Glossary

AB

Vehicle Type: Articulated Buses

Accident Repairs of Buildings, Grounds and Equipment (128)

Repairing all damage to buildings, grounds and equipment resulting from collisions with stationary or moving objects, floods and accidentally ignited fires, etc.

F-30

Accident Repairs of Revenue Vehicles (062)

Repairing all damage to revenue vehicles resulting from incidents (e.g., collisions with stationary or moving objects, floods and accidentally ignited fires, etc.).

F-30, R-20

Accident Reporting Time (2.03)

The time allowed an operator to complete and file the forms necessary to report an accident.

F-50

Accounting System

An accounting system consists of the business papers, records, and reports plus the procedures that are used in recording transactions and reporting their effects. An example of an accounting system is the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA).

Declarations

Accrual Accounting

A method of financial accounting where revenues are recorded when earned; the revenue does not have to be received in the same reporting period. Similarly, expenditures are recorded as soon as they result in liabilities for benefits received; the payment of the expenditure does not have to be made in the same reporting period.

Introduction
F-10, F-20
F-30
Declarations

Active Vehicles

The vehicles available to operate in revenue service, including:

• Spares
• Vehicles temporarily out of service for routine maintenance and minor repairs.

Internet Reporting
A-30

Active Vehicles in Fleet

The vehicles in the year-end fleet that are available to operate in revenue service, including:

• Spares
• Vehicles temporarily out of service for routine maintenance and minor repairs.

A-30

Actual Passenger Car Hours

The hours that passenger cars travel while in revenue service (actual passenger car revenue hours) plus deadhead hours. Actual passenger car hours include:

• Layover / recovery time

But exclude:

• Hours for charter services
• Operator training, and
• Vehicle maintenance testing.

S-10

Actual Passenger Car Miles

The miles that passenger cars travel while in revenue service (actual passenger car revenue miles) plus deadhead miles. Actual passenger car miles exclude:

• Hours for charter services
• Operator training, and
• Vehicle maintenance testing.

S-10

Actual Passenger Car Revenue Hours

The hours that passenger cars travel while in revenue service. Passenger car revenue hours include:

• Layover / recovery time

But exclude:

• Deadhead
• Operator training
• Vehicle maintenance tests, and
• Charter services.

S-10

Actual Passenger Car Revenue Miles

The miles that passenger cars travel while in revenue service. Passenger car revenue miles exclude:

• Deadhead
• Operator training
• Vehicle maintenance tests, and
• Charter services.

S-10

Actual Person Count

Full and part time employees of the transit agency, permanent or temporary, who hold approved and filled positions at the end of the fiscal year.

R-10

Actual Service

The total service operated during each time period. Actual service excludes:

• Missed trips, and
• Service interruptions (e.g., strikes, emergency shutdowns).

Actual service is measured by vehicles in service, in miles and hours.

S-10

Actual Train Hours

The hours that trains travel while in revenue service (actual train revenue hours) plus deadhead hours. Actual train hours include:

• Layover / recovery time

But exclude:

• Hours for charter services
• Operator training, and
• Vehicle maintenance testing.

S-10

Actual Train Miles

The miles that trains travel while in revenue service (actual train revenue miles) plus deadhead miles. Actual train miles exclude:

• Miles for charter services
• Operator training, and
• Vehicle maintenance testing.

S-10

Actual Train Revenue Hours

The hours that trains travel while in revenue service. Train revenue hours include:

• Layover / recovery time

But exclude:

• Deadhead
• Training operators prior to revenue service
• Vehicle maintenance tests, and
• Charter services.

S-10

Actual Train Revenue Miles

The miles that trains travel while in revenue service. Train revenue miles exclude:

• Deadhead
• Training operators prior to revenue service
• Vehicle maintenance vehicle tests, and
• Charter services.

S-10

Actual Vehicle Hours

The hours that vehicles travel while in revenue service (actual vehicle revenue hours (VRH)) plus deadhead hours. Actual vehicle hours exclude:

• Hours for charter service
• School bus service
• Operator training, and
• Vehicle maintenance testing.

Internet Reporting
S-10

Actual Vehicle Miles

The miles that vehicles travel while in revenue service (actual vehicle revenue miles (VRM)) plus deadhead miles. Actual vehicle miles exclude:

• Miles for charter services
• School bus service
• Operator training, and
• Vehicle maintenance testing.

Internet Reporting
S-10

Actual Vehicle Revenue Hours (VRH)

The hours that vehicles travel while in revenue service. Vehicle revenue hours (VRH) include:

• Layover / recovery time

But exclude:

• Deadhead
• Operator training
• Maintenance testing, as well as
• School bus and charter services.

Internet Reporting
S-10

Actual Vehicle Revenue Miles (VRM)

The miles that vehicles travel while in revenue service. Vehicle revenue miles (VRM) include:

• Layover / recovery time

But exclude:

• Deadhead
• Operator training and maintenance testing, as well as
• School bus and charter services.

Internet Reporting
S-10, FFA-10

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

Administrative Buildings

Facilities and offices which house the executive management and supporting activities for overall transit operations such as accounting, finance, engineering, legal, safety, security, customer services, scheduling and planning (see General Administration (160) function). They include separate buildings for customer information or ticket sales, which are owned by the transit agency and which are not part of passenger stations.

F-20

Advertising Revenues

The revenue earned from displaying advertising materials on transit agency vehicles and property. The amounts should be net of any fees paid to advertising agencies, which place the advertisement with the transit agency.

F-10

Aerial Tramway (TR)

A transit mode that is an electric system of aerial cables with suspended powerless passenger vehicles. The vehicles are propelled by separate cables attached to the vehicle suspension system and powered by engines or motors at a central location not on-board the vehicle.

B-10

Aerial Tramway (TR) Line Miles

The distance from terminal to terminal following the path of the tramway towers.

A-20

Aerial Tramways (TR)

Vehicle Type: Unpowered passenger vehicles suspended from a system of aerial cables and propelled by separate cables attached to the vehicle suspension system. Engines or motors at a central location, not on-board the vehicle, power the cable system.

A-30

AG

Automated Guideway Transit

AG

Vehicle Type: Automated Guideway Vehicles

Alaska Railroad (AR)

In recognition of the special Federal relationship with the Alaska railroad (AR), a segment of the passenger service portion of the Alaska railroad (AR) is considered to be eligible for certain FTA funding under the Fixed Guideway Modernization program. The service encompasses only those lines operating within the Anchorage, Alaska, urbanized area (UZA) where passenger service is provided and only includes car miles for passenger cars; car miles for freight cars are specifically excluded.

B-10

AM Peak Period

The period in the morning when additional services are provided to handle higher passenger volumes. The period begins when normal scheduled headways are reduced and ends when headways return to normal.

S-10

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

The legislation defining the responsibilities of and requirements for transportation providers to make transportation accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Introduction
B-10, F-30
F-40, A-10
A-30, S-10

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) Accessible Stations

Public transportation passenger facilities, which provide ready access, and do not have physical barriers that prohibit and / or restrict access by individuals with disabilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs. Refer to 49 CFR Part 37, Appendix.

A-10

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) Accessible Vehicles with Lifts

Public transportation revenue vehicles, which do not restrict access, are usable, and provide allocated space and / or priority seating for individuals who use wheelchairs, and which are accessible using lifts. Refer to 49 CFR Part 38.

A-30

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) Accessible Vehicles with Ramps / Low Floor

Public transportation revenue vehicles, which do not restrict access, are usable, and provide allocated space and / or priority seating for individuals who use wheelchairs, and which are accessible using ramps. Refer to 49 CFR Part 38.

A-30

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) Related Unlinked Passenger Trips (UPT)

The number of passengers who board public transportation vehicles for complementary paratransit services (demand response (DR)) associated or attributed to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) compliance requirements. The number of Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) unlinked passenger trips (UPT) should be less than or equal to the total number of unlinked passenger trips. These trips are reported only for demand response (DR) mode.

S-10

Amortization of Intangibles (513.13)

The amortization of the intangible costs of the transit agency including organization costs, franchises, patents, goodwill and other intangible assets.

F-40

AO

Vehicle Type: Automobiles

APC

Automatic Passenger Counter

AR

Alaska Railroad

Articulated Buses (AB)

Vehicle Type: Extra long (54 ft. to 60 ft.) buses (MB) with two connected passenger compartments. The rear body section is connected to the main body by a joint mechanism that allows the vehicles to bend when in operation for sharp turns and curves and yet have a continuous interior.

A-30

At Grade, Exclusive Right-of-Way (ROW)

Railway right-of-way (ROW) from which all other traffic, mixed and cross, is excluded. Median strip right-of-way (ROW) is included provided all crossings of the right-of-way (ROW) pass over or under the median.

A-20

At Grade, Mixed and Cross Traffic

Railway right-of-way (ROW) over which other traffic moving in the same direction or the cross directions may pass. City street right-of-way (ROW) is included.

A-20

At Grade, with Cross Traffic

Railway right-of-way (ROW) over which no other traffic may pass, except to cross at grade level crossings. A median strip right-of-way (ROW) with grade level crossings at intersecting streets is included.

A-20

Atypical Day

A day on which the transit agency either:

• Does not operate its normal, regular schedule, or
• Provides extra service to meet demands for special events such as conventions, parades, or public celebrations, or
• Operates significantly reduced service because of unusually bad weather (e.g., snow storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes) or major public disruptions (e.g., terrorism).

S-10

Automated Guideway (AG) Transit

A transit mode that is an electric railway (single or multi-car trains) of guided transit vehicles operating without vehicle operators or other crew on-board the vehicle. Service may be on a fixed schedule or in response to a passenger activated call button. Automated guideway (AG) transit includes:

• Personal rapid transit
• Group rapid transit, and
• People mover systems.

B-10

Automated Guideway Vehicles (AG)

Vehicle Type: Guided transit passenger vehicles operating under a fully automated system (no crew on transit units).

A-30

Automatic Passenger Counter (APC)

An automated means of counting boarding and alighting passengers (e.g., treadle mats or infrared beams placed by the door) (www.its.dot.gov).

S-10

Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)

Position determination via an automatic technology or combination of technologies, such as Global Positioning System (triangulation of satellite signals), Signposts (beacons at known locations transmit signals picked up by vehicle), Ground-Based Radio (triangulation of radio tower signals), or Dead-Reckoning (vehicle's odometer and compass used to measure new position from previous known position), and typically includes real-time reporting of that location to a dispatcher (www.its.dot.gov).

Automobiles (AO)

Vehicle Type: Passenger cars, up to and including station wagons in size.

A-30

Automotive Vehicle Ferriage

Revenues earned from transporting vehicles in ferryboat transit service.

F-10

Auxiliary Transportation Revenues

The revenue earned from operations closely associated with transportation operations. Auxiliary transportation revenues include:

• Concessions — station and vehicle concessions
• Advertising revenues
• Other — including ID card fees (seniors, persons with disabilities, employees), fare evasion and park-and-ride lot fines, and automotive vehicle ferriage.

F-10

Average Lifetime Mileage per Active Vehicle

The total miles accumulated on all active vehicles since date of manufacture divided by the number of active vehicles.

A-30

Average Monthly Fixed Guideway Directional Route Miles

The monthly average number of fixed guideway directional route miles (FG DRM) over which service was operated. For each segment, sum the directional route miles (DRM) for each month that the mode was operated during the year and divide by 12 months.

Introduction
S-10, S-20

Average Saturday

A typical, representative Saturday in the operation of the transit system, weighted to reflect seasonal variations in service.

S-10

Average Sunday

A typical, representative Sunday in the operation of the transit system, weighted to reflect seasonal variations in service.

S-10

Average Trip Length

The average distance ridden for an unlinked passenger trip (UPT) by time period (weekday, Saturday, Sunday) computed as passenger miles (PM) divided by unlinked passenger trips (UPT).

S-10

Average Weekday

A typical, representative weekday in the operation of the transit system, weighted to reflect seasonal variations in service.

S-10

Average Weekday Unlinked Passenger Trips

The number of passengers who board public transportation vehicles on an average, typical weekday during a month.

AVL

Automatic Vehicle Location

Bond Issuance Costs

The fee for service that the transit agency pays an investment banking firm to handle the bond issue and other related fees that the transit agency may incur related to the bond issue such as accounting, legal, and printing costs.

F-10

Bonds

Financing mechanism used to raise funds. Bonds are secured debt offered through a legal entity (usually a state or local government) that guarantees two rights to the purchaser:

1. The right to receive a fixed interest payment (e.g, 10%), often semiannually, on the par value of the bond (e.g., $10,000), and
2. The right to be paid the par value of the bond (e.g., $10,000) at a definite future date when the bond matures (e.g., 20 years after issuance).

F-10

Bridge, Tunnel and Highway Toll

A tax or fee paid for the liberty or privilege of using a bridge, tunnel or highway.

F-10, F-30

Brokerage System

An association of transportation providers managed by broker or agent who makes transportation arrangements for a specific clientele such as the elderly and persons with disabilities. The transportation providers in a brokerage system are typically social service agencies and taxicab operators. The broker may be the transit agency directly or the transit agency may contract with an individual or firm to operate the brokerage system.

B-30

BU

Vehicle Type: Buses

Bus (MB)

A transit mode comprised of rubber-tired passenger vehicles operating on fixed routes and schedules over roadways. Vehicles are powered by:

• Diesel
• Gasoline
• Battery, or
• Alternative fuel engines contained within the vehicle.

B-10

Buses (BU)

Vehicle Type: Rubber-tired passenger vehicles powered by diesel, gasoline, battery or alternative fuel engines contained within the vehicle. Vehicles in this category do not include articulated, double-decked, or school buses.

A-30

Buyer

The NTD reporter contracting with a seller under a purchased transportation agreement to provide transit services. The contractor may be a public transit agency or a private company.

Introduction
B-30, F-10
F-20, F-30
A-10, A-20
A-30, S-10
FFA-10
Declarations

Cable Car (CC)

A transit mode that is an electric railway with individually controlled transit vehicles attached to a moving cable located below the street surface and powered by engines or motors at a central location, not on-board the vehicle.

B-10

Cable Cars (CC)

Vehicle Type: Streetcar type of passenger vehicles operating by means of an attachment to a moving cable located below the street surface and powered by engines or motors at a central location not on-board the vehicles.

A-30

Capital

Projects related to the purchase of equipment. Equipment means an article of non-expendable tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost which equals the lesser of:

• The capitalization level established by the government unit for financial statement purposes, or
• $5,000.

Capital expenses do not include operating expenses (OE) that are eligible to use capital funds.

FFA-10

Capital Assistance

Financial funding to help cover the costs of equipment necessary to support transit services. Equipment is tangible property having a useful life of more than one year, e.g., vehicles, buildings, passenger stations and fixed guideway (FG) facilities. See capital expenses for requirements.

