This article defines common Avail terminology, abbreviations, and acronyms that may be referenced in articles for documentation and training content. There can be regional differences in transit terminology, so this guide establishes Avail's most common uses and meanings.
Availians
| AM | Account Manager |
| BD | Business Development |
| FE | Field Engineering |
| PIT | Product Integration and Testing |
| PM | Project Manager |
| SD | Systems Deployment |
| SIT | System Integration and Test |
| PSE | Professional Services Engineer |
| CARE | Regional teams dedicated to supporting agency needs and communications. Customer Adoption, Retention, and Engagement |
myAvail Platform
| ACK | Acknowledgment |
| BIB | Bus in a Box - A driver training station that simulates the dashboard of a vehicle and is used to teach operators, agency trainers, dispatchers and even maintenance teams how to interact with the system through hands- on experiences: using dispatch operations tools and the MDT display unit installed in vehicles for vehicle operator use. |
| BOB | Bus on a Board - A training station used for demonstration and hands-on training typically for maintenance staff. |
| BWS | Business Web Services: The managing application that handles all business of the AVL system. Any high-level task that the dispatcher requests, or message that comes into the central system from a vehicle, is directed to the appropriate place by the BWS. |
| CCM | Communications Control Module: now commonly known as an RCU – Radio Control Unit |
| COMMS | An Avail service designed to provide a messaging interface between the MyAvail system and the 3rd -party applications. This service processes all vehicle communications and routes vehicle messaging to the appropriate product. |
| DataPoint Application | A web-based application that initially provided a UI to integrate with GFI data. DataPoint was also used to setup schedule data attributes- routes, fleet information, service levels, and related ridership reporting tools, such as fares and fare mapping. Customers who used a third-party scheduling tool would manage the schedule data in that tool, and the data was imported into the CAD/AVL system and viewable within DataPoint. System adjustments are entered in DataPoint for service deviations- to account for day-to-day adjustments in service. These automatically feed into NTD reporting metrics (also in DataPoint) |
| DataPoint Reports- Legacy | Legacy system reporting capabilities and their benefits. Canned reports that easily supported identifying potential operational improvements for customers. Reports included Schedule Adherence, Logon/Logoff, Running Times, and Ridership data. This information now resides in the Business Intelligence Reporting Tool. |
BI -Business Intelligence A Data Analytics Tool | Business Intelligence. This is Avail's web-based reporting tool accessed via ETMS and used to report on data metrics for an agency; based on vehicle performance against the digital schedule. It also includes a variety of reports to specifically support a variety of analytical needs. Report are categorized for specific agency teams: Maintenance, Operations, Planning/ Scheduling, Statistics, and an Admin area that allows for bookmarking reports for ease. |
| DIRT | Data Import Reconciliation Tool: A utility that reads schedule data files exported from various scheduling packages and loads them into the CAD/AVL database. The tool provides a GUI for reviewing and processing any potential data problems identified during the import process. The tool must be configured for each specific implementation of each supported scheduling package. |
| Dispatch Operations Tool | myAvail flagship product primarily used to monitor and proactively support vehicles on the road. Features include Communications, Real Time Vehicle data collection, Incident Management, Detour Management, Decision Support and Public Messaging tools |
| IEB | Interface Expansion Box - Port expander/interface unit for the MDT used by Avail in place or generic term VLU or IVLU. |
| IVLU | In-Vehicle Logic Unit: See IVU |
| IVU | In-Vehicle (logic) Unit (IVLU/IVU/VLU) can be used interchangeably with IVU. IVU is the preferred term for Avail. The IVU is like the 'brain' of the system. One example, the IVU stores the digital schedule. Another is managing the diagnostics at vehicle startup. |
| MDT | Mobile Data Terminal - MDT and MDC are terms sometimes used interchangeably. MDT is Avail's preferred term as the MDT is simply a display unit installed in the vehicle as a primary interface for the IVU ( in vehicle unit). The MDT displays information for the vehicle operator- block/run/paddle information, next three stops and depart times. Vehicle and MDT login connect the vehicle to its schedule and begins essential data capture against the digital schedule for revenue/ non-revenue data collection, vehicle health and some other specifications. |
| MDC | Mobile Digital Computer- A computerized device used in public transit vehicles, courier vehicles, service trucks, commercial trucking fleets, military logistics, fishing fleets, warehouse inventory vehicles, and emergency vehicles to display day-of service schedules and communicate with a central dispatch office |
| MGR | Mobile Gateway Router |
| MTS | Maintenance Training Station: A training tool used to review/ interact with the components of the in-vehicle system to demonstrate functionality on a 'breakout board'. Maintenance personnel can also use the MTS for testing individual components of the system. |
| myAvail | Avail's flagship product The name myAvail can refer to separate concepts: myAvail Workstation Application which is the client side of the myAvail server and is the primary user interface for most operational needs |
| myStop® phone app & myStop website | Method of providing real-time vehicle location and departure times via smart phones. myStop tools are also available on a website. |
| RCU | Radio Control Unit - An Avail device used to control radio communications from vehicles in a closed mic system. |
| Replay Tool | Tool in MyAvail that allows users to retrace the history for a range of time for a vehicle, route, run, block, or operator to confirm activity on the road. Users may view attributes such as speed, dwell times at stop locations, onboard counts, etc. |
| TALE- Legacy Tool | Trigger Action Location Editor: Avail program that allows users to create and edit geo-fences (virtual barriers that trigger in-vehicle functions when a vehicle enters or exits a trigger box location) |
