-trailer hauling a 48' trailer. |
| Freight Analysis Framework | FAF
| Federal freight transportation data integration project, obtaining data from various sources to estimate and forecast freight activity among states, regions, and major international gateways. |
| FTA Section 5307 |
| Grant program for capital and operating assistance in urban areas with populations greater than 50,000. |
| FTA Section 5309 |
| Grant for capital programs such as buses and bus facilities. |
| FTA Section 5310 |
| Grant program to states for assisting private non-profit groups in meeting the transportation needs of the elderly and persons with disabilities. |
| FTA Section 5317 |
| New Freedom Program. Grant program to encourage services and facility improvements to address the transportation needs of persons with disabilities that go beyond those required by the ADA. |
| Full Truck Load Carrier | FTL
| Full truckload carriers usually haul freight in single moves from shipper to receiver. "For-hire TL carriers" haul freight and special commodities in full truckload quantities, often in long-hauls (less than 500 miles up to a “transcontinental” haul) on irregular schedules determined by demand of shippers and receivers. "Private TL carriers" haul special commodities in truckload quantities, usually between manufacturing plants and warehouses as an in-house service. |
| Functional Classification | FC
| A Federal Highway Administration road designation scheme for rural, small urban, and urbanized areas. Functional classification defines the role that any particular road or street should play in servicing the flow of trips through a highway network. Standards for highway classification were developed during 1969-1971. The scheme may be expressed as: 1 = Rural Interstate, 2 = Rural Principle Arterial, 6 = Rural Minor Arterial, 7 = Rural Major Collector, 8 = Rural Minor Collector, 9 = Rural Local Access, 11 = Urban Interstate, 12 = Urban Other Freeway or Expressway, 14 = Urban Other Principal Arterial, 16 = Urban Minor Arterial, 17 = Urban Collector, 19 = Urban Local Access. |
| Gateway |
| Refering to a transportation or shipping corridor of national or international importance. |
| Geographic Information System | GIS
| A software system which assists in the development, storage, analysis, and display of locational or spatial information. |
| Girder |
| A main horizontal support beam for a bridge structure that usually handles loads from smaller floor beams and stringers. |
| Global Positioning System | GPS
| A navigation system utilising satellites to provide a GPS-receiver on Earth with accurate coordinates. |
| Grade Crossing |
| Where a roadway intersects a rail line. |
| Green Book |
| Published by AASHTO, the "Green Book" is formally known as "A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets". It covers the latest geometric design practices in standard use for highways, intersections, and interchanges. |
| Greenhouse Gases | GHG
| Identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), anthropogenic greenhouse gases are recognized by the international scientific community as having the potential to bring about climate change. Such gases include; Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Carbon Tetrafluoride, Hexafluoromethanem, Sulfur Hexafluoride, and others. |
| Gross Vehicle Weight | GVW
| Gross Vehicle Weight |
| Hazardous Material | HAZMAT
| Classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), transport of HAZMAT is regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. |
| Headway |
| Often used in context of transit service, "Headway" refers to the time interval between buses or passenger trains moving towards a specific destination or transit-stop along a particular route. |
| Heavy Rail |
| Rapid rail transit service using rail cars powered by electricity drawn from a third rail and usually operated on exclusive rights-of-way. It usually uses longer trains and has longer spacing between stations than light rail. (For example, the New York City subway system). |
| Highway Capacity Manual | HCM
| Published by the Transportation Research Board (TRB), the HCM outlines fundamental information and computational techniques on the quality of service and capacity of highway facilities. |
| Highway Trust Fund | HTF
| A financing mechanism established under federal law to account for tax receipts (primarily from motor fuel taxes) collected by the federal government and dedicated to surface transportation projects. |
| High Accident Location | HAL
| A location on the federal-aid highway system that has experienced a minimum of five accidents over a five-year period and has an Actual Rate to Critical Rate Ratio (ARCR) of 1 or greater. The list of HALs is maintained by the Vermont Agency of Transportation - Highway Research Section. |