F-10, FFA-10

Capital Expenses

The expenses related to the purchase of equipment. Equipment means an article of non-expendable tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost which equals the lesser of:

• The capitalization level established by the government unit for financial statement purposes, or
• $5,000.

Capital expenses do not include operating expenses (OE) that are eligible to use capital funds.

Introduction
B-10, F-10
F-20, FFA-10

Capital Labor

The employees engaged in the purchase of equipment. Equipment means an article of non-expendable tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost which equals the lesser of:

• The capitalization level established by the government unit for financial statement purposes, or
• $5,000.

R-10

Capital Maintenance Expenses

Expenses classified as operating expenses under the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA) that are eligible for capital funds under FTA formula programs, e.g., preventive maintenance costs.

F-30

Casualty and Liability Costs (506)

The cost elements covering protection of the transit agency from loss through insurance programs, compensation of others for their losses due to acts for which the transit agency is liable, and recognition of the cost of a miscellaneous category of corporate losses.

F-30

CC

Cable Car

CC

Vehicle Type: Cable Cars

CEO

Chief Executive Officer

Charter Service

A vehicle hired for exclusive use that does not operate over a regular route, on a regular schedule and is not available to the general public.

Introduction
F-50, S-10

Charter Service Hours

The total hours operated by revenue vehicles while in charter service. Charter service hours include:

• Hours operated while carrying passengers for hire, plus
• Associated deadhead hours.

S-10

Charter Service Revenues

The revenue earned from operating vehicles under charter contracts.       

F-10

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

The principal executive in charge of and responsible for the transit agency.

Introduction
Internet Reporting
B-20, S-10
Declarations

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Certification

A letter signed by the chief executive officer (CEO) of a transit agency certifying the accuracy of the data submitted to the NTD.

Introduction
Internet Reporting
S-10
Declarations

CMAQ

Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program

Communication Systems

Systems for exchanging information including two-way radio systems for communications between dispatchers and vehicle operators, cab signaling and train control equipment in rail systems, automatic vehicle locator systems, automated dispatching systems, vehicle guidance systems, telephones, facsimile machines and public address systems.

F-20

Commuter Rail (CR)

A transit mode that is an electric or diesel propelled railway for urban passenger train service consisting of local short distance travel operating between a central city and adjacent suburbs. Service must be operated on a regular basis by or under contract with a transit operator for the purpose of transporting passengers within urbanized areas (UZAs), or between urbanized areas and outlying areas.

Such rail service, using either locomotive hauled or self-propelled railroad passenger cars, is generally characterized by:

• Multi-trip tickets
• Specific station to station fares
• Railroad employment practices, and
• Usually only one or two stations in the central business district.

It does not include:

• Heavy rail (HR) rapid transit, or
• Light rail (LR) / streetcar transit service.

Intercity rail service is excluded, except for that portion of such service that is operated by or under contract with a public transit agency for predominantly commuter services. Predominantly commuter services means that for any given trip segment (i.e., distance between any two stations), more than 50 percent of the average daily ridership commutes on the train each day. A commuter is a person that travels back and forth during the same day primarily within an urbanized area (UZA). Only the predominantly commuter service portion of an intercity route is eligible for inclusion when determining commuter rail (CR) route miles.

B-10

Commuter Rail (CR) Locomotives (RL)

Vehicle Type: Commuter rail (CR) vehicles used to pull or push commuter rail (CR) passenger coaches. Locomotives do not carry passengers themselves.

A-30

Commuter Rail (CR) Passenger Coaches (RP)

Vehicle Type: Commuter rail (CR) passenger vehicles not independently propelled and requiring one or more locomotives for propulsion.

A-30

Commuter Rail (CR) Self-propelled Passenger Cars (RS)

Vehicle Type: Commuter rail (CR) passenger vehicles not requiring a separate locomotive for propulsion.

A-30

Complementary Paratransit Services

Transportation service required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for individuals with disabilities who are unable to use fixed route transportation systems. This service must be comparable to the level of service provided to individuals without disabilities who use the fixed route system and meet the requirements specified in Sections 37.123-137.133 of Transportation Services for Individuals with Disabilities (Part 37), Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Volume 1. The complementary services must be origin-to-destination service (demand response (DR)) or on-call demand response (DR) service to an accessible fixed route where such service enables the individual to use the fixed route bus (MB) system for his or her trip.

Introduction
B-10, F-30
F-40, S-10

Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ)

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) funds transferred from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) to FTA for transit projects. This program is to help improve air quality and to manage traffic congestion. Transferred funds may be used for capital expansion and improvements that increase ridership, travel demand management strategies, shared ride services, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

Introduction
F-10

Contributed Services

The receipt of services (not cash) from another entity where such services benefit transit operations and the transit agency is under no obligation to pay for the services.

F-10

Controlled Access Right-of-Way (ROW)

Lanes restricted for at least a portion of the day for use by transit vehicles and other high occupancy vehicles (HOV). Use of controlled access lanes may also be permitted for vehicles preparing to turn. The restriction must be sufficiently enforced so that 95 percent of the vehicles using the lanes during the restricted period are authorized to use them.

A-20, S-10
FFA-10
Declarations

Cooperative Agreement

An agreement where one or more public transit agencies or governmental units contribute to, or are assessed for, the value of public transit services provided by another public transit agency. There is usually a written memorandum of understanding or mutual agreement on the calculation and payment for the services. Generally, the service is part of the public transit agency’s directly operated (DO) service.

Introduction
B-30

CR

Commuter Rail

Customer Services (162)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for public information and customer relations activities
• Selling and arranging for the provision of charter services
• Providing route information in passenger stations and at other points along the transit way
• Providing telephone information service
• Handling customer complaints
• Administering a lost and found operation.

F-30

Data Processing (170)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision, training and clerical support for data processing activities
• Entering and verifying input data
• Operating data processing equipment (e.g., computers and more conventional devices)
• Designing data processing application
• Programming and testing data processing applications
• Controlling and distributing output data
• Maintaining data processing equipment.

F-30

Data Waiver

Relief from reporting a specific data item.

Introduction
Internet Reporting

Days not Operated due to Officially Declared Emergencies

The number of days that service did not operate due to emergencies, such as:

• Floods
• Snowstorms, or
• Tornadoes.

A person in authority (usually the mayor, county head or governor) must officially declare an emergency.

S-10

Days not Operated due to Strikes

The number of days that service did not operate due to transit labor strikes.

S-10

Days Schedule Operated

The number of days that service was actually operated according to the schedule of service. For non-scheduled services such as demand response (DR) and vanpool (VP), days schedule operated refers to the days when service normally was operated.

S-10

DB

Vehicle Type: Double Decker Buses

Deadhead (Miles and Hours)

The miles and hours that a vehicle travels when out of revenue service. Deadhead includes:

• Leaving or returning to the garage or yard facility
• Changing routes
• When there is no expectation of carrying revenue passengers.

However, deadhead does not include:

• Charter service
• School bus service
• Operator training
• Maintenance training.

Internet Reporting
F-10, S-10
R-20

Declarations

Three documents stating the validity of the data being reported to the NTD / FTA:

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Certification
• Independent Auditor Statement for Financial Data (IAS —  FD), and
• Independent Auditor Statement for Federal Funding Allocation Data (IAS — FFA).

Introduction
Internet Reporting
Declarations

Degraded HOV Facility

An HOV is considered degraded if vehicles operating on it are failing to maintain a minimum average operating speed 90% of the time over a consecutive 180-day period during morning and/or evening weekday peak hours (minimum average operating speed is defined as 45 mph in a 50-mh zone, or 10 mph below limit when limit is less than 50 mph). A State may make mileage requirements more restrictive than specified in SAFETEA-LU when managing use by low emission and energy-efficient vehicles.

F-10, S-20
FFA-10
Declarations

Demand Response (DR)

A transit mode comprised of passenger cars, vans or small buses operating in response to calls from passengers or their agents to the transit operator, who then dispatches a vehicle to pick up the passengers and transport them to their destinations. A demand response (DR) operation is characterized by the following:

1. The vehicles do not operate over a fixed route or on a fixed schedule except, perhaps, on a temporary basis to satisfy a special need, and
2. Typically, the vehicle may be dispatched to pick up several passengers at different pick-up points before taking them to their respective destinations and may even be interrupted en route to these destinations to pick up other passengers.

The following types of operations fall under the above definitions provided they are not on a scheduled fixed route basis:

• Many origins — many destinations
• Many origins — one destination
• One origin — many destinations, and
• One origin — one destination.

B-10

Depreciation (513)

The charges that reflect the loss in service value of the transit agency’s assets. Depreciated items have a high initial cost and a useful life of more than one accounting period. In order to account for the reduction in value (usefulness) of this type of asset, a portion of the cost is expensed each year of the asset’s life. Depreciation and amortization include the depreciation of the physical facilities such as:

• Guideways
• Tracks and roadbeds
• Elevated structures
• Passenger stations and parking facilities
• Revenue vehicles
• Operating stations
• Facilities (including buildings, equipment and furnishings) for power generation and distribution
• Revenue vehicle movement control
• Data processing
• Revenue collection and processing
• Other general administration.

F-40

Direct Cost

An object class cost (e.g., labor, services, materials and supplies) that is incurred exclusively for a particular function, mode and type of service (TOS). For example, an operator whose time is spent solely in driving a bus (MB) (vehicle operations — MB/DO) or a mechanic who works only on directly operated (DO) buses (MB) (vehicle maintenance — MB/DO).

F-30

Directional Route Miles (DRM)

The mileage in each direction over which public transportation vehicles travel while in revenue service. Directional route miles (DRM) are:

• A measure of the route path over a facility or roadway, not the service carried on the facility; e.g., number of routes, vehicles, or vehicle revenue miles.
• Computed with regard to direction of service, but without regard to the number of traffic lanes or rail tracks existing in the right-of-way (ROW).

Directional route miles (DRM) do not include staging or storage areas at the beginning or end of a route.

A-20, S-10
S-20, FFA-10
Declarations

Directly Generated Funds

Any funds where revenues are generated by or donated directly to the transit agency, including:

• Passenger fare revenues
• Advertising revenues
• Donations
• Bond proceeds
• Taxes imposed by the transit agency.

F-10

Directly Levied Tax

The tax revenues to transit agencies that are organized as independent political subdivisions with their own taxation authority.

F-10

Directly Operated (DO)

Transportation service provided directly by a transit agency, using their employees to supply the necessary labor to operate the revenue vehicles. This includes instances where an agency’s employees provide purchased transportation (PT) services to the agency through a contractual agreement.

Introduction
B-10, F-10
F-20, A-10
R-10, R-20
R-30, FFA-10
Declarations

DO

Directly Operated

Double Decker Buses (DB)

Vehicle Type: High capacity buses having two levels of seating, one over the other, connected by one or more stairways. Total bus height is usually 13 to 14.5 feet, and typical passenger seating capacity ranges from 40 to 80 people.

A-30

DR

Demand Response

DRM

Directional Route Miles

Elevated on Fill

Rail transit way above surface level on fill. Transition segments above surface level on fill are included.

A-20

Elevated on Structure

Rail transit way above surface level on structures. Transition segments above surface level on structures are included.

A-20

Elevator

A compartment that usually moves up and down vertically to transfer passengers from one level of a station or parking facility to another. Elevators may move horizontally, such as from a station to an adjacent parking garage, but such movement is normally done by non-elevator means such as a pedestrian bridge or a moving sidewalk. Does not include non-passenger elevators used only for freight or by transit staff.

A-10

Emergency Contingency Vehicles

Revenue vehicles placed in an inactive contingency fleet for energy or other local emergencies after the revenue vehicles have reached the end of their normal minimum useful life. The vehicles must be properly stored and maintained, and FTA must approve the Emergency Contingency Plan. Substantial changes to the plan (10% change in fleet) require re-approval by FTA.

Introduction
B-10, A-30
S-10

Employee Work Hours

Employee labor hours, not including fringe benefit hours such as:

• Sick leave
• Holidays, and
• Vacations.

Work hours include:

• Only labor hours for employees of the transit agency
• Both full time and part time
• Permanent and temporary.

R-10

Employees

Individuals who are compensated by the transit agency and whose expense is reported in object class 501 labor.

F-30, F-50
R-10, R-20

Escalator

A moving stairway that moves up and down at an angle to transfer passengers from one level of a station or parking facility to another. Does not include non-passenger escalators used only for freight or by transit staff.

A-10

Exclusive Right-of-Way (ROW)

Roadway or other right-of-way (ROW) reserved at all times for transit use and / or other high occupancy vehicles (HOV). The restriction must be sufficiently enforced so that 95 percent of vehicles using the right-of-way (ROW) are authorized to use it.

A-20, S-10
FFA-10
Declarations

Expansion (fleet)

The acquisition of revenue vehicles for expansion of transit service.

F-20

Expense Transfers (510)

Accounts used for reporting adjustments and reclassifications of expenses previously recorded.

F-30

Failure to Report

Submitting a late report, incomplete report or no report.

Introduction

FARE

Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Elements

Fare Revenue Collection Equipment

Any equipment used in collecting passenger fares including turnstiles, fare boxes (drop), automated fare boxes and related software, money changers and fare dispensing machines (tickets, tokens, passes).

F-20

FASB

Financial Accounting Standards Board

FB

Ferryboat

FB

Vehicle Type: Ferryboats

Federal Government Funds

Financial assistance obtained from the Federal government to assist with paying the costs of providing transit services.

F-10

Ferryboat (FB)

A transit mode comprised of vessels carrying passengers and / or vehicles over a body of water that are generally steam or diesel powered.

Intercity ferryboat (FB) service is excluded, except for that portion of such service that is operated by or under contract with a public transit agency for predominantly commuter services. Predominantly commuter service means that for any given trip segment (i.e., distance between any two piers), more than 50 percent of the average daily ridership commutes on the ferryboat each day. A commuter is a person that travels back and forth during the same day primarily within an urbanized area (UZA). Only the predominantly commuter service portion of an intercity route is eligible for inclusion when determining ferryboat (FB) route miles.

B-10

Ferryboats (FB)

Vehicle Type: Vessels for carrying passengers and / or vehicles over a body of water. The vessels are generally steam or diesel powered conventional ferry vessels. They may also be hovercraft, hydrofoil and other high speed vessels.

A-30

FFYE

Federal Fiscal Year End

FG

Fixed Guideway

FG DRM

Fixed Guideway Directional Route Miles

FHWA

Federal Highway Administration

Finance and Accounting (171)

Component activities include:

• Supervising, training and supporting the finance and accounting activities
• Maintaining general accounting records (general ledger)
• Publishing financial statements
• Processing payrolls and labor cost distribution
• Paying vendors for material and service purchases
• Accounting for investments in fixed assets and receivables
• Preparing and submitting financial reports to public and regulatory agencies
• Investing available cash in short-term securities
• Obtaining funds through debt, equity and subsidy financing transactions
• Billing charter sales
• Budgeting
• Performing internal audit of accounting system performance.