| TIDS | Traveler Information Data Service: Provides the real-time data displayed to the public |
| TIS | Traveler Information System: The tab within myAvail for managing traveler information |
| VLU | Vehicle Logic Unit: See IVU |
| Yard Management | The yard map feature allows the creation of parking configuration that promotes pullout efficiencies and assists bus handlers with parking locations. This tool can monitor pullout status and assign vehicles and drivers from extraboard. The tool also assists bus handlers with locating parked vehicles. |
Legacy ERP (Fleet-Net) Module Abbreviations
| AB | Automated Bid Package |
| AD | Automated Dispatch |
| AM | Asset Management |
| AR | Accounts Receivable |
| AP | Accounts Payable |
| BM | Bid Management |
| CM | Components |
| CS | Claims and Safety |
| CT | Contract Management |
| DB | Dashboard |
| ES | Easy Sample |
| FA | Fixed Assets |
| FC | Fast Cuts |
| FF | Fast Fuel |
| FI | Fuel Island |
| FS | Fast Stats |
| FT | Fast Track |
| GL | General Ledger |
| GM | Grant Management |
| HR | Human Resources |
| HROJ | HR Online Job Application |
| IN | Inventory |
| LS | Leave Scheduling |
| MK | Marketing |
| MU | Menu Items |
| NT | NTD Reporting |
| OT | Operator Timekeeping |
| PC | Parts Catalog |
| PO | Purchase Orders |
| PR | Payroll |
| PRA | Payroll A |
| PRB | Payroll B |
| PRCM | CompuMatic Time Clock Interface |
| PRHA | Hastus Pay Time Interface |
| PRIN | INIT – PERDIS Pay Time Interface |
| PRSB | Schlage Biometric Pay Time Import |
| PRTC | Pay Time Interface Time Clock |
| PRTP | Trapeze Pay Time Interface |
| PS | Public Schedules |
| PSAV | Avail Export |
| PT | Project Tracking |
| RD | Rides |
| RQ | Requisition |
| RR | Revenue and Ridership |
| SD | Service Desk |
| SYS | System |
| TK | Timekeeping |
| TP | Trapeze Interface |
| TX | Trip Planner |
| VM | Vehicle Maintenance |
| VP | Vehicle Problems/Road Calls |
| WO | Work Orders |
Transit Concepts
These terms can vary slightly in meaning across the industry. The definitions below are how Avail defines these terms. These definitions are generic and subject to variations in interpretation in some situations.
| Accessible Vehicle | A revenue vehicle that does not restrict access, is usable, and provides allocated space and/or priority seating for individuals who use assistive devices for mobility support. Examples: wheelchairs, walkers, canes |
| Active Vehicle | In ETMS, an active vehicle is included in a fleet group and used for publicly offered service; a vehicle used to transport ridership in revenue service. This can include spares and vehicles temporarily held out of service for routine maintenance. |
| ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act |
| APTA | American Public Transportation Association |
| Articulated Bus: R-TIC | A 60-foot three-axle bus with an “accordion” section in the middle that allows the bus to bend and flex (articulate). The articulated bus has more passenger capacity than standard 40-foot buses. |
| Average Speed | The total miles of revenue service divided by the total hours of revenue service. Average speed includes time traveling and time waiting for passengers plus any other delays. Operating without vehicle traffic, heavy rail generally has the fastest average speed. Light rail usually operates in some vehicle traffic. Urban buses are the slowest. |
| Average Trip Length | The average distance ridden for an unlinked passenger trip by time period (weekday, Saturday, Sunday) computed as passenger miles divided by unlinked passenger trips. |
| Bad Comms | A vehicle that hasn’t been heard from in X minutes |
| Base Service | The number of buses that remain in service on a line for the entire day. Does not include buses that only operate during school and commute hour service. Base service is determined by the frequency of buses that must run from the beginning to the end of a line to adequately service riders during off-peak periods, like mid-day and evenings. |
| Block | Refers to a vehicle schedule for a business day; the daily assignment for an individual bus. One or more runs can work a block. A driver schedule can be known as a 'run' or 'paddle'. The work assigned to an individual vehicle, which consists of one or more patterns of one or more routes. Each vehicle can be assigned more than ne block. |
| Block Number | Refers to the actual number. This value/ Id is used by the driver on the MDT: Also known as the schedule number that is displayed on the windshield by the front door on every bus in service. |
| Blocking for Trips | Refers to how bus schedule work is put together to represent one trip. Creating a schedule operated by one bus must meet the union contract for layovers, and the planned requirements of the proposed schedule. |
| Boarding Riders | Refers to the number of passengers getting on a specific transit vehicle in service on any one day. One passenger completed round trip equals two riders. The number of boarding riders can be used to help determine vehicle capacity, ridership trend, # of vehicles to schedule, and the frequency of service. |
| BRT | Bus Rapid Transit: A type of limited-stop service developed in the 1990s that relies on specific roadways as 'dedicated lanes' for transit vehicles' use coupled with technology to help with service frequency and on-time performance. It can operate on exclusive transit-ways, high-occupancy-vehicle lanes, expressways, or ordinary streets. A BRT line combines intelligent transportation systems technology, priority for transit, rapid and convenient fare collection, and integration with land use policy to substantially upgrade bus system performance. Refers to a new concept that seeks to achieve a high-quality transit service like light rail but at a lower cost using buses. BRT vehicles are generally low-floor, high-capacity, low-emission buses, with exclusive rights-of-way, rapid fare collection, and infrastructure development. |
| Bus shelter | Refers to a 'weatherized' shelter for riders to wait for the bus |
| CAD/AVL | Computer Aided Dispatching tools and Automatic Vehicle Location system |
| CSP | Comprehensive Service Plan: Refers to a plan to restructure the grid route network into a multi-destination, multipurpose route network to increase per capita transit ridership in an area. |
| CTC | California Transportation Commission: Refers to a state-level version of MTC that sets state spending priorities for highways and transit and allocates funds. The governor appoints its nine members. |