| Highway Performance Monitoring System | HPMS
| A GIS-based national highway information system that includes data on the extent, condition, performance, use, and operating characteristics of US highways. |
| High Occupancy Vehicle | HOV
| Vehicle carrying two or more people (i.e. a carpool). Roads may have lanes solely for HOV use, such as carpools, vanpools, and buses. |
| Home-Based Trip |
| A trip that starts and/or ends at home. |
| Home-Based Work Trip |
| A trip with one end at work and the other at home. |
| Hot Spot |
| A location with higher-than-ambient levels of pollution. Hot spots may be attributed to such things as weather patterns, topography, and traffic intensity. |
| Intelligent Transportation Systems | ITS
| Technology used to improve the efficiency of transportation systems. |
| Intermodal |
| Planning that reflects a focus on connectivity between modes and emphasizes choices, coordination, and cooperation. |
| Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 | ISTEA
| The purpose of this act was to develop a 'National Intermodal Transportation System that is economically efficient, environmentally sound, provides the foundation for the Nation to compete in the global economy and will move people and goods in an energy efficient manner.' This act established the provision that MPO's undertake development of a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), a long-range plan, and an annual work program. It also required for states; a statewide planning process, a statewide transportation plan, and a statewide transportation improvement program (STIP). |
| Intermodal Transfer Facility |
| Involves moving containers between rail and truck, or other modal combinations, and can increase efficient transportation services and energy efficiency because a train loaded with containers can carry the same load as dozens of trucks. Such service can contribute to reduced truck traffic on congested highways, reduced damage to highways from heavy trucks, and improved air quality. |
| International Organization for Standardization | ISO
| Based in Geneva, Switzerland, ISO is a non-governmental organization (NGO) coordinating the publication and development of a host of International Standards for government, private-sectors. Such standards apply to equipment specifications, data transfer standards, monitoring standards, et al. The acronym "ISO" is derived from the Greek 'isos' (meaning "equal"). Hence "ISO" is applicable to any country or language as a mark of an international standard. |
| International Roughness Index | IRI
| A pavement condition profiling indicator (used by HPMS, et al.) reflecting ride smoothness. IRI data is captured by a device mounted on a vehicle measuring suspension motion per distance travelled, and may be expressed in inches/mile (in/mi) or meters/kilometer (m/km). An IRI of 0m/km means that a roadway is perfectly smooth. And where there is no maximum for this indicator, it is generally accepted that an IRI of 8m/km is almost impassible unless vehicle speeds are greatly reduced. |
| Intersection Site Distance | ISD
| The AASHTO "Green Book" reference to the "Line of Site" distance between a vehicle travelling on a roadway and a vehicle attempting to enter the roadway from an intersection or driveway. |
| Interstate Highway System | IHS
| A subsystem of the NHS, the Interstate Highway System is also named the "Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways". The concept of the IHS was first formally studied under mandate by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1938, and was first authorized construction funds under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1952. It was not until the enactment of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, championed by President Eisenhower, that the Highway Trust Fund was established to finance construction of the entire network for the purpose of facilitating private and commercial transportation, and providing transportation routes for military supplies and troop deployments in case of an emergency or foreign invasion. |
| Interstate Maintenance Program |
| Federal program providing funding for resurfacing, restoring, rehabilitating and reconstructing (4R) most routes on the Interstate Highway System. |
| Jake Brake |
| Engine-induced braking system on trucks, often associated with noise issues in local neighborhoods. |
| Job Access/Reverse Commute | JARC
| Transit improvement plan designed to meet the work-related transportation needs of low-income residents. |
| Just-In-Time-Delivery | JIT
| A method of inventory control where products are delivered to stores or assembly lines only when needed to minimize the high cost of maintaining local inventory and warehousing. The effects on freight demand are to; increase the number of individual shipments, decrease their length of haul and costs, and increase the reliability of on-time delivery. |