F-30

Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)

Entity responsible for generally accepted accounting principles affecting all types of entities.

Introduction

Fixed Guideway (FG)

A public transportation facility using and occupying:

• A separate right-of-way (ROW) or rail for the exclusive use of public transportation and other high occupancy vehicles (HOV), or
• A fixed catenary system useable by other forms of transportation.

Introduction
B-10, F-10
A-20, S-10
S-20, FFA-10
Declarations

Fixed Guideway Directional Route Miles (FG DRM)

The mileage in each direction over which public transportation vehicles travel while in revenue service on fixed guideway (FG). Fixed guideway directional route miles (FG DRM) include directional route miles (DRM) for:

• Rail modes (heavy rail (HR), light rail (LR), commuter rail (CR), inclined plane (IP), cable car (CC) and automated guideway (AG))
• Ferryboats (FB)
• Aerial tramways (TR)
• Bus (MB)
• Trolleybus (TB)
• Other modes on exclusive right-of-way (ROW) and controlled access right-of-way (ROW).

Fixed guideway directional route miles (FG DRM) do not include staging or storage areas at the beginning or end of a route.

S-20, FFA-10
Declarations

Fixed Route Services

Services provided on a repetitive, fixed schedule basis along a specific route with vehicles stopping to pickup and deliver passengers to specific locations; each fixed route trip serves the same origins and destinations, such as rail and bus (MB); unlike demand responsive (DR) and vanpool (VP) services.

A-10, A-20
S-10

Flexible Funding Programs

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) programs that allow the transfer of funds to the FTA Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF) to be used for transit projects:

• Surface Transportation Program (STP)
• Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ)
• National Highway System (NHS)

F-10

Freight Tariffs

The revenue earned from carrying all types of freight on runs whose primary purpose is passenger operations.

F-10

Fringe Benefits (502)

The payments or accruals to others (insurance companies, governments, etc.) on behalf of an employee and payments and accruals direct to an employee arising from something other than a piece of work. These payments are transit agency costs over and above labor costs, but still arising from the employment relationship.

F-30

FTA

Federal Transit Administration

FTA Capital Program (Section 5309)

Financial assistance from Section 5309 of the Federal Transit Act. This program provides capital assistance for three primary activities:

1. New and replacement buses and facilities
2. Modernization of existing fixed guideway (FG) systems
3. New fixed guideway (FG) systems.

F-10, FFA-10

FTA Clean Fuels Program (Section 5308)

Financial assistance from Section 5308 of the Federal Transit Act. This program supports the use of alternative fuels in air quality maintenance or nonattainment areas for ozone or carbon monoxide.

F-10

FTA Grant Program

Financial assistance from FTA programs. These funds include:

• FTA Capital Program (Section 5309)
• FTA Urbanized Area Formula Program (Section 5307)
• FTA Clean Fuels Program (Section 5308)
• FTA Metropolitan Planning (Section 5303)
• FTA Special Needs of Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities Formula Program (Section 5310)
• FTA Non-Urbanized Area Formula Program (Section 5311)
• FTA Research, Development, Demonstration and Training Projects (Section 5312)
• FTA Job Access and Reverse Commute Formula Program (Section 5316)
• FTA New Freedom Program (Section 5317)
• FTA Transit in the Park (Section 5320)
• Interstate Transfer Program

F-10

FTA Growing States and High Density States Formula (Section 5340)

New Growing States and High Density States Formula Factors: Section 5340 of the Federal Transit Act that establishes new factors to distribute funds to the urbanized area formula and rural formula programs. One-half of the funds that are made available under the Growing States factors are apportioned by a formula based on state population forecasts for 15 years beyond the most recent census; amounts apportioned for each state are then distributed between urbanized areas and rural areas based on the ratio of urban/rural population within each state. The High Density States factors distribute the other half of the funds to states with population densities in excess of 370 persons per square mile. These funds are apportioned only to urbanized areas within those states.

Introduction

FTA Job Access and Reverse Commute Formula Program (JARC) (Section 5316)

Financial assistance from Section 5316 of the Federal Transit Act. This program pertains to:

1. Access to jobs projects for the development and maintenance of transportation services designed to transport welfare recipients and eligible low-income individuals to and from jobs and activities related to their employment, including:
   1. Transportation projects to finance planning, capital, and operating costs of providing access to jobs;
   2. Promoting public transportation by low-income workers, including the use of public transportation by workers with nontraditional work schedules;
   3. Promoting the use of transit vouchers for welfare recipients and eligible low-income individuals; and
   4. Promoting the use of employer-provided transportation, including the transit pass benefit program under section 132 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
2. Reverse commute projects for public transportation designed to transport residents of urbanized areas and other than urbanized areas to suburban employment opportunities, including any projects to:
   1. Subsidize the costs associated with adding reverse commute bus, train, carpool, van routes, or service from urbanized areas and other than urbanized areas to suburban workplaces;
   2. Subsidize the purchase or lease by a nonprofit organization or public agency of a van or bus dedicated to shuttling employees from their residences to a suburban workplace; or
   3. Otherwise facilitate the provision of public transportation services to suburban employment opportunities.

F-10

FTA Metropolitan Planning (Section 5303)

Financial assistance from Section 5303 of the Federal Transit Act. This program supports the cooperative, continuous and comprehensive planning program for making transportation investment decisions in metropolitan areas.

F-10

FTA New Freedom Program (Section 5317)

Financial assistance from Section 5317 of the Federal Transit Act. This is a formula program to encourage services and facility improvements to address the transportation needs of persons with disabilities that go beyond those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Funds may be used for associated capital and operating costs.

F-10

FTA Non-Urbanized Area Formula Program (Section 5311)

Financial assistance from Section 5311 of the Federal Transit Act. This program provides formula funding to States and Indian Tribes for the purpose of supporting public transportation in areas with a population of less than 50,000. Funding may be used for capital, operating, State administration, and project administration expenses. Under Section 5311 SAFETEA-LU also includes provisions for Growing States and High Density States Factors.

Introduction
F-10

FTA Recipient Identification Number (TEAM)

The four-digit number assigned to your transit agency for the FTA electronic grant making system — TEAM (Transportation Electronic Award and Management).

B-10

FTA Research, Development, Demonstration and Training Projects (Section 5312)

Financial assistance from Section 5312 of the Federal Transit Act. This program promotes research, development and demonstration projects to improve or help public transportation meet total urban transportation needs, and also projects that use innovative techniques in managing and providing public transportation; and provides training fellowships in managerial, technical and professional positions in the public transportation field.

F-10

FTA Small Transit Intensive Cities (STIC) Formula

SAFETEA-LU establishes a provision in the FTA Urbanized Area Formula program (Section 5307) to distribute funds to urbanized areas under 200,000 population. Under the formula for STIC, funds are apportioned to urbanized areas (UZA) with a population less than 200,000 that meet or exceed the average level of service for all UZAs with populations between 200,000 and 1,000,000.

The UZAs must operate at a level of service equal to or above the industry average level of service for all UZAs with a population of at least 200,000 but not more than 999,999, in one or more of six performance categories:

1. Passenger miles traveled per vehicle revenue mile,
2. Passenger miles traveled per vehicle revenue hour
3. Vehicle revenue miles per capita,
4. Vehicle revenue hours per capita,
5. Passenger miles traveled per capita, and
6. Passengers per capita.

Introduction
F-10, FFA-10

FTA Special Needs of Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities Formula Program (Section 5310)

Financial assistance from Section 5310 of the Federal Transit Act. This program provides capital assistance to state and local governments and private non-profit groups in meeting the transportation needs of the elderly and persons with disabilities. The State (or State-designated agency) administers the section 5310 program.)

F-10, F-30

FTA Transit in the Park (Section 5320)

Financial assistance from Section 5320 of the Federal Transit Act. This is a program to support public transportation projects in parks and public lands. Funds may be used for planning and capital projects in or in the vicinity of any Federally owned or managed park, refuge, or recreational area that is open to the general public.

F-10

FTA Urbanized Area Formula Program (Section 5307)

Financial assistance from Section 5307 of the Federal Transit Act. This program makes Federal resources available for capital and operating assistance for transit in urbanized areas (UZAs). The Urbanized Area Formula Program also supports planning, in addition to that funded under the Metropolitan Planning program (Section 5303). Funding is apportioned directly to each UZA with a population of 200,000 or more, and to the State Governors for UZAs with populations between 50,000 and 200,000. Generally, operating assistance is not an eligible expense for UZAs with populations of 200,000 or more. However, there are several exceptions to this restriction (See SAFETEA-LU). Under Section 5307 SAFETEA-LU also includes provisions for Small Transit Intensive Cities (STIC) Formula and Growing States and High Density States Factors.

Introduction
B-10, F-10
F-30, A-30
FFA-10
Declarations

Fuel and Lubricants (504.01)

The costs of gasoline, diesel fuel, propane, lubricating oil, transmission fluid, grease, etc., for use in vehicles.

F-30

Full Time Employees

Employees of the transit agency meeting the local definition of full time hours. Normally, these persons are entitled to receive the full benefits package (e.g., sick leave, vacation and insurance benefits).

R-10

Function

The activity performed or cost center of a transit agency. There are four basic functions for reporting. The four basic functions are:

1. Vehicle operations
2. Vehicle maintenance
3. Non-vehicle maintenance
4. General administration.

The activities included under each basic function are detailed in Section 6.2 of the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA).

F-30, R-10

Funds Allocated to Transit out of General Revenues of the Government Entity

Any funds allocated to transit out of the general revenues of the governmental entity (state or local). General revenue funds are usually determined through a state or local government’s annual budgeting process.

F-10

Funds Applied

Any expenditures that involve a transfer of money between the transit agency and another party such as a contractor or another government agency.

F-10, F-40
A-20

Funds Dedicated to Transit at their Source

Any funds raised specifically for transit purposes and which are dedicated at their source, rather than through an appropriation of general funds. These funds include:

• Dedicated taxes
• Bridges, tunnels and highway tolls
• Bonds and loans
• Other dedicated funds.

F-10

Funds not Applied

Any expenditures that do not involve a transfer of money between the transit agency and another party and that are typically valued using accounting principles. Examples include:

• Depreciation of vehicles
• Intangibles.

F-40

FYE

Fiscal Year End

GAAP

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

GASB

Governmental Accounting Standards Board

General Administration (160)

All activities associated with the general administration of the transit agency, including:

• Transit service development
• Injuries and damages
• Safety
• Personnel administration
• Legal services
• Insurance
• Data processing
• Finance and accounting
• Purchasing and stores
• Engineering
• Real estate management
• Office management and services
• Customer services
• Promotion
• Market research
• Planning.

Internet Reporting
F-20, F-30
R-10

General Engineering (173)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for general engineering activities
• Researching available technology for performing transit activities
• Preparing specifications for purchasing or constructing capital assets.

F-30

General Function (181)

A general category to collect operating expenses (OE) not related to or easily associated with the other prescribed functions in general administration (160).

F-30

General Insurance (169)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for insurance activities other than public liability
• Insuring the transit agency against losses other than public liability (e.g., fidelity, fire, accident)
• Preparing, submitting and pursuing insurance claims for losses other than public liability.

Insurance activities involved with public liability should be included under injuries and damages (165).

F-30

General Legal Services (168)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for general legal service activities
• Performing legal services other than those concerned with public liability claims for injuries and damages.

F-30

General Management (176)

Component activities include:

• Providing executive assistance and clerical support for general management activities and special projects
• Establishing policies for the development and operation of the transit agency
• Providing top level management for the transit agency to implement the development and operation policies.

F-30

General Purpose Maintenance Facilities

Facilities used for inspecting, servicing and performing light maintenance work upon revenue vehicles. Light maintenance includes the following:

• Brake adjustments
• Engine degreasing
• Tire work
• Minor body repairs
• Painting.

A-10

Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)

Affiliated with the FASB, it specializes in accounting principles within government agencies in the United States.

Introduction

Grade Crossing

An intersection of roadways, railroad tracks, or dedicated transit rail tracks that run across mixed traffic situations with:

• Motor vehicles
• Light rail (LR)
• Commuter rail (CR)
• Heavy rail (HR) or
• Pedestrian traffic.

Either in mixed traffic or semi-exclusive situations.

B-10, A-20

Guideway

A public transportation facility using and occupying a separate right-of-way (ROW) or rail for the exclusive use of public transportation including the buildings and structures dedicated for the operation of transit vehicles such as:

• At grade
• Elevated and subway structures
• Tunnels
• Bridge
• Track and power systems for rail modes, and
• Paved highway lanes dedicated to bus (MB) mode.

Guideway does not include passenger stations and transfer facilities, bus (MB) pull-ins or communication systems (e.g., cab signaling and train control).

F-20

Headway

The time interval between vehicles moving in the same direction on a particular route.

S-10

Heavy Maintenance Facilities

Facilities used for performing heavy maintenance work on revenue vehicles. Heavy maintenance includes the following:

• Unit rebuild
• Engine overhaul
• Significant body repairs
• Other major repairs.

A-10

Heavy Rail (HR)

A transit mode that is an electric railway with the capacity for a heavy volume of traffic. It is characterized by:

• High speed and rapid acceleration passenger rail cars operating singly or in multi-car trains on fixed rails
• Separate rights-of-way (ROW) from which all other vehicular and foot traffic are excluded
• Sophisticated signaling, and
• High platform loading.

B-10

Heavy Rail Passenger Cars (HR)

Vehicle Type: Rail cars with:

• Motive capability
• Driven by electric power taken from overhead lines or third rails
• Configured for passenger traffic

Usually operated on exclusive right-of-way (ROW).

A-30

High Occupancy / Toll (HO/T) Lanes

A concept that allows single occupancy vehicles (SOVs) to gain access to high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes by paying a toll. For formula purposes, FTA recognizes HO/T lanes as fixed guideway if the following conditions are met:

• A State agency with jurisdiction over the HOV facility certifies to the US Secretary of Transportation that they have established a program to monitor, assess, and report on the operation of the facility and the impact of high occupancy / toll vehicles and other low emission and energy efficient vehicles.
• That there is an adequate enforcement program and provision made for limiting or discontinuing the exemptions if the facility becomes seriously degraded.
• The State agency’s certification is submitted to the NTD.

If a transit agency has stricter requirements for high occupancy vehicle (HOV) facilities than the prohibition of SOVs, for example 3 or more persons per vehicle, then those requirements apply to the HO/T lane, i.e., one and two-person vehicles would pay tolls.

F-10, S-20
FFA-10
Declarations

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)

Vehicles that can carry two or more persons. Examples of high occupancy vehicles (HOV) are a bus, vanpool, and carpool.

A-20

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Facility

Exclusive or controlled access right-of-way (ROW) that is restricted to high occupancy vehicles (HOV) (buses, passenger vans, and cars carrying one or more passengers) for a portion or all of a day.