| Deadhead | This is non-revenue time attributed to scheduled service. Deadhead time typically begins at the transit garage/ yard and ends at the transit garage/ yard ( unless the vehicle is continuing on other service pieces. Example: One trip ends at the Transit Center, the next begins for the same vehicle, also at the Transit Center. Deadhead is assigned a unique identifier (such as 99 or 999). This assists with delineating between revenue and no-revenue service in reporting metrics. |
| Demand Response | Also known as Paratransit or Dial-a-Ride. Service 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. The following characterizes a demand response operation:
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). Complementary paratransit service is required by law for persons with disabilities and others, if not able to use fixed-route service. Generally, it must operate in the same areas and during the same hours. The fare is limited to twice the fixed-route fare. Service may be the fixed-route bus agency or by a separate agency. General demand response service is not required by law and is not subject to the restrictions imposed on complementary paratransit service. The transit agency may limit service to certain people, or it may be available to anyone. Some services operate during late-night and weekend hours in place of fixed-route services. User-side subsidy service is a transportation arrangement where the rider's cost of transportation is partially subsidized by the transit agency. The user is the rider who pays a reduced fare. A typical user-side subsidy program is operated through taxicab operators or a brokerage system which may charge a per-ride fee for handling the rider's transportation arrangements. |
| Departure Estimator | A service that continually updates the stop arrival/departure times, based on the near real-time VL reports that are received from the vehicles by the WiNG, which then passes the record to the Business Web Service for further processing before the information is passed to the Departure Estimator. Maintains a database with the responsibility to compare the date from the vehicles to the data in the daily schedule, and for each stop, calculate a time deviation between the scheduled arrival/departure time and the reported actual arrival/departure time. |
| Dispatcher | Refers to an individual who monitors and supports revenue service vehicles in real time and manages communications. May assign vehicle operators to run assignments, and buses that provide transportation service to passengers. Workflows vary agency to agency. |
| Division | Refers to a garage and yard facility where buses are stored, maintained, and dispatched into service. |
| Euro bus | A low-floor Van Hool-designed bus, three doors on 40-foot buses, and four doors on 60-foot articulated buses, that offer large windows on all four sides, with multi-colored LED signs on at least three, and possibly four sides of the bus. ADA accessibility is available through a middle door. |
| Express service | Faster/longer trips, especially in major metropolitan areas during heavily patronized peak commuting hours, by operating long distances without stopping. Examples include park-and-ride routes between suburban parking lots and the central business district that operate on freeways, and express buses on major streets that operate local service on the outlying portions of a route until a certain point and then operate non-stop to the central business district. |
| Extra board | Operators who have no specific run but are used to cover unassigned runs or open because due to absence of assigned operators. Unassigned or extra board work is posted in the Gilley Room and rotates daily. |
| Farebox recovery ratio | The ratio of passenger fares (including inter-agency agreements related to fares) to total operating costs. |
| FCC | Federal Communications Commission |
| Feeder line | Refers to a bus line that services neighborhoods and crosses trunk lines offering transfer opportunities. |
| FHA | Federal Highway Administration |
| Fixed-route | Service is provided on a repetitive, fixed-schedule basis along a specific route with vehicles stopping to pick up and deliver passengers to specific locations; each fixed-route trip serves the same origins and destinations, unlike demand response. Includes route deviation service, where revenue vehicles deviate from fixed routes on a discretionary basis. |
| Frag/Fragment | Refers to a driver’s daily work assignment, usually five hours or less and typically during peak hours. An a.m. and a p.m. “frag” may be put together to form one complete run. |
| Frequency | The quantity of service on a route is usually described in terms of the number of buses per hour or the elapsed time between consecutive buses. The latter measure is also called the headway. The term high frequency denotes many buses per hour or small headways. |
| FTA | Federal Transit Administration |
| Fuel cell | A fuel cell employs a chemical process to convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity that powers a motor. Since there is no combustion, the bus does not emit smog-producing exhaust—just water vapor. |
| Gilley room | Refers to a location in a division with tables and chairs where bus drivers congregate and pick up their daily assignment from dispatchers. |
| Grid network | A type of route structure. In a typical grid network, high-frequency routes operate along the length of east-west and north-south corridors, intersecting each other to form a grid pattern. This allows a passenger to travel between two points with one transfer. Ideally, routes are spaced ½ miles apart so that riders can easily walk and transfer to any line. |
| Group relief | Refers to a type of run assignment that involves a bus operator working the regular days from another bus operator. Group Relief is created to operate a bus run on regular driver day(s) off. Group Relief schedules are created through the combined efforts of the Drivers Committee and the Schedule department. |
| GTFS | General Transit Feed Specification: A static schedule data component used to share schedule information on maps for public consumption. A common format for public transportation schedules and associated geographic information. |
| Headsign | Refers to the destination sign above the front windshield on the exterior of a bus used to display service information. Can be used to describe the route number, destination, or include only letters ( for Transbay buses) its line name, and destination. |