| Key Station Plan |
| A document designating critical transit facilities needed to expand accessibility for individuals with disabilities and to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. |
| Kip |
| A unit equalling 1000 pounds of force upon a surface (i.e. "kilopound"). In transportation, it is used to describe the load bearing wear upon a roadway. Often expressed as a component of an indicator of truck wear upon a road surface, it is expressed as "Equivalent Single Axle Load" (ESAL), which is comprised of 18 kip, or 18,000 lbs. per axle on a truck. |
| Land Use |
| The purpose for which land or the structures on the land are being utilized (e.g., commercial, residential, or retail). Also used as a description of activities found throughout an urban area. |
| Lane Miles |
| Road centerline miles multiplied by the number of lanes. Hence, a four-lane road that is 5 miles long is 20 Lane Miles. |
| Less-Than-Container-Load | LCL
| Refering to "Containers" or ISO multimodal shipping Containers; Less-Than-Container-Load. |
| Less-Than-Truckload Carrier | LTL
| LTL carriers haul general freight in less than a full truckload quantity, often in a short-haul or regional move. "For-hire" LTL's often combine freight from multiple shippers and operate local pickup and delivery service in urban areas on regular routes (known as line-haul relays, or terminal to terminal service). "Private" LTL's typically handle short-haul moves between warehouses and retailers as an in-house service. |
| Level of Service | LOS
| A system of indicating delay at signalized intersections, which is graded on a letter scale from A to F, generally outlined by the HCM as: A <= 10 sec, B = 10-20 sec, C = 20-35 sec, D = 35-55 sec, E = 55-80 sec, F > 80sec. |
| Light Duty Vehicle | LDV
| Passenger cars, pick-up trucks, vans, or light-duty trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,500 lbs. or less, plus an adjusted loaded vehicle weight of 5,751 lbs. or less |
| Light Rail Transit | LRT
| Generally applies to single- or double-car rail transport that uses mostly mixed, but not usually grade-separated, rights-of-way. LRT is an intermediate-capacity, intermediate-speed mode with service capabilities between heavy rail transit and local bus. Also know as an electric trolley. |
| Limited Access Highway |
| A highway intended for free-flow traffic, which has a limited number of interchanges. |
| Line Haul Service |
| Transport along a single corridor without branches. |
| Line of Sight Distance |
| The unobstructed view from an intersection down an intersecting roadway. Sufficient line of sight allows for enough driver reaction time and vehicle movement to avoid collisions during turning movements (Also see Intersection Site Distance). |
| Link |
| An element of a transportation network that represents a segment which terminates in a node at the other end. A link may have a number of attributes, including distances, number of lanes, capacity, and direction, and is often assigned a travel time function to the volume of traffic using the link. |
| Local Service |
| Transit service involving many stops and low operating speeds with the purpose of picking up or delivering passengers as closely as possible to origins and destinations. |
| Local Street |
| Street designed to provide access to and from homes and businesses. |
| Local Transportation Assistance Program | LTAP
| Federally funded program to enable local governments to improve their roads and bridges by providing training and information. |
| Local Transportation Facilities | LTF
| VTrans program established to assist local governments with project implementation. |
| Long Range Transportation Plan | LRTP
| A long-range document required by federal law that identifies facilities and programs that should function as an integrated metropolitan transportation system and includes a financial plan that demonstrates how the long-range plan can be implemented. Federal requirement for MPOs and Agencies of Transportation to undertake every five years and looks out 20-25 years. |
| Longer Combination Vehicles | LCV
| Vehicles with two or more trailer units that have gross weights of more than 80,000 pounds. LCVs typically include four vehicle types: 1. "ROCKY MOUNTAIN DOUBLE" - (105,000 lbs./Len. 95'/3 Trailers: 1 = 48', 2 = 28'), 2. "TURNPIKE DOUBLE" - (Wt. 135,000 lbs./Len. 120'/2 Trailers of 48'), 3. "TRIPLE TRAILER" - (Wt. 110,000 lbs./Len. 110'/3 Trailers of 28'), 4. "STAA DOUBLE (WESTERN DOUBLE)" - (Wt. ?/Len. 65'/2 Trailers of 28'). |
| Low Emission Vehicle | LEV
| A vehicle certified to meet low emission standards set by the California Air Resources Board. These regulations are stricter than the US national "Tier" regulations. |