F-10, A-20
S-20
Declarations

HO/T

High Occupancy / Toll

HOV

High Occupancy Vehicle

HR

Heavy Rail

HR

Vehicle Type: Heavy Rail Passenger Cars

Hybrid Vehicle:

A vehicle that combines two or more sources of power that can directly or indirectly provide propulsion power, so as increase efficiency and thereby reduce emissions. A hybrid vehicle uses a mixture of technologies such as internal combustion engines, electric motors, gasoline, and batteries.

A-30, R-20

IAS

Independent Auditor Statement

IAS – FD

Independent Auditor Statement for Financial Data

IAS – FFA

Independent Auditor Statement for Federal Funding Allocation Data

ID

NTD identification number

In-Kind Services

A type of contributed service reported only if there is no obligation to pay for the service.

F-10

Inactive Vehicles

The vehicles:

• In storage
• Emergency contingency vehicles
• Vehicles pulled from the active fleet but awaiting sale
• Vehicles out of service for an extended period of time for major repairs.

A-30
S-10

Inclined Plane (IP)

A transit mode that is a railway operating over exclusive right-of-way (ROW) on steep grades (slopes) with powerless vehicles propelled by moving cables attached to the vehicles and powered by engines or motors at a central location not on-board the vehicle. The special tramway type of vehicles have passenger seats that remain horizontal while the undercarriage (truck) is angled parallel to the slope.

B-10

Inclined Plane Vehicles (IP)

Vehicle Type: Special type of passenger vehicles operating up and down slopes on rails via a cable mechanism.

A-30

Incomplete Report

NTD report not containing all the required:

• Reporting forms and data
• Not in conformance with the NTD requirements, or
• Not containing the chief executive officer (CEO) certification and Independent Auditor Statements (IAS), as applicable.

Introduction

Independent Auditor

A person appointed and authorized to:

• Examine accounts and accounting records
• Make comparisons with vouchers, invoices and other documents, and
• State the result.

For NTD, the auditor must meet the independence criteria contained in the Government Auditing Standards (General Accounting Office).

Introduction
Declarations

Independent Auditor Statement (IAS)

A letter signed by an independent public accountant or other independent entity (such as a state audit agency). There are two Independent Auditor Statements (IAS):

1. Independent Auditor Statement for Financial Data (IAS — FD), and
2. Independent Auditor Statement for Federal Funding Allocation Data (IAS — FFA)

Introduction
Internet Reporting
Declarations

Independent Auditor Statement for Federal Funding Allocation Data (IAS — FFA)

A letter signed by an independent public accountant or other independent entity (such as a state audit agency) that he has conducted a review of the data used in the FTA Urbanized Formula Program (UAF) and FTA Capital Program for Fixed Guideway Modernization funding allocations. This letter is required for transit agencies with 100 or more vehicles operated in annual maximum service (VOMS) across all modes and types of service (TOS) and serving urbanized areas (UZA) with 200,000 or more population.

Introduction
Internet Reporting
Declarations

Independent Auditor Statement for Financial Data (IAS — FD)

A letter signed by an independent public accountant or other independent entity (such as a state audit agency) that he has conducted a review of all NTD financial forms to ensure that a transit agency’s accounting system follows the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA), that accrual accounting or a directly translatable method is used, and that all data are in accordance with NTD requirements.

Introduction
Internet Reporting
Declarations

Information Systems

Systems for processing data including computers, monitors, printers, scanners, data storage devices and associated software that support transit operations such as general office, accounting, scheduling, planning, vehicle maintenance, non-vehicle maintenance and customer service functions.

F-20

Injuries and Damages (165)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for injury and damage activities
• Insuring the transit agency against liability losses
• Receiving injury and damage claims filed against the transit agency
• Investigating accidents to determine liability
• Negotiating settlements of public liability cases
• Making payments in settlement of liability cases
• Defending public liability cases in court
• Accumulating accident and liability claim statistics.

F-30

Inspection and Maintenance of Revenue Vehicles (061)

Component activities include:

• Inspecting revenue vehicle components on a scheduled preventive maintenance basis (e.g., engine and transmission, fuel system, ignition system, chassis, body — exterior and interior, electrical system, lubrication system, trolleys, pantographs and third rail shoes, trucks, braking system, air conditioning system)
• Changing lubrication fluids
• Replacing minor repairable units of the above listed revenue vehicle components
• Making road calls to service revenue vehicle breakdowns
• Towing and shifting revenue vehicles to maintenance facilities
• Rebuilding and overhauling repairable components
• Performing major repairs on revenue vehicles on a scheduled or unscheduled basis (this work is generally done by the following facilities: machine shop; sheet metal shop; welding and blacksmith shop; woodworking shop)
• Replacing major repairable units of revenue vehicles (including engines, transmissions, traction motors and air conditioners).

F-30, R-20

Inspection and Maintenance of Service Vehicles (091)

Component activities include:

• Inspecting service vehicle components on a scheduled preventive maintenance basis (e.g., engine and transmission, fuel system, ignition system, chassis, body — exterior and interior, electrical system, lubrication system, trolleys, pantographs and third rail shoes, trucks, braking system, air conditioning system)
• Performing minor repairs to the above listed service vehicle components
• Changing lubrication fluids
• Replacing minor repairable units of the above listed service vehicle components
• Making road calls for service vehicle breakdowns
• Towing and shifting service vehicles to maintenance facilities
• Rebuilding and overhauling repairable components
• Performing major repairs on service vehicles on a scheduled or unscheduled basis (this work is generally done by the following facilities: machine shop; sheet metal shop; welding and blacksmith shop; woodworking shop)
• Replacing major repairable units of service vehicles (including engines, transmissions, traction motors and air conditioners).

F-30, R-20

Instructor Premium for Operator Training (2.01)

The bonus above straight time pay paid to an operator serving as an instructor to new operators. The straight time pay of such operators is charged to platform time (1.04) if the training is being conducted on the vehicle operating in line service, or to other time spent in transportation administration (2.08) for other instruction time.

F-50

Intercity Bus Service

Regularly scheduled bus (MB) service for the general public, using an over-the-road bus (MB), that:

• Operates with limited stops over fixed routes connecting 2 or more urban areas not in close proximity or connecting 1 or more rural communities with an urban area not in close proximity;
• Has the capacity for transporting baggage carried by passengers; and
• Makes meaningful connections with scheduled intercity bus (MB) service to more distant points.

Introduction
A-10

Interest Expenses (511)

The charges for the use of borrowed capital incurred by the transit agency, including:

• Interest on long term
• Short-term debt obligations.

Interest charges pertaining to construction debt that is capitalized will not be reflected as interest expense.

F-40

Interstate Transfer Program

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) funds transferred from the Interstate Transfer Program to FTA for transit projects. This program is for segments of the Interstate Highway System that were not built. The funding for these segments was redesignated for other highway and transit projects.

F-10

Intervening Time (1.06)

The incidental time between any two pieces of a run.

F-50

IP

Inclined Plane

IP

Vehicle Type: Inclined Plane Vehicles

JARC

FTA Job Access and Reverse Commute Program

Jitney (JT)

A transit mode comprised of passenger cars or vans operating on fixed routes (sometimes with minor deviations) as demand warrants without fixed schedules or fixed stops.

B-10

Joint Expenses or Shared Costs

An object class cost (e.g., labor, services, materials and supplies) that is shared by one or more functions, modes or types of service (TOS). For example, bus (MB) and demand response (DR) revenue vehicles may fuel at the same location (vehicle operations function — MB and DR/DO) so that fuel expenses (object class 504.01) and their taxes (object class 507) are shared.

F-30

Joint Powers Agency

Two or more public agencies, when authorized by their governing authority, to enter into agreements to jointly exercise any power common to the contracting parties. The agency or entity provided by the agreement to administer or execute the agreement may be:

• One or more of the parties to the agreement or a commission or board constituted pursuant to the agreement or a person
• Firm or corporation, including a non-profit corporation designated in the agreement.

The administering agency is a public entity separate from the parties to the agreement and shall possess the common power specified in the agreement and may exercise it in the manner or according to the method provided in the agreement. As a general proposition, there are no new powers but merely a new procedure for the exercise of existing powers.

B-10

JT

Jitney

Labor (501)

The pay and allowances due employees in exchange for the labor services they render in behalf of the transit agency. The labor allowances include payments direct to the employee arising from the performance of a piece of work.

F-30

Lane Miles

The length of a roadway (in miles) dedicated to high occupancy vehicles (HOV) multiplied by the number of traffic lanes. Only pavement normally used should be included, shoulders should not be included, except if shoulders are legally used in peak hours.

A-20

Late Report    

NTD report not submitted by the due date, the last day of the grace period or the extended due date.

Introduction

Layover / Recovery Time

The hours scheduled at the end of the route before the departure time of the next trip. This time is scheduled for two reasons:

1. To provide time for the vehicle operator to take a break (layover)
2. To provide time to get back on schedule before the next trip departs if the trip arrives late at the end of the route (recovery).

F-50, S-10
R-20

Lease under Lease Purchase Agreement (LP)

Vehicles leased under a closed end agreement whereby the leasee acquires the capital appreciation of the vehicles as lease payments are made. At the end of the lease, the leasee owns the vehicles.

A-30

Leased or Borrowed from Related Parties (LR)

Vehicles leased or borrowed through a public entity as the result of legal or governmental agreements or restrictions. For example, a state may purchase all vehicles (hold title) and distribute the vehicles to transit agencies; or vehicles may be owned by a county government and leased to a public transit authority that is legally prohibited from owning the vehicles.

A-30

Leased through a Purchased Transportation Agreement (PT)

Vehicles leased or borrowed through a purchased transportation (PT) agreement.

A-30

Leases and Rentals (512)

The payments for the use of capital assets not owned by the transit agency. True leases are those in which the lessor and lessee are:

• Not related parties
• The total lease payments cover the lessor’s cost of the property for the period of the lease plus interest
• The ownership of the property remains with the lessor upon expiration of the lease.

For the true lease, this object class includes:

• The lease payments on true lease property.

F-40

Level of Service (LOS)

A qualitative measure that characterizes operational conditions within a traffic stream and their perception by motorists and passengers. The descriptions of individual levels of service characterize these conditions in terms of such factors as:

• Speed and travel time
• Freedom to maneuver
• Traffic interruptions
• Comfort and convenience.

S-20, FFA-10

Light Rail (LR)

A transit mode that typically is an electric railway with a light volume traffic capacity compared to heavy rail (HR). It is characterized by:

• Passenger rail cars operating singly (or in short, usually two car, trains) on fixed rails in shared or exclusive right-of-way
• Low or high platform loading, and
• Vehicle power drawn from an overhead electric line via a trolley or a pantograph.

B-10

Light Rail Vehicles (LR)

Vehicle Type: Rail cars with:

• Motive capability
• Usually driven by electric power taken from overhead lines
• Configured for passenger traffic
• Usually operating on exclusive rights-of-way (ROW).

A-30

Linked Passenger Trip

A trip from origin to destination on the transit system. Even if a person must make several transfers during a journey, the trip is counted as one linked trip on the system.

FFA-10

Loans

Financing mechanism used to raise funds. Loans can be either secured or non-secured debt. They typically are offered to transit agencies by commercial entities (e.g., banks) or other government entities (e.g., states, counties, cities). The terms of the loan specify the term of the loan (e.g., 10 years), the interest rate (e.g., 5%), and frequency of payments (e.g., monthly, quarterly, annually). Generally, the payments are constant (or level) for the term of a loan. Each payment consists of interest and principal (repayment of a portion of the loan amount). When then last payment is made, the entire principal will have been repaid.

F-10

Local Government Funds

Financial assistance from local governments (below the state level) to help cover the costs of providing transit services.

F-10

Locomotive

A self-propelled unit of rail equipment designed primarily for moving (pushing or pulling) passenger cars. It does not include self-propelled passenger cars.

S-10

LOS

Level of Service

LP

Lease under Lease Purchase Agreement

LR

Leased or Borrowed from Related Parties

LR

Light Rail

LR

Vehicle Type: Light Rail Vehicles

Maintenance Administration — Facilities (non-vehicles) (042)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for the administration of transit way and structures
• Maintenance and other buildings
• Grounds and equipment maintenance
• Preparing and updating records for transit way and structures
• Maintenance and other buildings
• Grounds and equipment maintenance records
• Providing technical training to facilities maintenance personnel
• Engineering maintenance of transit way and structures, and of other buildings, grounds and equipment.

F-30

Maintenance Administration —  Vehicles (041)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for the administration of vehicle maintenance
• Preparing and updating vehicle maintenance records
• Accumulating and computing vehicle performance data (e.g., mileage, fuel and oil consumption)
• Providing technical training to vehicle maintenance personnel
• Appearing as a witness
• Engineering vehicle maintenance activities.

F-30, R-20

Maintenance Buildings

Facilities where maintenance activities are conducted including garages, shops (e.g., body, paint, machine) and operations centers (see Vehicle Maintenance (041) function). Include in maintenance buildings, equipment that enhances the maintenance function for example bus (MB) diagnostic equipment. Do not include information systems such as computers that are used to process maintenance data.

F-20

Maintenance of Communication Systems (126)

Inspecting, cleaning, repairing and replacing all components of communication systems (e.g., office telephone, public address units), other than those devoted to the vehicle movement control function which are included in maintenance of vehicle movement control systems (101).

F-30

Maintenance of Fare Collection and Counting Systems (111)

Inspecting, cleaning, repairing and replacing all components of fare collection and counting equipment (e.g., fare boxes, vaults, counters, changers and sorters).

F-30

Maintenance of Garages and Shop Buildings, Grounds and Equipment (125)

Component activities include:

• Inspecting, repairing and replacing components of garage and shop buildings and equipment
• Providing custodial services for garage and shop buildings and grounds.

F-30

Maintenance of General Administration Buildings, Grounds and Equipment (127)

Component activities include:

• Inspecting, cleaning, repairing and replacing components of buildings and equipment used for general administration
• Providing custodial services for buildings and grounds used for general administration.

F-30

Maintenance of Operating Station Buildings, Grounds and Equipment (124)

Component activities include:

• Inspecting, repairing and replacing components of operating station buildings and equipment
• Providing custodial services for operating station buildings and grounds.

F-30

Maintenance of Passenger Stations (123)

Component activities include:

• Inspecting, repairing and replacing components of passenger station buildings and equipment
• Providing custodial services for passenger station buildings and grounds.

F-30

Maintenance of Roadway and Track (121)

Component activities include:

• Inspecting, cleaning, repairing, clearing and replacing all components of roadway and track.

F-30

Maintenance of Structures, Tunnels, Bridges and Subways (122)

Component activities include:

• Inspecting, cleaning, repairing and replacing all components of structures, tunnels, bridges and subways.