| Headway | Refers to time intervals between vehicles moving in the same direction on the same route. Used to inform when vehicles are spaced too far apart ( gapped) or too close together ( bunched). Headway status will easily change during the day, based on weather, road and traffic conditions, vehicle behavior, and as rider demand changes. |
| Headway sheet | A list of all trips, produced with each sign-up, which summarizes all schedules for every block on each line. Headway sheets serve as the basis of the paddle that is distributed to each driver daily for a single line. |
| Holding Tank | A table within a database that serves as temporary storage for APC and Farebox data collected from fleet vehicles. After data is reviewed, it is moved to reporting tables |
| Hybrid bus | Refers to a bus that runs on hybrid propulsion (fossil fuel combined with electric power). An onboard generator powered by an internal combustion engine or fuel cell supplies electricity. |
| IEC | International Electrotechnical Commission |
| IEEE | Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers |
| Interlining | Refers to the practice of combining two routes end-to-end. If two routes share the same frequency and have one end in common, they may be combined for either passenger convenience or because this permits a more cost-effective operation. Interlined routes usually retain their separate numbers to avoid confusion. |
| Intermodal/Multimodal | Issues or activities that involve or affect more than one mode of transportation, including transportation connections, choices, cooperation, and coordination of various modes. |
| ITS | Intelligent Transportation System: Innovative technology, applications, or platforms, that improve the quality of transportation through monitoring and management enhancements that enable users to make smarter, more coordinated use of transport networks to achieve better outcomes |
| IVR | Interactive Voice Response: The myAvail product that allows riders to use a telephone service to get automated stop departure times with a voice response. |
| Kiss and ride | An area within a station where commuters are driven by private cars and dropped off to board a public transit vehicle. |
| Kneeling bus | Refers to a feature on all buses that lowers the floor to the curb or to near-curb level to make accessibility easier for passengers to board, especially for seniors and persons with disabilities. AC Transit provides special “Flash Cards” upon request to allow riders to quickly request this assistance when boarding. |
| Layover time | Refers to time built into a schedule between arrival and departures for bus drivers to rest; minimum times are set by union contract. Layovers normally occur at each end of a route to allow for a driver’s break and schedule recovery, but they may be scheduled at other points to allow for timed transfer connections. |
| Layover zone | Refers to a designated stopover point at or near the end of the line for bus drivers to rest between trips. |
| Limited stop service | Refers to a route segment where designated buses stop only at transfer points or major activity centers, usually about every ½ mile. Limited stop service is usually provided on major trunk lines, in addition to local service that makes all stops. A hybrid between local and express service, where the stops may be several blocks to a mile or more apart to speed up the trip. |
| Linked/Unlinked trip | Refers to a trip where a rider may transfer between types of or multiple stops, such as stopping at a daycare center or store along a commute trip. An unlinked trip is a passenger trip taken on a single vehicle, such as a single bus ride. |
| Local service | Where vehicles may stop every block or two along a route several miles long, is by far the most common type of bus service. Trolleybuses, unless bypass overhead wiring is available, cannot pass the trolleybus in front of them, and thus generally operate in local service only. |
| Loop | Refers to a portion of service offerings where the vehicle operates moving in one direction only for trips. Passengers may only board on one side of the loop. Loops are sometimes required due to lack of pavement accessibility, or when no off-street turn-around is available. |
| Low-floor vehicle | Refers to a bus that does not have steps. Building a bus floor at one level between the front to rear doors allows passengers to enter and exit more easily. The addition of steps usually adds boarding and alighting time, especially for passengers with limited mobility. |
| LRT | Light Rail Transit: A rail transit line that can operate in a variety of settings including private right-of-way, subway, or mixed on-street traffic. LRT usually relies on overhead wires for power. Light rail is designed for heavily traveled corridors where the stop needs do not support heavy rail transit. |
| Maximum load point | Refers to a point on a bus route where the maximum number of passengers are on the bus. |
| Mode | The system for carrying transit passengers is described by specific right-of-way, technology, and operational features. Transit data are generally collected by mode. (Bus/Light Rail/Heavy Rail/etc.) |
| Multimodal | The availability of multiple transportation options, especially within a system or corridor. A multimodal approach to transportation planning focuses on the most efficient way of getting people or goods from place to place by means other than privately owned vehicles; by bus, trolley, light rail, streetcar, cable car, and/or ferry systems. |
| NABI | North American Bus Industries: Refers to a manufacturer of transit buses. |
| NTD | National Transit Database: The FTA tracks transit industry metrics and provides public information and statistics including financial, operating, and asset condition of transit systems |
| NTD Certification | Customers are required to submit ridership data to regional analysts who confirm/validate actual APC trip sample numbers. Reporting includes 50% randomized data collection from service offerings of their routes for the certification process. Avail’s FAST Team provides NTD Certification training through quarterly webinars and will support the customer throughout the process. |
| NCIC | National Crime Information Center |
| Nodes | Refers to a term used by schedulers to define the actual time a bus arrives at a designated stop or time point. |
| Non-fixed-route | Service that is not provided on a repetitive, fixed-schedule basis along a specific route to specific locations. Demand response is the only non-fixed-route mode. |