| Low Volume Road |
| According to the MUTCD (Section 5A.01), a low volume road is: "a facility lying outside of built-up areas of cities, towns, and communities, and it shall have a traffic volume of less than 400 AADT." According to the AASHTO "Green Book" (i.e. Guidelines for Geometric Design of Very Low-Volume Local Roads), a low volume road has an "ADT less than or equal to 400". |
| Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices | MUTCD
| Published by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), this manual defines the standards used by road managers nationwide to install and maintain traffic control devices (signage, pavement markings, traffic signals, etc.) on all streets and highways. |
| Maritime Administration | MARAD
| The Maritime Administration is the agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation dealing with waterborne transportation. MARAD is responsible for waterborne transportation, the U.S. merchant marine, and other areas, such as; ships, shipping, shipbuilding, port operations, vessel operations, national security, environment, and safety. |
| Measures of Effectiveness | MOE
| Indicators or test results reflecting degree of attainment for specific objectives. |
| Memorandum of Understanding | MOU
| A document providing specific duties and responsibilities to be assumed by two or more parties in pursuit of a project or goal. |
| Metropolitan Planning Organization | MPO
| Federally established organization responsible for a cooperative, continuous, and comprehensive framework to make transportation investment decisions within their designated area. |
| Metropolitan Statistical Area | MSA
| Defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, an MSA is a county or a group of contiguous counties that contain at least one city of 50,000 inhabitants or more, or 2) An urbanized area of at least 50,000 inhabitants and a total MSA population of at least 100,000 (75,000 in New England). The contiguous counties are included in an MSA if, according to certain criteria, they are essentially metropolitan in character and are socially and economically integrated with the central city. In New England, MSAs consist of towns and cities rather than counties. |
| Metropolitan Transportation Plan | MTP
| A federally-mandated long-range plan for transportation development and investment based on the goals in the CCMPO Vision Statement. |
| Metropolitan Transportation System | MTS
| The multimodal network of highways, arterial and collector roadways, transit services, rail lines, Burlington International Airport, and other intermodal facilities critical to the movement of people and goods in Chittenden County. |
| Milepost |
| A milepost (i.e. milemarker) is a reflective green paddle sign placed alongside highways indicating total mileage from an original control point. For Interstates, the zero milepost originates at the southernmost, or the westernmost end of the route. However, for other routes, the location of the zero milepost varies. |
| Mobility |
| The door-to-door experience of traveling or shipping goods throughout our communities and across the region, measured in terms of travel time, comfort, convenience, safety, and cost. |
| Mode |
| One of several major types of transportation such as rail, bus, automobile, and non-motorized (bicycle/pedestrian) transportation. |
| Model |
| In Transportation or Land-Use Planning, a computer model is employed to generate forecasts on future conditions of population levels, traffic, economic development, housing development, etc. Such a tool ought to be considered a Decision-Support system, augementing sound judgement of a decision-making entity. |
| Mode Choice |
| A process by which an individual selects a transportation mode for use on a trip chain, given the trip’s purpose, origin, and destination; characteristics of the individual; and characteristics of travel by the realistically available modes. |
| Mode Split |
| The percentage, or share, of trips captured by the various transportation modes. |
| Multimodal |
| Using several integrated modes of transportation in a given area. |
| National Association of Development Organizations | NADO
| Formed in 1967, NADO is an advocacy organization for federal programs and policies, which promote regional strategies and address local economic development needs. |
| National Association of Regional Councils | NARC
| Formed in 1967, NARC is an advocacy organization serving as a national forum for regionalism. Member organizations are comprised of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO), Regional Planning Agencies (RPA/RPC), Council of Governments (COG), etc., which work on transportation, community, economic development, and environmental quality issues. |