F-30

Maintenance of Vehicle Movement Control Systems (101)

Component activities include:

• Inspecting, cleaning, repairing and replacing all components of vehicle movement control equipment (e.g., radios, roadway phones and monitor units).

F-30

Major Mechanical System Failure

A failure of some mechanical element of the revenue vehicle that prevents the vehicle from completing a scheduled revenue trip or from starting the next scheduled revenue trip because actual movement is limited or because of safety concerns.

R-20

Market Research (164)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for research activities
• Conducting consumer behavior research and transit service demand surveys to help define new routes, revisions to existing routes, etc.

F-30

Mass Transportation

Synonymous term with public transportation

B-10

Materials and Supplies (504)

The tangible products obtained from outside suppliers or manufactured internally. Expenses include:

• Freight-in
• Purchase discounts
• Cash discounts
• Sales taxes and excise taxes (except on fuel and lubricants) are to be included in the cost of the material or supply.

Charges to these expense accounts will be for the materials and supplies issued from inventory for use and for the materials and supplies purchased for immediate use; i.e., without going through inventory.

F-30

MB

Bus

Midday Period

The period between the end of the AM peak and the beginning of the PM peak.

S-10

Miles of Track

The number of tracks per one-mile segment of right-of-way (ROW). Miles of track are measured without regard to whether or not rail traffic can flow in only one direction on the track. All track is counted, including yard track and sidings.

A-20

Minimum Guarantee — Daily (1.09)

The time that must be added to a run in order to make the run total a minimum number of hours for a day, or in order to make a work piece equal the minimum number of hours for a piece of work.

F-50

Minimum Guarantee — Weekly (1.10)

The time that must be added to an operator’s time to guarantee him a minimum number of pay hours for a weekly, biweekly or semi-monthly pay period.

F-50

Minimum Guarantee for Call out (1.08)

The time beyond that associated with the performance of a work piece that an operator has been called out to perform in order to bring the total amount of time paid up to a guaranteed minimum for the call out.

F-50

Miscellaneous Expenses (509)

The expenses that cannot be attributed to any of the other major expense categories (object classes labor (501), fringe benefits (502), services (503), materials and supplies (504), utilities (505), casualty and liability costs (506), taxes (507) and purchased transportation (508)).                  

F-30

Mixed Traffic Rights-of-Way (ROW)

Roadways other than exclusive and controlled access rights-of-way (ROW) used for transit operations.

A-20, S-10
FFA-10

MO

Monorail

MO

Vehicle Type: Monorail Vehicles

Mode

A system for carrying transit passengers described by specific right-of-way (ROW), technology and operational features.

Introduction
Internet Reporting
B-10, F-20
F-30, F-40
A-10, A-20
A-30, S-10
S-20, R-10
R-20, R-30
FFA-10
Declarations

Model Number

Vehicle model number as used by the manufacturer.

A-30

Monetary Consideration 

The consideration paid by the public body to the private or public seller of transportation service (private / public carrier). The monetary consideration may include any of the following:

• Cash reimbursement of a private / public carrier’s operating deficit
• Negotiated rate per unit of service delivered by the private / public carrier
• Cash reimbursement to the private / public carrier for reduced fare programs specified by the public body (e.g., for students and for the elderly and persons with disabilities)
• Vehicles given, sold, loaned or leased by the public body to the private / public carrier at or below market value
• Maintenance facility leased by the public body to the private / public carrier.

Introduction
B-30

Monorail (MO)

A transit mode that is an electric railway of guided transit vehicles operating singly or in multi-car trains. The vehicles are suspended from or straddle a guideway formed by a single beam, rail or tube.

B-10

Monorail Vehicles (MO)

Vehicle Type: Guided transit passenger vehicles operating on or suspended from a single rail, beam or tube.

A-30

Multi-Modal Stations

A passenger station that also serves non-transit services.

A-10

National Highway System (NHS)

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) funds transferred from the National Highway System (NHS) to FTA for transit projects. The National Highway System (NHS) provides for a wide range of transportation activities. Eligible transit projects include:

• Fringe and corridor parking facilities
• Bicycle and pedestrian facilities
• Vanpool projects
• Public transportation facilities in National Highway System (NHS) corridors.

F-10

Net Contract Expenditures by the Buyer (after fare revenue)

Actual payments or accruals by the buyer under the purchased transportation (PT) agreement, net of and not including purchased transportation (PT) fares. For contracts in which the seller retains fare revenues, the net contract expenditures by the buyer equals the actual payments or accruals made by the buyer. For contracts in which the purchased transportation (PT) fare revenues are returned to the buyer by the seller, the net contract expenditures by the buyer equals the actual payments or accruals made by the buyer net of or less the purchased transportation (PT) fare revenues.

B-30

NF

Non-Federal (funded vehicles)

NFG

Non-Fixed Guideway

NHS

National Highway System

Nine or Fewer Vehicles Waiver

Relief from filing a complete NTD report if the transit agency operates nine or fewer vehicles in annual maximum service across all modes and types of service (TOS), and all service operates on non-fixed guideway (NFG) (mixed traffic right-of-way (ROW)).

Introduction
Internet Reporting
B-10
Declarations

Non-Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) Accessible Stations

Public transportation passenger facilities, which do not provide ready access by individuals with disabilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs. Refer to 49 CFR Part 37, Appendix.

A-10

Non-Dedicated Vehicles

Vehicles not used exclusively for contracted service.

A-30

Non-Federal (NF) (funded vehicles)

Vehicles purchased without Federal funding.

A-30

Non-Fixed Guideway (NFG)

Mixed traffic right-of-way (ROW). For Federal funding purposes, excludes trolleybus (TB) and ferryboat (FB) modes, which are considered fixed guideway (FG).

Introduction
FFA-10

Non-Operating Paid Work Time

The time an operator spends on the job in a capacity other than operating, making preparations for or completing the immediate operation of a revenue vehicle. Non-operating time includes:

• Instructor premium for operator training
• Student training time
• Accident reporting time
• Witness time
• Time spent on union functions
• Run selection time
• Other time spent in transportation administration
• Time spent in revenue vehicle movement control
• Time spent in ticketing and fare collection
• Time spent in customer service
• Other.

F-50

Non-Rail Modes

Transit modes whose vehicles typically operate on roadways — streets, highways or expressways, but may also operate on waterways (ferryboat (FB)) or via aerial cable (aerial tramways (TR)). Vehicles are typically powered by motors on-board the vehicle, with one exception, aerial tramway (TR) vehicles which are electrically powered by a motor not on-board the vehicle in order to pull the vehicle via an overhead cable. NTD recognizes eight non-rail modes:

1. Aerial tramway (TR)
2. Bus (MB)
3. Demand response (DR)
4. Ferryboat (FB)
5. Jitney (JT)
6. Publico (PB)
7. Trolleybus (TB), and
8. Vanpool (VP).

Introduction
F-20, A-10
A-20, S-10
R-10, R-30

Non-Scheduled Services

Services provided on demand, rather than with predetermined fixed time points, i.e., a schedule. Non-scheduled services are:

• Demand response (DR)
• Vanpool (VP)
• Jitney (JT)
• Publico (PB) services.

A-10, S-10

Non-Transit Services

Non-public transportation services, such as intercity bus (MB) and rail operations that do not meet the requirements of the Federal Transit Act for public transportation. See public transportation.

A-10

Non-Transportation Funds

The revenue earned from activities not associated with the provision of transit service. Non-transportation funds include:

• Investment earnings
• Other non-transportation sources, including:
• Revenues earned from sales of maintenance services on property not owned or used by the transit agency
• Rentals of revenue vehicles to other operators
• Rentals of transit agency buildings and property to other organizations
• Parking fees generated from parking lots not normally used as park-and-ride locations
• Donations
• Grants from private foundations
• Development fees
• Rental car fees
• Other.

F-10

Non-Urbanized Area (Non-UZA)

An area (a population of fewer than 50,000) so designated by the U.S. Bureau of the Census.

Introduction
B-10, S-20
FFA-10
Declarations

Non-UZA

Non-Urbanized Area

Non-Vehicle Maintenance (042)

All activities associated with facility maintenance, including:

• Administration
• Repair of buildings, grounds and equipment as a result of accidents or vandalism
• Operation of electric power facilities
• Maintenance of:
  • Vehicle movement control systems
  • Fare collection and counting equipment
  • Structures, tunnels and subways
  • Roadway and track
  • Passenger stations, operating station buildings, grounds and equipment
  • Communication systems
  • General administration buildings, grounds and equipment, and
  • Electric power facilities.

Internet Reporting
F-20, F-30
R-10

NTD

National Transit Database

NTD ID

NTD Identification Number

NTD Identification Number (NTD ID)

A unique FTA-assigned number (NTD ID) that each transit agency must have before filing a report.

Introduction
B-10

Number of Crossings

The number of locations at which other traffic may traverse the right-of-way (ROW) for rail modes operating at grade.

A-20

Object

For operating expense reporting, an article or service obtained.

F-30, F-40

Object Class

An object is an article or service obtained. An object class is a grouping of expenses on the basis of goods or services purchased. The object classes include:

• Salaries and wages
• Fringe benefits
• Services
• Materials and supplies
• Other expenses.

Object classes are detailed in section 5.2 of the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA).

F-30, F-40

OE

Operating Expense

OF

Other Federal Funds (funded vehicles)

Office Management and Services (175)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for office management and services
• Performing general office activities (e.g., receptionist, switchboard operator)
• Printing and distributing office supplies and forms
• Processing incoming and outgoing mail
• Operating library and central file facilities.

F-30

OO

Owned Outright

Open Cut

Rail transit way below surface level in an excavated cut that has not had a covering constructed over it. Transition segments to open cut or subway tunnel / tube segments are included.

A-20

Operating Assistance

Financial funding to help cover the operating costs of providing transit services. Operating costs are classified by function or activity and the goods and services purchased. The basic functions and object classes are detailed in the Operating Expenses form (F-30) and are defined in Section 5.2 and 6.2 of the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA).

Introduction
F-10, FFA-10

Operating Expenses (OE)

The expenses associated with the operation of the transit agency, and classified by function or activity, and the goods and services purchased. The basic functions and object classes are defined in Section 5.2 and 6.2 of the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA).

These are consumable items with a useful life of less than one year or an acquisition cost which equals the lesser of:

• The capitalization level established by the government unit for financial statement purposes

  or

• $5,000.

Introduction
Internet Reporting
B-10, F-10
F-30, S-20
FFA-10
Declarations

Operating Labor

The employees engaged in the operation of the transit system, categorized by their functions. The three-digit codes preceding the definition for each labor classification are the function codes in the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA).

R-10

Operating Time

The time involved in:

• Operating revenue service in accordance with published operating schedules by both regular and extra board operators
• Operating line service that is added to the published operating schedule in order to meet abnormal demand (such work will always be an extra piece assigned to an available operator rather than covered in an operator sign-up)
• Operating non-contract service to and from special events (e.g., sports events, shopper runs, etc.)
• Operating service for which the pickup and discharge points and patrons of the service are specified by a charterer / contractor
• Standby time.

F-50

Operation and Maintenance of Electric Power Facilities (141)

Supervising, monitoring and operating power generation and distribution facilities (i.e., inspecting, cleaning, repairing and replacing all components of electric power generation and distribution facilities and equipment (including third rail and overhead lines).

F-30

Operators

The personnel (other than security agents) scheduled to be aboard vehicles in revenue operations, including:

• Vehicle operators
• Conductors
• Ticket collectors.

Operators may also include: Attendants who are transit agency employees that are aboard vehicles to assist riders in boarding and alighting, securing wheelchairs, etc., typically the elderly and persons with disabilities.

Introduction
F-30, F-50

Operators’ Salaries and Wages (501.01)

The labor of employees of the transit agency who are classified as revenue vehicle operators or crew.

F-30

Original Submission

A report stage indicating the first time the NTD Annual Report was sent to NTD, and the report is undergoing validation.

Internet Reporting

Other Agency Requests

These are requests submitted via the e-File to NTD from the agency regarding the following:

• Consolidation Request
• Extension Request
• FY Change Request
• New Fixed Guideway Segment Request
• New ID Request.

Internet Reporting

Other Auxiliary Transportation Revenues

The revenue earned from operations closely associated with transportation operations other than from concessions and advertising revenues. Other auxiliary transportation revenues include:

• ID card fees (seniors, persons with disabilities, employees)
• Fare evasion and park-and-ride lot fines
• Automotive vehicle ferriage.

F-10

Other Capital Projects

Any item not described as guideway, passenger stations, administrative buildings, maintenance buildings, revenue vehicles, service vehicles, fare revenue collection equipment or systems including:

• Furniture and equipment that are not an integral part of buildings and structures
• Shelters, signs and passenger amenities (e.g., benches) not in passenger stations.

F-20

Other Costs Incurred by the Buyer

Expenses of the buyer (public transit agency or governmental unit) that are directly attributable to the provision of purchased transportation (PT) services. Examples include:

• The provision of maintenance services or fuel for the vehicles used by the seller
• Gathering and compiling NTD data
• Monitoring of the seller's operations and other similar costs where the buyer uses its resources to support the purchased service.

B-30, F-30

Other Dedicated Funds

Any funds dedicated to transit at their source other than income, sales, property, gasoline and other taxes; and, bridges, tunnels and highway tolls. These funds include:

• Vehicle licensing and registration fees
• Lottery and casino proceeds
• Sale of property and assets
• Other.

F-10

Other Directly Generated Funds

Any funds not included in the directly generated sources common to all transit agencies and for independent political entities.

F-10

Other Federal Funds (OF) (funded vehicles)

Vehicles purchased through Federal programs other than the FTA Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF).

F-10, A-30

Other FTA Funds

Any FTA funds not reported as FTA Capital Program (Section 5309) and FTA Urbanized Area Formula Program (5307) funds. These funds include:

• FTA Metropolitan Planning (Section 5303)
• FTA Clean Fuels Program (Section 5308)
• FTA Special Needs of Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities Formula Program (Section 5310)
• FTA Non-Urbanized Area Formula Program (Section 5311)
• FTA Research, Development, Demonstration and Training Projects (Section 5312)
• FTA Job Access and Reverse Commute Formula Program (Section 5316)
• FTA New Freedom Program (Section 5317)
• FTA Transit in the Park (Section 5320)
• Interstate Transfer Program

F-10

Other Funds

Any state government or any local government funding sources that are not dedicated to transit at their source or are not included in the budgeting process of general revenue funds.

These funds include:

• Vehicle licensing and registration fees
• Communications access fees, surcharges, taxes
• Lottery and casino proceeds
• Sale of property and assets
• Other.

F-10

Other Materials and Supplies (504.99)

The costs of materials and supplies not specifically identified in object classes fuel and lubricants (504.01) and tires and tubes (504.02) issued from inventory or purchased for immediate consumption.

F-30

Other Mechanical System Failures

A failure of some other mechanical element of the revenue vehicle that, because of local agency policy, prevents the revenue vehicle from completing a scheduled revenue trip or from starting the next scheduled revenue trip even though the vehicle is physically able to continue in revenue service.