| Non-Ridership | Objects that require space or driver time but are not charged a fare. E.g. bicycles, walkers and wheelchairs |
| Optical signal priority | Refers to systems on rapid buses that use a coded, infrared signal; the system gives any authorized vehicle—emergency or transit—the exclusive advantage of a green light to get through traffic. Components include emitters, detectors, phase selectors, and accessories. Similar to TSP ( traffic signal preemption) |
| Paddle | Refers to the schedule for each bus showing all trips in a day, including arrival and departure times. Usually printed in 8 ½” by 11″ format, the paddle is laminated for each schedule. Bus operators use the paddle to help maintain their schedule. |
| Paratransit | Refers to scheduled service for people who cannot use regular fixed-route bus service. |
| Passenger lift | A mechanical device, either a lift or ramp, that allows wheelchair or scooter users, as well as other mobility-impaired passengers, to board a bus without climbing the steps. By law, passenger lifts must be capable of lifting at least 600 pounds. |
| Passenger Miles | The total of the distances completed/ ridden by each passenger. This is an approximation due to a reliance of the accuracy of APC devices. |
| Pattern | A particular collection of stops and run times between stops within a route, defines a segment, or path, as a part of the route. A route will have one or more patterns. |
| Peak service | Weekday a.m. and p.m. service during commute hours to carry a maximum number of passengers. Commute or peak hours are defined as the time between 6 and 9 a.m. and between 4 and 7 p.m. |
| Platform hours | Refers to the total scheduled time a bus spends from pull-out to pull-in at the division. Platform hours are used as a benchmark to calculate the efficiency of service by comparing “pay to platform” hours. |
| Point | Refers to a type of assignment for Extra Board bus operators. The operator is assigned 24 hours in advance of a specific time to report to the Division for standby status. The “point” person provides coverage for open assignments and extra service. |
| Pouch | The Naugahyde pouch is carried by bus drivers, picked up in the morning in the Gilley Room, and usually contains the paddle with accident cards, courtesy cards, and emergency transfers in addition to a block number and a headsign code block. A separate sheet also indicates any stops that must be called out to passengers. |
| PTV | Public Transportation Vehicle |
| Public transportation | Governmental entities that provide public transit options, such as transit, mass transit, and mass transportation is transportation by a conveyance that provides regular and continuing general or special transportation to the public. Does not include school busses, charter, or sightseeing services. |
| Pull-in | Refers to the time a bus is scheduled to return to the division. |
| Pull-out | Refers to the time a bus is scheduled to leave the division. |
| Report time | Refers to the 10 minutes before a bus is due to leave a division. During this time, drivers pick up their pouches and prepare a bus for departure. |
| Revenue hours/Revenue service | Refers to all scheduled time a bus spends serving passengers, which can also be defined as platform hours minus deadhead and layover time. |
| Revenue trip | Refers to any linked or unlinked trip that generates revenue by cash payment, use of a pass, and/or any other means of payment. |
| Round trip | Also known as a cycle. Refers to one inbound, plus one outbound trip (Unless a loop route equals one round trip or cycle) |
| Route | The superset of stops from which patterns are made for specific executions of the route. A Transit Authority will have one or more routes. |
| RTIP | Regional Transportation Improvement Program |
| Run | Run is a driver’s workload or assignment, consisting of a list of trips by a given driver. Most schedules include 2 runs per day. Each run is a set of trips to perform.
One or more runs can work a single block. Runs can also work on multiple blocks. A driver’s schedule is primarily determined for each sign-up period through the run-cut process where bus schedules are integrated with driver assignments. |
| Run relief point | Refers to a list of locations where bus operators begin their respective run assignments when scheduled to relieve an operator who is already in service on a route. Each division has specific relief locations for its routes. |
| Run-cut | Refers to the process, normally performed four times a year, of generating daily bus driver work assignments in a cost-efficient manner to meet all contract requirements negotiated between the union and district. Run-cutting software is used to generate assignments that may be reset until they fulfill the requirements of all participating parties. |
| Running time | Refers to time allowed between any two points, such as from time point to time point, or from end-of-line to end-of-line. |
| SatCom | Refers to a CAD/AVL that uses a global positioning satellite and state-of-the-art radio communications technologies. SatCom enhances bus operation by improving communication options (audio and text) and allows dispatchers to see where a bus is located on a computer map display. |
| Schedule Data | Digital schedule data is deployed to fleet vehicles for use on the road when servicing ridership. Schedule data includes all route attributes, stops, depart times, headsign codes, ADA announcements, completing validation processes, then preparing to share it via public-facing information platforms. When the vehicle is logged into, it collects data against its scheduled piece of work. Avail integrates with third-party scheduling packages, to enable use of the data in the vehicle. The schedule is the backbone of the system, as data collection at the vehicle level is leveraged against it. All data pushes to the BI reporting tool for review and analysis. |
| Scheduling Package | Third party software typically used in the public transit industry for digital schedule creation and deployment |
| Service Levels | Defines the days of the year when the same service is provided to the riding public. Common service levels include Weekdays, Saturday, Sunday, Holiday, and No Service. A Transit Authority will have one or more service levels. |
| Short rest | Refers to pay given to any driver who has less than 10 hours off between assignments. |
| Short turn | Refers to a trip that isn't completed. Short turns are used when the vehicle cannot service the remaining stops on the schedule for the current trip. Can occur due to passenger load, schedule adherence, or as determined by the agency. |