| National Ambient Air Quality Standards | NAAQS
| Clean Air Act standards for widespread pollutants from numerous and diverse sources considered harmful to public health and the environment. |
| National Environmental Policy Act | NEPA
| Federal law requiring federal agencies to integrate environmental values into their decision making processes by considering the environmental impacts of their proposed actions and reasonable alternatives to those actions. |
| National Highway System | NHS
| As of 2008, the NHS is comprised of about 160,000 miles (256,000 kilometers) of roadway important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. The National Highway System (NHS) includes the Interstate Highway System as well as other roads important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. The NHS was developed by the Department of Transportation (DOT) in cooperation with the states, local officials, and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). |
| National Highway System Program | NHSP
| The program provides funding for improvements to rural and urban roads that are part of the NHS, including the Interstate System and designated connections to major intermodal terminals. Under certain circumstances, NHS funds may also be used to fund transit improvements in NHS corridors. |
| New England Central Railroad | NECR
| A privately operated railroad company. |
| New Starts |
| The "Federal Transit Act" authorized temporary discretionary funds intended help start new fixed-route transit systems or services. |
| Nitrogren Oxides | NOX
| Precursor emission that forms from high-temperature combustion processes. React with VOCs in the presence of heat and sunlight to form ozone. |
| Node |
| A point where two links join a network, usually representing a decision point for route choice but sometimes indicating only a change in some important link attribute. |
| Nonattainment Area |
| A geographic area that in the US EPA has designated as not meeting the NAAQS. The Chittenden County area has not been designated as a nonattainment area for ozone or CO at this time. |
| Notice of Intent | NOI
| A notice informing the public that an Environmental Impact Statement will be undertaken for a project. |
| Offtracking |
| The tendency for rear tires to follow a shorter path than the front tires when turning. This is a primary concern with Trucks, Buses, or trailered vehicles because rear tires may clip street signs, or drive onto shoulders, walkways, or bike lanes, or cross the centerline on a curve, creating a safety hazard for adjacent and oncoming traffic. |
| Off Peak |
| Trips that occur during period of relatively low traffic. |
| Origin |
| The location or zone at which a trip begins; the place where a trip is “produced.” |
| Ozone |
| A colorless gas with a sweet odor that is not a direct emission from transportation sources, but is formed when VOCs and NOx from car exhausts and some industrial emissions combine in the presence of sunlight. Ground-level ozone is associated with smog conditions and initiates damage to lungs, trees, crops and materials. Requlated by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA). |
| Paratransit |
| Flexibly-scheduled transportation services catering to special needs populations such as the elderly and disabled. |
| Park and Ride facility | P&R
| A parking lot designated by the state or a municipality for the purpose of commuter travel, allowing for a mode shift from automobile to transit or carpool. |
| Partial Zero Emission Vehicle | PZEV
| A vehicle that has zero evaporative emissions from its fuel system, has a 15 year (or at least 150,000 mile) warranty, and meets SULEV tailpipe emission standards. |
| Particulate Matter | PM
| One indicator used in the description of Air Quality assessment, it is a term describing a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets monitored in the air. PM originates from fuel combustion from automobiles, power plants, industrial facilities, and residential fireplaces and wood stoves. Fine particles are closely associated with health effects, such as; increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits for heart and lung disease, increased respiratory symptoms and disease, decreased lung function, and premature death. |
| Passenger Facility Charge | PFC
| A surcharge added to the price of an airfare and used for capital improvements at airports. |
| Passenger Miles Traveled | PMT
| 1. AIR MODE: One passenger transported 1 mile; passenger-miles for one inter-airport flight are calculated by multiplying aircraft miles flow by the number of passengers carried on the flight. The total passenger-miles for all flights is the sum of passenger-miles for all inter-airport flights... 2. AUTO MODE: One passenger traveling 1 mile; e.g., one car transporting two passengers 4 miles results in 8 passenger-miles... 3. TRANSIT MODE: The total number of miles traveled by transit passengers; e.g., one bus transporting five passengers 3 miles results in 15 passenger-miles. |