R-20

Other Period

The nighttime period after the PM peak and before the AM peak when normal scheduled headways are reduced. This is sometimes referred to as night and owl services.

S-10

Other Premium (1.15)

The bonuses for special operating situations not covered by overtime, spread time and shift premiums.

F-50

Other Reconciling Items (516)

Any other costs that cannot be captured in object classes interest expenses (511), leases and rentals (512), depreciation (513), purchase lease agreements (514) and related parties lease agreements (515).

F-40

Other Salaries and Wages (501.02)

The labor of employees of the transit agency who are not classified as revenue vehicle operators or crew.

F-30

Other Taxes

Revenues generated from a charge imposed by the state or local government, or independent political entity (e.g., transit authority) on persons or property help to pay expenses, including:

• Payroll taxes
• Utility taxes
• Communication taxes (e.g., telephone taxes and fees)
• Motor vehicle and tire excise taxes;

But excluding:

• Income taxes
• Property taxes
• Sales taxes
• Gasoline taxes.

F-10
F-30

Other Time Spent in Transportation Administration (2.08)

The time an operator spends performing other transportation administration function activities (see function 011) on a temporary basis.

F-50

Other Transportation Revenues

Revenues generated from non-public transportation, including:

• School bus revenues
• Charter bus revenues
• Freight tariffs.

F-10

Other U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Grant Programs

Financial assistance from non-FTA programs of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). These funds include:

• Federal Railroad Administration (including Amtrak)
• Other.

F-10

Other Worker

An individual who is neither an employee of a transit agency or a purchased transportation (PT) provider and who is providing specific services at a transit agency.

R-10

Others

An individual who is neither a:

• Transit passenger
• Transit facility occupant
• Employee / other worker at the transit agency, nor
• Trespasser.

R-10

Over-the-Road Bus

A bus characterized by an elevated passenger deck located over a baggage compartment.

Introduction
A-10

Overtime Premium — Scheduled (1.11)

The bonus above straight time pay for hours scheduled and worked in excess of a specified number of hours per day or per week.

F-50

Overtime Premium — Unscheduled (1.12)

The bonus above straight time pay for hours not scheduled but worked in excess of a specified number of hours per day or per week. This includes overtime resulting from an employee working on his / her scheduled day off.

F-50

Owned Outright (OO)

Vehicles owned outright or as part of a safe harbor leasing agreement where only the tax title is sold.

A-30

Paid Breaks and Meal Allowances (1.07)

Break time other than platform layover time and intervening time, and allowances for company paid meals.

F-50

Paratransit

Types of passenger transportation which are more flexible than conventional fixed-route transit but more structured than the use of private automobiles. Paratransit includes demand response (DR) transportation services, shared-ride taxis, car pooling and vanpooling (VP), and jitney (JT) services. Most often refers to wheelchair-accessible, demand response (DR) service.

Introduction

B-10, F-30

F-40, S-10

Park-and-Ride Parking Revenue

Revenues earned from parking fees paid by passengers who drive to park-and-ride lots operated by the transit agency to utilize transit service.

F-10

Part Time Employees

Employees of the transit agency who work less than the local definition of full time. Normally, these persons are not provided the full benefits package (e.g., sick leave, vacation and insurance benefits) associated with full time employment. Full time employees working part of their time in a function or mode are not part time employees.

R-10

Pass-Through Funds

Capital or operating financial assistance passed through to other transit agencies that have no relationship to the directly operated (DO) and / or purchased transportation (PT) services provided by the designated recipient.

F-10

Passenger Car

A unit of rolling rail equipment that provides transportation and seating and standing room for the general public. It includes self-propelled cars.

S-10

Passenger Car Hours

The hours that passenger cars are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service (actual passenger car revenue hours) plus deadhead hours. Actual passenger car hours include:

• Layover / recovery time

But exclude:

• Hours for charter services
• Operator training, and
• Vehicle maintenance testing.

S-10

Passenger Car Miles

The miles that passenger cars are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service (actual passenger car revenue miles) plus deadhead miles.

S-10

Passenger Car Revenue Hours

The hours that passenger cars are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service. Passenger car revenue hours include:

• Layover / recovery time

But exclude:

• Deadhead
• Operator training
• Vehicle maintenance tests, and
• Charter services.

S-10

Passenger Car Revenue Miles

The miles that passenger cars are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service. Passenger car revenue miles exclude:

• Deadhead
• Operator training
• Vehicle maintenance tests, and
• Charter services.

S-10

Passenger Cars in Operation

The maximum number of passenger cars actually operated to provide service on an average weekday, average Saturday and average Sunday.

S-10

Passenger Fare Assistance

The subsidy given to the transit agency, usually by state and local governments, on behalf of specific classes of passengers, such as students, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. The subsidy may also come from the private sector, such as employers giving assistance to offer employees programs to use public transit services at reduced rates or free. The fare assistance helps to offset the reduced or free services provided to these passengers. It is usually based on the amount of service provided; i.e., the subsidy is calculated based on the number of rides taken, but may be a lump sum payment.

F-10

Passenger Fares

The revenue earned from carrying passengers in regularly scheduled and demand response (DR) services. Passenger fares include:

• Base fare
• Zone or distance premiums
• Express service premiums
• Extra cost transfers
• Quantity purchase discounts applicable to the passenger’s ride
• Special transit fares.

F-10

Passenger Mile Sampling

Any data sampling technique, by mode and type of service (TOS), used to calculate passenger miles that meets the 95 percent confidence and ± 10 percent precision levels.

Internet Reporting

Passenger Miles (PM)

The cumulative sum of the distances ridden by each passenger.

Internet Reporting
F-10, S-10
FFA-10
Declarations

Passenger Stations

A passenger boarding / deboarding facility with a platform, which may include:

• Stairs
• Elevators
• Escalators
• Passenger controls (e.g., faregates or turnstiles)
• Canopies
• Wind shelters
• Lighting
• Signs
• Buildings with a waiting room, ticket office or machines, restrooms, or concessions. Includes all fixed guideway (FG) passenger facilities (except for on-street cable car (CC) and light rail (LR) stops), including busway passenger facilities; underground, at grade, and elevated rail stations; and ferryboat (FB) terminals. Includes transportation / transit / transfer centers, park-and-ride facilities, and transit malls with the above components, including those only utilized by motor buses (MB).

Does not include stops (which are typically on-street locations at the curb or in a median, sometimes with a shelter, signs, or lighting) for:

• Bus (MB)
• Light rail (LR)
• Cable car (CC).

F-20, F-30
A-10

PB

Publico

Permanent Employees

Employees of the transit agency meeting the local definition of part time or full time hours. Normally, these persons retain job security rights and are entitled to receive the full benefits package (e.g., sick leave, vacation and insurance benefits) if working full time. Part time permanent employees may be eligible for a limited benefits package and may have job security rights.

R-10

Personal Passenger Vehicle

Vehicle Type: Encompasses multiple types of non-commercial, non-transit passenger vehicles such as automobiles, minivans, and pickup trucks.

A-30

Personnel Administration (167)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for personnel activities
• Maintaining employment history records
• Recruiting, interviewing, testing, screening and giving medical examinations to prospective employees
• Administering fringe benefit, medical, welfare, pension, job evaluation, performance evaluation, promotion and other related programs
• Conducting orientation programs
• Providing supervisory and management training
• Researching labor relations issues
• Negotiating labor contracts
• Administering low level grievances
• Administering a worker’s compensation program.

F-30

Planning (177)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for planning activities
• Conducting long range and regional transit planning and analysis.

F-30

Platform

A horizontal surface raised above the level of the adjacent area, such as a boarding and alighting area alongside rail tracks.

F-20, A-10

Platform Time

The time during which an operator operates the revenue vehicle a) in line service or in deadheading (including layover periods in the vehicle at a rest point) or b) for charter, contract, and special non-contract service, or is deadheading or laying over as a result of such service.

F-50

Platform Time — Charter and Special Service (1.05)

The time during which an operator operates the revenue vehicle for charter, contract and special non-contract service, or is deadheading or laying over as a result of such service.

F-50

Platform Time — Line Service (1.04)

The time during which an operator operates the revenue vehicle either in line service or in deadheading, including layover periods in the vehicle at a rest point.

F-50

PM

Passenger Miles

PM Peak Period

The period in the afternoon or evening when additional services are provided to handle higher passenger volumes. The period begins when normal headways are reduced and ends when headways are returned to normal.

S-10

Point Deviation

A method of providing transit service to all origins and destinations within a corridor, defined by a prescribed distance from a street (e.g., ¾ mile), making scheduled stops at mandatory time points along the corridor on a predetermined schedule. This type of service (TOS) does not follow a fixed route because the path is determined based on the origins and destinations of the passengers. Passengers can use the service in three ways:

1. By traveling between mandatory time points on the schedule
2. By advising the bus operator if they want to be taken to a destination that is not a scheduled time point when boarding, or
3. If they want to be picked up at a location that is not a scheduled time point, by calling the transit system and requesting a pickup.

B-10, S-10

Preliminary Transit Agency Development (145)

Component activities include:

• Researching transit technology
• Researching service area to determine which transit technology to apply, route configurations, service level requirements
• Conducting hearings and meetings with various interest groups to identify their perceived needs and to expose planning concepts for discussion
• Developing construction project management capability
• Performing preliminary design and engineering work on major construction projects.

This function covers the operating expenses associated with performing these activities prior to the time when a firm commitment to construction is made. Costs of this nature incurred after the commitment to construct is made would be capitalized.

F-30

Premium Pay

The pay to an operator that is over and above straight time pay. Typical categories are overtime premium, spread time premium, shift premium, and instructor premium for operator training.

F-50

Premium Time (Operating Time)

The time an operator works over and above straight time work. Premium time includes:

• Overtime premium — scheduled (1.11)
• Overtime premium — unscheduled (1.12)
• Spread time premium (1.13)
• Shift premium (1.14)
• Other premium (1.15).

F-50

Preventive Maintenance Costs

All the activities, supplies, materials, labor, services, and associated costs required to preserve or extend the functionality and serviceability of the asset in a cost effective manner, up to and including the current state of the art for maintaining such asset.

These capital maintenance expenses are eligible to use FTA formula funding programs for these functions:

• Vehicle maintenance function (041)
• Non-vehicle maintenance (042) function.

F-30

Private For Profit Provider

A non-public entity that provides public transportation services. For-profit entities exist primarily to generate a profit, (i.e., a surplus of revenues over expenditures).

Introduction
B-30, F-10
A-10

Private Non-Profit Provider

A non-public entity with a tax-free status that provides public transportation services. Nonprofit entities exist to provide a particular service (e.g., public transportation) to the community. Nonprofit refers to a type of business  — one that is organized under rules that forbid the distribution of profits to owners. Profit refers to a surplus of revenues over expenditures.

Introduction
B-30, F-10
A-10

Promotion (163)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for promotion activities
• Media relations including preparing and distributing press releases
• Designing, producing and distributing promotional material (e.g., posters, decals, photographs, leaflets, newspaper mats)
• Designing and implementing, with or without outside agency assistance, programs for advertising and promoting the use of transit service.

F-30

PT

Purchased Transportation

Public Agency or Transit System

A public entity that provides public transportation services. It may be a state or local government, or any department, special purpose district (e.g. transit or transportation district), authority or other instrumentality of one or more state or local governments (e.g., joint powers agency).

Introduction
B-30, F-10
A-10

Public Entity

Any of the following three categories (49CFR37):

1. Any state or local government
2. Any department, agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality of one or more state or local governments
3. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) and any commuter authority.

Introduction
B-30, F-10
F-30, A-10

Public Transportation

As defined in the Federal Transit Act, “transportation by a conveyance that provides regular and continuing general or special transportation to the public, but does not include school bus, charter, or intercity bus transportation or intercity passenger rail transportation provided by the entity described in chapter 243 (or a successor to such entity).”

Notes: (1) Passenger rail transportation refers to Amtrak. (2) This definition does not affect the eligibility of intercity bus service under the Section 5311 Nonurbanized Area (Rural) Formula Program. (3) The intercity bus and intercity rail (Amtrak) portion of Intermodal terminals is however an eligible capital cost.

Introduction
B-10, A-10
A-20, A-30

Publico (PB)

A transit mode comprised of passenger vans or small buses operating with fixed routes but no fixed schedules. Publicos (PB) are a privately owned and operated public transit service which is market oriented and unsubsidized, but regulated through a public service commission, state or local government. Publicos (PB) are operated under franchise agreements, fares are regulated by route and there are special insurance requirements. Vehicle capacity varies from eight to 24, and the vehicles may be owned or leased by the operator.

B-10

Purchase Lease Payments (514)

The payments for which the arrangement is a financing plan for the purchase of the property by the lessee. The ownership of the property passes to the lessee upon expiration of the lease, sometimes with an additional payment far below the expected market value of the property. The property covered by such leases may or may not have been booked as owned assets, either during or after the period of the lease, in the transit agency’s internal accounting records. If purchase leases have not been capitalized in the transit agency’s internal accounting records, this category includes the lease payments for the purchase lease agreement. If the lease has been capitalized in the internal accounting records of the transit agency, it is to be accounted for in the NTD system as it has been accounted for internally.

F-40

Purchased Transportation (PT)

Transportation service provided to a public transit agency or governmental unit from a public or private transportation provider based on a written contract. The provider is obligated in advance to operate public transportation services for a public transit agency or governmental unit for a specific monetary consideration, using its own employees to operate revenue vehicles. Purchased transportation (PT) does not include:

• Franchising
• Licensing operations
• Management services
• Cooperative agreements, or
• Private conventional bus service.

Introduction
B-10, B-30
F-10, F-20
F-30, A-10
A-20, A-30
R-30, FFA-10
Declarations

Purchased Transportation (PT) Fare Revenues

The fare revenues derived from the transit services provided under the purchased transportation (PT) agreement, regardless of whether fares are retained by the seller or returned to the buyer. They are usually collected by the seller. However, they also include:

• Fares collected or sold by the buyer for users of the purchased service.

For example, if the buyer of the purchased transportation (PT) service sells tickets, tokens or passes for these users, this revenue is part of purchased transportation (PT) fare revenues.

B-30, F-10
Declarations

Purchased Transportation (PT) Service (508)

The payment or accrual (net of fare revenues) to other transit agencies, public or private, for providing transportation service and purchased transportation (PT) fare revenues. This object class is divided into 2 parts:

1. Filing in report (508.01), and
2. Filing separate report (508.02).

F-30

Purchased Transportation (PT) Service Filing Separate Report (508.02)

The payment or accrual (net of fare revenues) to other transit agencies, public or private, for providing transportation service and purchased transportation (PT) fare revenues involving sellers whose file a complete, separate NTD report.