| Shuttle Service | When limited to a small geographic area or to short-distance trips, local service is also called circulator, feeder, neighborhood, or trolley service. Such routes, which often have a lower fare than regular local service, may operate in a loop and connect, often at a transfer center or rail station, to major routes for travel to more far-flung destinations. Examples are office park circulators, historic district routes, transit mall shuttles, rail feeder routes, and university campus loops. |
| Smart card | Refers to a technology used by TransLink to add and deduct value from an electronically encoded card when a rider passes it near a programmed reader on buses and at fare gates on BART. |
| SRTP | Short Range Transit Plan: Refers to a capital and operating plan produced biennially with a 10-year horizon, prepared to qualify for federal, state, and local funding. |
| STIP | State Transportation Improvement Program: Refers to what the CTC ends up with after combining various RTIPs as well as a list of specific projects proposed by Caltrans. Covering four years and updated every two years, the STIP determines when and if transportation projects will be funded by the state. |
| Stop | Areas on a route that are designated locations with scheduled depart times where the vehicle picks up and/or drops off passengers. A route includes a collection of designated stops. |
| TAP | Transit Access Pass |
| Timepoint | Refers to specific stop locations that includes a 'timer' to capture depart times to identify on time performance for the vehicle on route. Schedules includes intermediate stops and timepoints. |
| Timed transfer | A system of scheduling transit so that connecting routes come together at the same time. This allows passengers convenient no-wait transfers between bus lines. Timed transfers are frequently used with owl (late-night) service. |
| TIP | Transit Improvement Program: Refers to a program operated by MTC whereby proposed capital projects are ranked according to criteria developed by a task force of regional transit operators. |
| Transfer point | Refers to a point where bus lines intersect, and passengers can transfer to another line. |
| Transit Agency or Transit System | An entity (public or private) responsible for administering and managing transit activities and services. Transit agencies can directly operate transit service or contract out for all, or part of the total transit service provided. When responsibility is with a public entity, it is a public transit agency. When more than one mode of service is operated, it is a multimode transit agency. |
| Travel time | Refers to paid time that allows a bus driver to travel from relief point to garage or from garage to relief point. |
| TRB | Technology Review Board |
| Trigger box | GPS coordinate set that defines two corners of a geographic square or rectangle that triggers events in the MDC. Geo fences are designated around stop locations for the routes. Trigger boxes drive man-in-vehicle functions, such as stop announcements, headsign updates, and identifying a vehicle’s heading and its schedule adherence. |
| TRiM | Ticket Reading and Issuing Machine: Refers to a machine that is attached to the farebox where magnetic fare media can be both issued and read. All paper tickets and monies go into the farebox; all magnetic passes/transfers go into the TRiM. A patron who boards the bus places a pass or transfer into the TRiM where the magnetic strip is read, like a credit card, and validates that the media is valid. The TRiM issues an audible sound. It beeps for a valid pass/transfer or warbles for a non-valid one, for example, a pass that’s being used after its expiration date. |
| Trip | A specific segment (pattern) of a route with a specific start time. NOTE: A trip may be either deadhead travel or revenue service. A trip is defined by route and start time and may be done by multiple vehicles. There is one trip per vehicle, but there can be multiple vehicles on the trip. |
| Trippers | Refers to a pay term that describes a short piece of work on a bus, normally less than 3 hours. A tripper is a short block made up of one or two trips and usually serves only one peak period. Also, any assignment of work to a driver, which is not long enough to qualify as a run or as a full day’s work. |
| Trunkline | A route operating along a major corridor that carries many passengers and operates at headway frequencies of 15 minutes or less. |
| Turn-in time | Refers to the five minutes allotted to all bus drivers after pull-in time to park the bus, to walk through the bus for a final spot check, including closing windows, and to finally turn in the pouch. |
| Unlinked Passenger Trips | 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. Therefore, the same person is counted multiple times if they use multiple vehicles to reach their destination. |
| Up Time | How long since the system was last rebooted |
| USDOT | United States Department of Transportation |
| Van Pool Bus | Refers to a Euro-style bus manufactured in Antwerp, Belgium. |
| Vehicle Hours | The hours a vehicle 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. For conventional scheduled services, it includes revenue time and deadhead time. |
| Vehicle Miles | The miles a vehicle 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 miles. For conventional scheduled services, it includes revenue time and deadhead time. |
| Vehicle Revenue Hours | The hours traveled when the vehicle is in revenue service (i.e., the time when a vehicle is available to the 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 zero-fare service are considered in revenue service. Revenue service excludes school bus service and charter service. For conventionally scheduled services, vehicle revenue hours are comprised of 2 elements (running time and layover/recovery time). |
| Vehicle Revenue Miles | The miles traveled when a vehicle is in revenue service (i.e., the time when a vehicle is available to the public and there is an expectation of carrying passengers). These passengers directly pay either fares, are subsidized by public policy, or provide payment through some contractual arrangement. Vehicles operated in zero-fare service are still considered in revenue service. Revenue service excludes school bus service and charter service. For conventionally scheduled services, vehicle revenue miles are comprised of running miles only. |