| Pavement Condition Index | PCI
| A rating from 0-100 (with a corresponding qualitative rating from 'Failed' to 'Good'), reflecting the condition or level of wear of pavement along a road segment. |
| Peak Oil |
| A term refering to the "Peak" of global petroleum production (i.e. location, extraction, and refinement of oil). Though it does not refer to petroleum depletion per se, it does consider the reduction of its finite reserves. "Peak-Oil" alludes to the ever more difficult means for extraction and supply of inexpensive oil to which the staus-quo global economy relies. It further considers the time when it requires the energy of one barrel to extract a barrel of oil. |
| Peak Period |
| The time period during which the roadway carries the greatest number of vehicles. Traffic impacts are typically evaluated during the morning and afternoon peak hours when the greatest numbers of motorists are traveling to and from work. It may be specified as the morning peak period (traditionally 7-9 AM) or evening (4-6 PM) peak. |
| Person Trip |
| The movement of a person from an origin to a destination. A carpool carrying three people from origin-to-destination make one vehicle trip, its occupants together have made three person trips. |
| Personal Rapid Transit | PRT
| An energy-efficient, on-demand, guided route, mass-transit system, utilizing small, independent vehicles (e.g. Podcars). |
| Piggyback Service |
| A rail and truck combination service where a shipper loads a truck trailer, a truck delivers it to a rail terminal where it is loaded on a flatcar. The railroad then hauls the Trailer-on-Flatcar (TOFC) to a destination terminal, where it is offloaded and trucked to the consignee. |
| Planning Funds | PL
| Funds intended for planning purposes only. Such funds are intended to be exclusive of design or engineering of transporation projects, as well as operations or right-of-way acquisitions. Planning Fundes may however, be used for project scoping. |
| Portland Cement Concrete | PCC
| Portland Cement Concrete is a durable, but complex substance commonly refered to as "concrete". |
| Preliminary Engineering | PE
| Project development phase in which project design is determined. |
| Project Definition Team | PDT
| Comprised of various VTrans department heads who review transportation projects. |
| Public-Private Partnerships | PPP
| Contractual arrangements between government agencies and private-sector entities to finance transportation projects. |
| Quality Assurance Project Plan | QAPP
| A QAPP documents the planning, implementation, assessment procedures, and quality control activities for any particular project. It integrates all the technical and quality aspects of the project in order to provide a blueprint for obtaining the type and quality of environmental data needed for a specific decision or use. All work performed or funded by EPA that involves the acquisition of environmental data must have an approved QAPP. |
| Quiet Zones |
| Areas along a rail line where a ban of train horn use is in effect |
| Rail Sidings |
| Sidings increase the capacity of a single track. A single-track line has auxiliary tracks known as sidings. Sidings are located along the line, which allows trains moving in opposite directions to pass each other and allows faster trains to overtake slower trains. The capacity of the rail line and the reliability of operation are affected by the time required to move between sidings. |
| Recission |
| A congressional budgetary term refering to reduction or cancellation of previously granted funding. |
| Record of Decision | ROD
| A record of agreement that a proposed project meets all applicable requirements of an EIS. An ROD is issued by the designated lead agency in the study. |
| Regional Planning Commission | RPC
| Enabled by state law, RPCs assist communities within their region to develop local and invoke regional comprehensive land use, transportation and economic development plans which have regulatory recognition in Vermont Act 250 land use proceedings and state agency planning efforts. |
| Ridesharing |
| Any form of shared commuting, which is not Public Transportation (e.g. carpooling, vanpooling, shuttle, etc.). |
| Ridership |
| Total number of "rides" taken by people using a public transportation system during a specified time period. |
| Right-of-Way | ROW
| A pathway or road with a specific description (e.g. 'Access and egress 22 feet wide from the centerline of Main Road in Huntington'). ROW may also entail rights to cross property to go to and f |