F-30

Purchased Transportation (PT) Service in Report (508.01)

The payment or accrual (net of fare revenues) to other transit agencies, public or private, for providing transportation service and purchased transportation (PT) fare revenues involving sellers whose non-financial data are included in the buyer’s report.

F-30

Purchasing and Stores (172)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for purchasing and stores activities
• Preparing specifications for materials and supplies from vendors
• Issuing and receiving materials and supplies at storage facilities
• Delivering materials and supplies to and from requisition points
• Maintaining physical control of materials and supplies including storing, picking and packing
• Maintaining inventory control records of materials and supplies including determining reorder points and order quantities.

F-30

Qualified Statistician

An individual with a working knowledge and education or background in statistics who determines if techniques for passenger mile data collection meet FTA's requirements for statistical reliability (95 percent confidence and 10 percent precision).

S-10

Rail Modes

Transit modes whose vehicles travel along fixed rails — bars of rolled steel —  forming a track. The vehicles are usually electrically propelled typically through motors on-board the vehicles, but motors may also be at a central location not on-board the vehicles to pull the vehicles by cables (cable car (CC), inclined plane (IP)). For commuter rail (CR), vehicles may be self-propelled or may be drawn by a locomotive. NTD recognizes eight rail modes:

1. Alaska railroad (AR)
2. Automated guideway (AG) transit
3. Cable car (CC)
4. Commuter rail (CR)
5. Heavy rail (HR)
6. Inclined plane (IP)
7. Light rail (LR), and
8. Monorail (MO).

Introduction
F-20, A-10
A-20, S-10
S-20, R-30

Rail Overhaul (fleet)

The one-time rebuild or replacement of major subsystems on revenue producing rail cars and locomotives — commonly referred to as midlife overhaul.

F-20

Real Estate Management (174)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for real estate management activities
• Researching transit real estate opportunities
• Negotiating purchases and sales of transit real estate
• Arranging and managing concessionaire contracts
• Negotiating leases.

F-30

Reconciling Items

Any items where accounting practices vary for handling these expenses as a result of local ordinances and conditions. Reconciling items include:

• Depreciation and amortization
• Interest payments
• Leases and rentals.

They are called reconciling items because they are needed to provide an overall total that is consistent with local published reports.

F-40

Rehabilitation (fleet)

The rebuilding of revenue vehicles to original specifications of the manufacture. Rebuilding may include some new components but has less emphasis on structural restoration than would be the case in a remanufacturing operation, focusing on mechanical systems and vehicle interiors.

F-20

Related Parties Lease Agreement (515)

Leases for which the lease payments required of the lessee differ substantially from those in a true lease arrangement because the lessor and lessee are related organizations.

F-40

Remanufacture (fleet)

The structural restoration of revenue vehicles in addition to installation of new or rebuilt major components (e.g., as engines, transmissions, body parts) to extend service life.

F-20

Replacement (fleet)

The replacement of revenue vehicles having reached the end of a minimum normal service life.

F-20

Report Stage

The Report Stage is an indicator of how an agency’s NTD Annual Report is progressing from initial data input through closeout. There are four stages:

1. Working Data
2. Original Submission
3. Revision
4. Closeout

Internet Reporting

Report Time (1.01)

The time allowed an operator to report to the dispatcher, obtain instructions for the run, locate the revenue vehicle he / she is to operate, and depart the operating station to undertake the run. This is also called pullout time.

F-50

Reporting Waiver

Relief from filing an NTD report.

Introduction
Internet Reporting

Revenue Facility

A location or an area within a location that is used to enable individuals to board or alight transit vehicles and that is controlled by the transit system.

Revenue Service (Miles, Hours, and Trips)

The time when a vehicle is available to the general public and there is an expectation of carrying passengers. These passengers either:

• Directly pay fares
• Are subsidized by public policy, or
• Provide payment through some contractual arrangement.

Vehicles operated in fare free service are considered in revenue service. Revenue service includes:

• Layover / recovery time.

Revenue service excludes:

• Deadhead
• Vehicle maintenance testing
• School bus service, and
• Charter service.

F-50, A-10
A-30, S-10
R-20, FFA-10
Declarations

Revenue Time

The hours (miles) that are comprised of running time and layover / recovery time.

S-10

Revenue Vehicle

The floating and rolling stock used to provide revenue service for passengers.

Introduction
B-10, F-20
F-30, F-50
A-10, S-10
R-10, R-20
R-30
Declarations

Revenue Vehicle Movement Control (012)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for revenue vehicle movement control activities
• Dispatching operators and vehicles from the operating station
• Monitoring transit operations in communications and control centers
• Supervising transit operations along transit routes
• Controlling the return of operators and vehicles to the operating station.

These may be accomplished by conventional means or through the use of advanced technologies including automatic vehicle location, transit operations software and automated demand response (DR) dispatching systems. Vehicle guidance systems and intermodal transportation management centers may also be employed to assist revenue vehicle movement control activities.

F-30

Revenue Vehicle Operation (030)

Component activities include:

• Moving revenue vehicles along transit routes while boarding and discharging passengers
• Moving revenue vehicles from operating stations to route termini or between route termini (e.g., deadheading)
• Laying over at route termini for an operator’s rest period
• Moving operators to and from relief points
• Providing non-driving assistance in passenger loading.

F-30

Revenues Accrued through a Purchased Transportation (PT) Agreement

Revenue accrued by a seller of transportation services through purchased transportation (PT) agreements, not including passenger fares for purchased transportation (PT) services from service provided under the purchased transportation (PT) agreement.

F-10

Revision

A report stage indicating that the NTD Annual Report has been submitted to NTD by the agency more than once and the report is undergoing validation.

Internet Reporting

RL

Vehicle Type: Commuter Rail Locomotives

Route Deviation

A type of transit service that operates as conventional fixed route bus (MB) service along a fixed alignment or path with scheduled time points at each terminal point and key intermediate locations. Route deviation service is different than conventional fixed route bus (MB) service in that the bus (MB) may deviate from the route alignment to serve destinations within a prescribed distance (e.g., ¾ mile) of the route. Following an off route deviation, the bus must return to the point on the route it left. Passengers may use the service in two ways:

1. If they want to be taken off route as part of a service deviation, they must tell the bus operator when boarding, or
2. If they want to be picked up at an off route location, they must call the transit system and request a pickup, and the dispatcher notifies the bus operator.

B-10, S-10

RP

Vehicle Type: Commuter Rail Passenger Coaches

RS

Vehicle Type: Commuter Rail Self-Propelled Passenger Cars

Run Selection Time (2.07)

The time allowed to sign up for runs.

F-50

Running Time

The hours (miles) the vehicle travels on the route in passenger service, typically from the beginning to the end of a route. It includes all travel and time from the point of the first passenger pickup to the last passenger drop-off, as long as the vehicle does not return to the dispatching point.

F-10, S-10

Safe Operation

Concept that applies to priority lanes on freeways, expressways and other /high-speed facilities used by bus (MB) mode and other high occupancy vehicles (HOV), i.e., vanpools (VP) and carpools, to ensure safe travel. For these lanes, there must be some indication of separation to ensure safe access between free flowing high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes and the congested, unrestricted lanes.

Separation can be accomplished at least two ways:

1. Physical barriers such as cones, concrete dividers, medians
2. Pavement markings such as a double solid wide line, a single solid wide line, a single broken wide line, or a diagonally striped area between lanes.

S-20

Safety (166)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for a system safety program
• Providing safety-first and other campaigns among employees or the public for the purpose of preventing accidents and damages
• Compiling and maintaining safety statistics.

F-30

Safety and Security Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Certification

A letter signed by the chief executive officer (CEO) of the agency certifying the accuracy of the safety and security data submitted to the NTD for the past calendar year.

Introduction
Internet Reporting
Declarations

Sampling

A statistical technique for the collection of passenger mile data. The sampling technique may be one of the FTA approved procedures or an alternative methodology that meets FTA's requirements for statistical reliability (95 percent confidence and ±10 percent precision).

S-10

SB

Vehicle Type: School Buses

Scheduled Passenger Car Revenue Miles

The passenger car revenue miles computed from the scheduled service. It includes only the scheduled passenger car revenue miles from the whole trip. It excludes:

• Deadhead
• Service interruptions, and
• Special additional services.

S-10

Scheduled Revenue Trip

Revenue service that is provided for picking up and discharging passengers on a continuing and regular basis, i.e., “scheduled.” A scheduled revenue trip appears on internal transit agency planning documents (e.g., run paddles, trip tickets and public timetables).

R-20

Scheduled Service

The total service scheduled to be provided for picking up and discharging passengers. Scheduled service is computed from internal transit agency planning documents (e.g., run paddles, trip tickets and public timetables). Scheduled service excludes:

• Service interruptions, and
• Special additional services.

S-10

Scheduled Vehicle Revenue Miles

The vehicle revenue miles computed from the scheduled service. It includes only the scheduled vehicle revenue miles from the whole trip. It excludes:

• Deadhead
• Service interruptions, and
• Special additional services.

S-10

Scheduling of Transportation Operations (021)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for scheduling activities
• Collecting data for schedule making
• Making schedules
• Cutting runs
• Furnishing schedule information (e.g., routes, miles, time and run definitions).

F-30

School Bus Hours

The vehicle hours of travel by revenue vehicles while serving as a school bus. School bus hours are only hours where a bus is primarily or solely dedicated to carrying school passengers.

S-10

School Bus Service

The exclusive use of buses to carry children and school personnel to and from their schools or school-related activities. It includes county school buses, private school buses, and buses chartered from private companies for the express purposes of carrying students to or from school and / or school-related activities.

Introduction
S-10

School Bus Service Revenues

The revenue earned operating vehicles under school bus contracts. This is the exclusive use of buses to carry children to and from their schools.

F-10

School Buses (SB)

Vehicle Type: Passenger vehicles which are:

• Designed or used to carry more than ten passengers in addition to the driver
• Used primarily for the purpose of transporting preprimary, primary or secondary school students either to such schools from home or from such schools to home.

A-30

School Tripper

Additional capacity that an agency adds to an existing public transit route to meet the demands of traveling students. The additional service is open to the general public.

S-10

Seating Capacity

The number of seats that are actually installed in the vehicle.

A-30

Seller

The public agency or private company providing transit services under a purchase transportation (PT) agreement with the NTD reporter buying the transit services. The seller uses its employees to operate the service (vehicle operators).

Introduction
B-30, F-10
F-20, F-30
A-10, A-20
A-30, S-10
FFA-10
Declarations

Service Area

A measure of access to transit service in terms of population served and area coverage (square miles). The reporting transit agency determines the service area boundaries and population for most transit services using the definitions contained in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Transit agency reporters are required to submit service area information on the Identification form (B-10).

Introduction
B-10, S-10
FFA-10

Service Area — Bus

A measure of access to transit service in terms of population served and area coverage (square miles). The reporting transit agency determines the service area boundaries and population for most transit services using the definitions contained in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA): "Bus. (i) The entity shall provide complementary paratransit service to origins and destinations within corridors with a width of three-fourths of a mile on each side of each fixed route. The corridor shall include an area with a three-fourths of a mile radius at the ends of each fixed route. (ii) Within the core service area, the entity also shall provide service to small areas not inside any of the corridors but which are surrounded by corridors. (iii) Outside the core service area, the entity may designate corridors with widths from three-fourths of a mile up to one and one-half miles on each side of a fixed route, based on local circumstances. (iv) . . . the core service area is that area in which corridors with a width of three-fourths of a mile on each side of each fixed route merge together such that, with few and small exceptions, all origins and destinations within the area would be served."

This definition is taken in part from the U. S. Department of Transportation Federal Register, Vol. 56, No. 173, Rules and Regulations, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).

B-10

Service Area — Demand Response

As Demand Response does not operate over a fixed route, but rather serves a broad area, the service area cannot be measured by corridors (see Service Area – Bus (MB)). Therefore, the service area for demand response (DR) is the area encompassing the origin to destination points wherever people can be picked up and dropped off.

B-10

Service Area — Rail

A measure of access to transit service in terms of population served and area coverage (square miles). The reporting transit agency determines the service area boundaries and population for most transit services using the definitions contained in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA): "Rail. (i) For rail systems, the service area shall consist of a circle with a radius of 3/4 of a mile around each station. (ii) At end stations and other stations in outlying area, the entity may designate circles with radii of up to 1-1/2 miles as part of its service area, based on local circumstances."

This definition is taken in part from the U. S. Department of Transportation Federal Register, Vol. 56, No. 173, Rules and Regulations, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).

B-10

Service Consumed

The amount of service actually used by passengers and which is measured by unlinked passenger trips and passenger miles.

S-10

Service Supplied

The amount of service scheduled or actually operated. Service supplied is measured in vehicles, miles and / or hours that were operated.

S-10

Service Vehicles

The vehicles used to support revenue vehicle operations and that are not used to carry transit passengers. Types of service vehicles include:

• Tow trucks
• Supervisor vans
• Transit police cars
• Staff cars
• Maintenance vehicles for maintaining passenger facilities and rights-of-way (ROW) (rail stations, bus shelters, track, etc.).

Also referred to as non-revenue vehicles.

F-20, F-30
A-10, R-20

Services (503)

The labor and other work provided by outside organizations for fees and related expenses. In most instances, services from an outside organization are procured as a substitute for in-house employee labor, except in the case of independent audits, which could not be performed by employees in the first place. The substitution is usually made because the skills offered by the outside organization are needed for only a short period of time or are better than internally available skills. The charge for these services is usually based on the labor hours invested in performing the service. Services include:

• Management service fees
• Advertising fees
• Professional and technical services
• Temporary help,
• Contract maintenance services
• Custodial services and security services.

F-30

Servicing and Fuel of Service Vehicles (081)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for the servicing of service vehicles
• Washing and cleaning exterior of service vehicles
• Washing and cleaning interior of service vehicles
• Hostling service vehicles throughout service area (within operating station or garage)
• Refueling and adding oil and water to service vehicles.

F-30, R-20

Servicing Revenue Vehicles (051)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for servicing revenue vehicles
• Washing and cleaning revenue vehicles
• Hostling revenue vehicles throughout service area (within operating station or garage)
• Refueling and adding oil and water to revenue vehicles.

F-30, R-20

Shift Premium (1.14)

The bonuses for working during times of day that are subject to special pay differentials.

F-50

Sightseeing Service

A service whose purpose is to carry passengers on tours and excursions or to visit and see objects and places of interest. Sightseeing may or may not involve a tour guide.

Introduction

Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV)

A vehicle having only one occupant (the driver).

F-10, S-20
FFA-10
Declarations

Social Service Agency

A public or private non-profit organization providing specialized programs and transportation service to a specific clientele such as the elderly and persons with disabilities.

B-30

SOV

Single Occupancy Vehicle

Spare Vehicles

The revenue vehicles maintained by the transit agency to:

• Meet routine and heavy maintenance requirements
• Meet unexpected vehicle breakdowns or accidents
• Thereby preserve scheduled service operations.