| View | A given map center point and level of zoom. See also Database View. |
| VMT | Vehicle Miles Traveled: The number of cars that are on the road at the same time in the same area. The greater the number, the worse the congestion will be. Reducing the growth of VMT can help ease traffic congestion and improve air quality. |
| VTT | Verification of Transit Training Certificate: Refers to a certificate that is issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The certificate indicates that certain training requirements have been met for new and veteran bus operators. To meet the legal standards for operating a transit bus, the operator must possess a VTT, a valid medical certificate, and a commercial driver's license. |
Technology
| 3G | Third Generation: Cellular network related |
| 4G | Fourth Generation: Cellular network related |
| 5G | Fifth Generation: Cellular network related |
| AA | Automated Announcements |
| ACL | Access Control List: A list of access control entries/the pathway by which object permissions information is distributed (i.e. LAN). |
| AGC | Automatic Gain Control: usually related to volume adjustment |
| ANSA | Automatic Next-Stop Annunciation |
| AP | Access Point: related to WiFi communications Location for the gateway device that connects a mobile network and another computer network |
| Apache Tomcat | This 3rd party service provides web server functionality that is used by DataPoint, the Departure Estimator, and in response to myAvail Web requests. This is an internal web server only accessible from outside the local network unless configured to do so, which Avail strongly recommends against. This service is typically installed on the Info or on a Combined Info/AVL server. |
| APC | Automatic Passenger Counters - Sensors located in vehicles that capture passenger boards and alights. |
| API | Application Program Interface; Application Programming Interface; Application Protocol Interface |
| APN | Access Point Name: A gateway between a mobile network and another computer network. Also, Adaptive Private Networking |
| ASA | Automated Stop Annunciation |
| ATIS | Advanced Traveler Information System - System that acquires, analyzes, and presents information to assist travelers in planning their trips (i.e. traveling from point A to point B.) |
| ATMS | Advanced Transportation Management System |
| ATP | Acceptance Test Procedure |
| AVA | Automatic Voice Announcements |
| AVL | Automatic Vehicle Location |
| BI | Business Intelligence |
| BSP | Bus Signal Priority. See also TSP |
| CAD | Computer Aided Dispatch |
| CAN | Controller Area Network: Typically within a transit vehicle |
| CARSD | Computer-Aided Registration, Scheduling, and Dispatch |
| CBT | Computer Based Training |
| CCTV | Closed Circuit Television |
| Central Dispatch | Operations center where Central Dispatchers facilitate telephone communications between bus operators, operations supervisors, dispatchers, maintenance department, division management, PBX, communication and farebox technicians, security, and police. |
| CMAQ | Congestion Management and Air Quality |
| COTS | Commercial Off the Shelf |
| CPU | Central Processing Unit |
| CSV | Comma Separated Variable/Value |
| DB | Database |
| DBMS | Database Management System |
| DMS | Dynamic Messaging System |
| DMZ | Demilitarized zone: Sometimes referred to as a perimeter network. A physical or logical subnetwork that contains and exposes an organization’s external-facing services to a larger and untrusted network, usually the Internet. The purpose of a DMZ is to add an additional layer of security to an organization's LAN. An external network node only has direct access to equipment in the DMZ, rather than any other part of the network. The name is derived from the term "demilitarized zone", an area between nation-states in which military operations are prohibited. |
| DTC | Diagnostic Trouble Code: used in J1939 Vehicle Health Monitoring |
| DVR | Digital Video Recorder |
| EA | Emergency Alarm |
| EAP | Extensible Authentication Protocol |
| EMI | Electro-Magnetic Interference |
| ETMS | Enterprise Transit Management Solution. Avail's web-based software that encompasses most features transit agencies need in one place/ in one tool. ETMS includes CAD/AVL & EAM: Finance, Transit Assets, Human Resources, Planning & Scheduling, Operations, Compliance, Payroll, and System Administration features |
| EvDO | Evolutionary Data Optimized; Evolutionary Data Only: cellular network related, similar to terms 3G, 4G, LTE |
| FMI | Failure Mode Indicator: used in J1708 or J1939 messaging |
| GIS | Geographic Information System |
| GPS | Global Positioning System |
| GTFS-RT | General Transit Feed Specification: Realtime component |
| GUI | Graphical User Interface |
| HTTP | Hyper Text Transfer Protocol |
| HTTPS | Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure: or Hyper Text Transfer Protocol over SSL |
| HW | Hardware |
| ICD | Interface Control Document |
| ID | Identifier |
| IIS | Internet Information Service: A Windows program that operates in a browser or in the background. |
| IP | Internet Protocol: a set of rules governing the format of data sent over the internet or other network. Also, Ingress Protection: A standard measure of resistance to certain environmental elements like dust, dirt, and water. |
| ISO | International Organization of Standardization |
| IT | Information Technology |
| ITxPT | Information Technology for Public Transit: public specification of an IT architecture based on standards with open interfaces for on-board, over-the-air, and back-office IT systems for Transit – itxpt.org. |
| IVR | Interactive Voice Response |
| KML | Keyhole Markup Language: Google Earth is one example – Used to identify the latitude and longitude for specific scheduled stop locations. This information is required when creating schedule data (trip patterns for routes- distances from stop to stop). i.e. Paths That Connect to Create Route Traces |
| LAN | Local Area Network |
| LCD | Liquid Crystal Display |
| LED | Light Emitting Diode |
| LMR | Land Mobile Radio: i.e, mobile voice radio system used in public safety and transit operations |
| LRE | Latest Revised Estimate |
| LTE | Long-Term Evolution: Cellular network related |
| LTR | Logic Trunk Radio: Provides support for voice and data over one radio. |
| LUN | Logical Unit Number |
| MID | Message Identifier: used in J1708 messaging |
| MIS | Management Information System |
| MTBF | Mean Time Between Failures |