Introduction
A-30, S-10

Special Transit Fares

The revenues earned for rides given in regular transit revenue service, but paid for by some organization rather than by the rider, and for rides given along special routes for which revenue may be guaranteed by a beneficiary of the service. Special transit fares include:

• Providing rides for letter carriers with payments being made directly from the U.S. Postal Service
• Providing rides for police with payments being made directly from the police authority
• Industrial firms, shopping centers, public and private universities, etc., to guarantee a minimum revenue on a line operated especially for the benefit of the payer
• Contractual arrangements with state or local governments
• Contractual arrangements from non-government entities for special transit fares and from providing special service rides for sporting events, sightseeing, etc., where fares are not guaranteed on a contractual basis.

F-10

Spread Time Premium (1.13)

The bonus above straight time pay for hours worked after a specified number of hours from the start of the operator’s day.

F-50

Standby Time (2.05)

The time an operator spends at the operating station, at the transit agency’s direction awaiting assignment of a piece of work. Standby time is called show-up time or protection time by some transit agencies.

F-50

Standing Capacity

The number of standing passengers that can be accommodated aboard the revenue vehicle during a normal full load (non-crush) in accordance with established loading policy or, in absence of a policy, the manufacturer’s rated standing capacity figures.

A-30

State Government Funds

Financial assistance obtained from a state government(s) to assist with paying the costs of providing transit services.

F-10

Station Concessions

The revenue earned from granting operating rights to businesses (e.g., concessionaires, newsstands, candy counters) on property maintained by the transit agency.

F-10

STIC

FTA Small Transit Intensive Cities Formula

STP

Surface Transportation Program

Straight Time Allowances (Operating Time)

The time when an operator works at the base or regular rate of pay. Straight time allowances includes:

• Report time (1.01)
• Turn-in time (1.02)
• Travel time (1.03)
• Intervening time (1.06)
• Paid breaks and meal allowances (1.07)
• Minimum guarantee for call out (1.08)
• Minimum guarantee-daily (1.09)
• Minimum guarantee-weekly (1.10)
• Standby time (2.05).

F-50

Student Training Time (2.02)

The time a new operator spends being trained to operate revenue vehicles. If a student is operating a revenue vehicle alone in line service, then the time is charged to platform time (1.04).

F-50

Subsidies from other Sectors of Operations

The funds obtained from other sectors of a transit agency’s operations to help cover the cost of providing transit service. Subsidies from other sectors of transit operations include:

• Subsidies from utility rates where the transit agency is a utility company
• Subsidies from bridge and tunnel tolls owned and operated by the transit agency
• Subsidies from other sources provided by the same entity that operates the transit agency.

F-10

Subsidy

Government financial assistance.

F-10

Subway Tunnel / Tube

Rail transit way below surface with a cover over the tunnel. Cut and cover, bored tunnel, underwater tubes, etc., are included.

A-20

Surface Transportation Program (STP)

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) funds transferred from the Surface Transportation Program (STS) to FTA for transit projects. These funds may be used for capital projects including, ridesharing projects, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, transit safety improvements and transportation control measures; and, for planning activities including transit research and development, environmental analysis and wetland mitigation.

F-10

System

A system is a group of devices or objects forming a network especially for distributing something or serving a common purpose (e.g. telephone, data processing systems).

F-20

System Security (161)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for security activities
• Patrolling revenue vehicles and passenger stations during revenue operations
• Patrolling and controlling access to yards, buildings and structures
• Monitoring security devices such as closed circuit TV and alarm systems
• Reporting breaches of security.

Security activities associated with the fare collection and counting process should be included as part of ticketing and fare collection (151).

F-30

Taxes (507)

The taxes levied against the transit agency by Federal, state and local governments.

F-30

Taxicab Operator

A private for profit company where passenger vehicles are for hire by the riding public.

B-30

Taxicab Sedan (TS)

Vehicle Type: An automobile in which passengers are carried for a fare at a rate usually recorded by a taximeter.

A-30

Taxicab Station Wagon (TW)

Vehicle Type: A station wagon in which passengers are carried for a fare at a rate usually recorded by a taximeter.

A-30

Taxicab Van (TV)

Vehicle Type: A van in which passengers are carried for a fare at a rate usually recorded by a taximeter.

A-30

Taxicabs

Vehicle Type: Three categories of vehicles based upon size: sedan (TS), van (TV), and station wagon (TW).

A-30

TB

Trolleybus

TB

Vehicle Type: Trolleybus

TEAM

FTA Recipient Identification Number

Temporary Employees

Employees of the transit agency working full time or part time hours, but only for a limited period of time for the completion of a set task. These persons are usually not entitled to receive any benefits and do not have any job security rights. Persons employed through a temporary employment agency are not temporary employees of the transit agency.

R-10

Ticketing and Fare Collection (151)

Component activities include:

• Providing supervision and clerical support for fare collection and counting activities
• Producing fare media
• Controlling tickets and tokens in the custody of sales agents
• Pulling vaults and downloading credit and debit card data from fare collection devices
• Transporting cash, credit card and debit card data to accounting facilities
• Counting cash, transfers and tokens
• Performing the accounting for credit and debit card sales
• Destroying used fare media
• Providing security for the fare collection process
• Auditing and controlling fare collection including reconciling readings to cash, credit card and debit card collections.

The term fare media includes any means of payment or proof of payment distributed by the agency either directly or through agents under private contract, and includes:

• Tickets
• Tokens
• Transfers
• Passes
• Fare cards
• Smart cards.

F-30

Time Service Begins

Start of morning transit service, i.e., the time when the first revenue service vehicle leaves the garage or point of dispatch.

S-10

Time Service Ends

End of night transit service; i.e., the time when a revenue service vehicle returns to the garage or point of dispatch.

S-10

Time Spent in Customer Services (2.11)

The time an operator spends performing part of the customer services function (see function 162) on a temporary assignment. For example, this category would cover operators who substitute as telephone information operators.

F-50

Time Spent in Other Non-Operating Functions (2.12)

The time an operator spends performing functions on a temporary basis other than:

• Instructor premium for operator training
• Student training time
• Accident reporting time
• Witness time
• Time spent on union functions
• Run selection time
• Other time spent in transportation administration
• Time spent in revenue vehicle movement control
• Time spent in ticketing and fare collection
• Time spent in customer service.

F-50

Time Spent in Revenue Vehicle Movement Control (2.09)

The time an operator spends performing part of the revenue vehicle control function (see function 012) on a temporary assignment. For example, this category would cover operators who substitute for control center personnel.

F-50

Time Spent in Ticketing and Fare Collection (2.10)

The time an operator spends performing part of the ticketing and fare collection function (see function 151) on a temporary assignment. For example, this category would cover operators used as vault pullers. It does not include:

• Time spent collecting fares
• Tickets incidental to operating a vehicle.

F-50

Time Spent on Union Functions (2.06)

The time allowed for certain operators to spend in conducting union business.

F-50

Tires and Tubes (504.02)

The lease payments for tires and tubes rented on a time period or mileage basis or the cost of tires and tubes for replacement of tires and tubes on vehicles.

F-30

TOS

Type of Service

Total Miles on Active Vehicles during the Period

The total miles accumulated during the period on all active vehicles, based on the end of period inventory.

A-30

Total Service

The time from when a transit vehicle starts (pull-out time) from a garage to go into revenue service to the time it returns to the garage (pull-in time) after completing its revenue service. Since total service covers the time between:

• Pull-out, and
• Pull-in

It therefore includes both:

• Deadhead, and
• Revenue service.

S-10

TR

Aerial Tramway

TR

Vehicle Type: Aerial Tramways

Train

One or more passenger cars (including locomotives) coupled together and propelled by self-contained motor equipment. Also known as a consist which may be any one of the following:

• A locomotive and one or more passenger cars as in the commuter rail (CR) mode, or
• One or more heavy rail (HR) or light rail (LR) vehicles, or
• One vehicle only, if appropriate to that mode (e.g. cable car (CC)).

S-10

Train Hours

The hours that trains are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service (actual train revenue hours) plus deadhead hours. Actual train hours include:

• Layover / recovery time

But exclude:

• Hours for charter services
• Operator training, and
• Vehicle maintenance testing.

S-10

Train Miles

The miles that trains are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service (actual train revenue miles) plus deadhead miles. Actual train miles exclude:

• Miles for charter services
• Operator training, and
• Vehicle maintenance testing.

S-10

Train Revenue Hours

The hours that trains are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service. Train revenue hours include:

• Layover / recovery time

But exclude:

• Deadhead
• Training operators prior to revenue service
• Vehicle maintenance tests, and
• Charter services.

S-10

Train Revenue Miles

The miles that trains are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service. Train revenue miles exclude:

• Deadhead
• Training operators prior to revenue service
• Maintenance vehicle tests, and
• Charter services.

S-10

Trains in Operation

The maximum number of trains actually operated to provide service on an average weekday, average Saturday and average Sunday.

S-10

Transit

Synonymous term with public transportation

B-10

Transportation Administration and Support (011)

Component activities include:

• Supervising station and terminal transportation activities
• Providing clerical support for transportation administration activities
• Making operators available for revenue vehicle operation (i.e., report, standby, breaks other than layovers, and turn-in time)
• Instructing operators, except that instructor’s base pay for platform instruction time is included in revenue vehicle operation (030)
• Inspecting operator performance by service inspector
• Reporting accidents and appearing as a witness
• Selecting runs during sign-up
• Representing union
• Administering sign-ups.

F-30

Travel Time (1.03)

The time allowed an operator to travel between the operating station and the point where the operator relieves / is relieved by another operator. The operator does not operate the revenue vehicle during travel time.

F-50

Trolleybus (TB)

A transit mode comprised of electric rubber-tired passenger vehicles, manually steered and operating singly on city streets. Vehicles are propelled by a motor drawing current through overhead wires via trolleys, from a central power source not on-board the vehicle.

B-10

Trolleybuses (TB)

Vehicle Type: Rubber-tired, electrically powered passenger vehicles operated on city streets drawing power from overhead lines with trolleys.

A-30

True Lease (TL)

Vehicles leased in a manner so that the lessee does not acquire the capital appreciation of the vehicles as lease payments are made. However, a true lease (TL) may include an option to buy the vehicles after the term of the lease at the depreciated or at a prearranged value.

A-30

TS

Vehicle Type: Taxicab Sedan

Turn-In Time (1.02)

The time allowed an operator to report the conclusion of a piece of work to the dispatcher.

F-50

TV

Vehicle Type: Taxicab Van

TW

Vehicle Type: Taxicab Station Wagon

Type of Service (TOS)

Describes how public transportation services are provided by the transit agency: directly operated (DO) or purchased transportation (PT) services.

Introduction
Internet Reporting
B-10, F-20
F-30, F-40
A-10, A-20
S-10, S-20
R-20, FFA-10
Declarations

Typical Day

A day on which the transit agency operates its normal, regular schedule and there are no anomalies such as extra service added for a convention or reduced service as a result of weather.

S-10

UA

Urbanized Area Formula Program (funded vehicles)

UAF

FTA Urbanized Area Formula Program

UAF

Urbanized Area Funding

Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Elements (FARE)

Transit industry initiative for a uniform reporting system for transit agencies.

Introduction

Uniform System of Accounts (USOA)

A structure of categories and definitions used for NTD reporting to ensure uniform data. The USOA contains:

1. Various categories of accounts and records for classifying financial (Chart of Accounts) and operating data
2. Definitions of the data elements included in each category
3. Definitions of practices for the orderly and regular collection and recording of the data.

Introduction
B-10, F-30
F-50, S-10
FFA-10
Declarations

Unlinked Passenger Trips (UPT)

The number of passengers who board public transportation vehicles. Passengers are counted each time they board vehicles no matter how many vehicles they use to travel from their origin to their destination.

Internet Reporting
F-10, S-10
FFA-10
Declarations

UPT

Unlinked Passenger Trips

Urbanized Area (UZA)

An area defined by the U. S. Census Bureau that includes:

• One or more incorporated cities
• Villages, and
• Towns (central place), and
• The adjacent densely settled surrounding territory (urban fringe) that together have a minimum of 50,000 persons.

The urban fringe generally consists of contiguous territory having a density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile. Urbanized areas do not conform to congressional districts or any other political boundaries.

Introduction
Internet Reporting
B-10, S-10
FFA-10
Declarations

Urbanized Area Formula Program (UA) (funded vehicles)

Vehicles purchased with funds administered under the Urbanized Area Formula Program.

A-30

USOA

Uniform System of Accounts

Utilities (505)

The payments made to various utilities for utilization of their resources (e.g., electric, gas, water, telephone, etc.). Utilities include:

• Propulsion power purchased from an outside utility company and used for propelling electrically driven vehicles
• Other utilities such as electrical power for purposes other than for electrically driven vehicles, water and sewer, gas, garbage collection and telephone.

F-30

UZA

Urbanized Area

UZA Number

A code assigned by FTA that is a numerical ranking by urbanized area (UZA) population size. Urbanized area (UZA) and population are based on 2000 U.S. Bureau of the Census statistics.

B-10, FFA-10

Vandalism Repairs of Buildings, Grounds and Equipment (131)

Repairing all special damage to buildings, grounds and equipment resulting from willful or malicious destruction or defacement.

F-30

Vandalism Repairs of Revenue Vehicles (071)

Repairing all special damage to revenue vehicles resulting from willful or malicious destruction or defacement.

F-30, R-20

Vanpool (VP)

A transit mode comprised of vans, small buses and other vehicles operating as a ride sharing arrangement, providing transportation to a group of individuals traveling directly between their homes and a regular destination within the same geographical area. The vehicles shall have a minimum seating capacity of seven persons, including the driver. For inclusion in the NTD, it is considered public transit service if it:

• Is operated by a public entity, or
• Is one in which a public entity owns, purchases, or leases the vehicle(s).

Vanpool(s) (VP) must also be in compliance with public transit rules including Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provisions, and be open to the public and that availability must be made known. Other forms of public participation to encourage ridesharing arrangements, such as:

• The provision of parking spaces
• Use of high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes
• Coordination or clearing house service, do not qualify as public vanpools.

B-10

Vans (VN)

Vehicle Type: Vehicles having a typical seating capacity of five to 15 passengers and classified as a van by vehicle manufacturers. A modified van is a standard van that has undergone some structural changes, usually made to increase its size and particularly its height. The seating capacity of modified vans is approximately nine to 18 passengers.

A-30

Vehicle Concessions

The revenue earned from granting rights to concessionaires (e.g., food and beverage service) on the transit agency’s vehicles.

F-10

Vehicle Hours (Miles)

The hours (miles) that a vehicle is scheduled to or actually travels from the time it pulls out from its garage to go into revenue service to the time it pulls in from revenue service. It is often called platform time.

S-10