| NAK | No/Non-Acknowledgement |
| NEMA | National Electrical Manufacturers Association |
| NIC | Network Interface Controller |
| NMEA | National Marine Electronics Association: associated with GPS data |
| NSA | Next Stop Annunciation System |
| NTD | National Transit Database |
| NTP | Notice to Proceed |
| OBD | On Board Diagnostics |
| ODBC | Open Database Connectivity: standard API for database connectivity |
| ODO | Odometer |
| OEM | Original Equipment Manufacturer: Avail’s partnership with bus manufacturers – Gillig, New Flyer, etc. |
| OOS | Out of Service |
| PBX | Private Branch Exchange: Refers to the telephone information center that is located at the General Office. Customers call here for information about routes, schedules, and services. Customers also call PBX to file commendations and complaints about service and/or employees. |
| PDC | Passive Data Collection |
| Portable Document Format | |
| PDN | Private Data Network |
| PDR | Preliminary Design Review |
| PennDOT | Pennsylvania Department of Transportation |
| PID | Passenger Information Display: usually refers to in-vehicle passenger digital signage. Parameter Identifier: used in J1708 messaging |
| POE | Power Over Ethernet |
| PRN | Private Radio Network |
| PRTG | Paessler Router Traffic Grapher: Monitoring software for certain conditions to ensure a continuously operating CAD/AVL system. If there are any problems with the monitored aspects, the system is configured to automatically send e-mail messages to identified personnel. |
| PRTT | Priority Request to Talk: on MDT for closed microphone radio systems - high priority |
| PSK | Pre-Shared Key |
| PTT | Push to Talk |
| QoS | Quality of Service: usually related to network speed/bandwidth |
| RAID | Redundant Array of Independent Disks |
| RAM | Random Access Memory |
| RBC | Redundant Base Controller: Radio communications |
| RDBM(S) | Relational Database Manager; Relational Database Management System |
| RFI | Radio Frequency Interference or Request for Information |
| RFID | Radio Frequency Identification |
| RMA | Return Materials Authorization |
| ROM | Read-Only Memory |
| RRB | Release Review Board |
| RTF | Rich Text Format |
| RTPI(S) | Real-Time Passenger Information (System) |
| RTT | Request To Talk: on MDT for closed microphone radio systems |
| RWG | Release Working Group |
| SAE | Society of Automotive Engineers |
| SE | Systems Engineer |
| SID | Subsystem Identifier: used in J1708 messaging |
| SIM | Subscriber Identify Module: e.g., SIM card with cell phone |
| SIP | Session Initiation Protocol: related to VoIP |
| SMTP | Simple Mail Transfer Protocol |
| SNMP | Simple Network Management Protocol |
| SPN | Suspect Parameters Number: used in J1939 Vehicle Health Monitoring |
| SQL | Structured Query Language: International Standard for Database Manipulation. Also, SQL Server. |
| SQL Server database | contains all the data used to configure the system that is collected by the system that is manipulated by the system or reported from the system. |
| SSID | Service Set Identifier/Identification: typically used with 802.11 wireless protocol as a connection point identifier |
| SSL | Secure Sockets Layer |
| SW | Software |
| TCIP | Transit Communication Interface Protocol |
| TCP | Transfer Connection Protection: An Avail feature that ensures when a passenger requests a transfer to another route, the transfer will occur without an undue wait. Also, Transmission Control Protocol, TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol |
| TIS | Traveler Information System; Traveler Information Service |
| TSP | Transit Signal Priority: see also BSP |
| TTS | Text-to-Speech |
| TWG | Technology Work Group |
| UDP | User Datagram Protocol |
| UPS | Uninterruptible Power Supply |
| USB | Universal Serial Bus |
| VAC | Voltage Alternating Current |
| VDC | Voltage Direct Current |
| VGA | Video Graphics Array; Video Graphics Adapter |
| VHM | Vehicle Health Monitoring |
| VLAN | Virtual Local Area Network |
| VM | Virtual Machine |
| VMS | Voice Management System/Service; VoIP Management System/Service |
| VoIP | Voice over Internet Protocol |
| VPN | Virtual Private Network |
| VRS | Voice Recognition Software |
| WAN | Wide Area Network |
| WiFi | Wireless Fidelity: not truly accepted definition; generally, refers to wireless networking |
| WING | Wireless Network Gateway: Proprietary software used in vehicle communications, supplied by Digital Design Systems (DDS) and runs on the Communications server as a service. The application provides by-directional communications with the vehicles through either cellular data or a data radio system to send and receive information to and from the vehicles. |
| WLAN | Wireless Local Area Network |
| WPA | Wireless Protected Access |
| XFER | Transfer |
| XFRLIST | Transfer List |
| Near Real Time | A time interval that is as close to real-time (immediate as allowed by technology). As an example, when the MDC issues a ‘vehicle location report’, it passes to the radio/cellular modem, the wireless network gateway, and the AVL system. The information must then wait for the next dispatcher screen refresh, therefore anywhere from 1 second to a couple of minutes may pass before a dispatcher will see the updated location information. |
Business
| BAFO | Best and Final Offer |
| CAR | Customer Add-on Request or Customer Action Request |
| CDR | Critical Design Review: Term used to describe one of the project phases; confirming Avail SE configurations meet customer demand per the contract. |
| CIP | Continuous Improvement Process |
| Competitive Procurement Process | The process of an agency submitting a Request for Proposal (RFP) asking organizations to bid on services or solutions. Interested organizations submit a proposal. Then based on certain criteria, the agency will down-select from the received proposals to identify finalists. |
| CPI | Continued Process Improvement |
| EAM | Enterprise Asset Management |
| ECO | Engineering Change Order |
| ECP | Engineering Change Proposal; Engineering Change Protocol |
| ECR | Engineering Change Request |
| ERP | Enterprise Resource Planning |
| FAT | Factory Acceptance Testing: ITS Implementation project phase whereby initial testing of the ITS system occurs, typically at Avail. |
| FCR | Final Configuration Review |
| FDR | Final Design Review |
| KPI | Key Performance Indicator |
| POS | Point of Sale |
| QA | Quality Assurance: Systematic monitoring and evaluation of the various aspects of a project, service, or facility to ensure that standards of quality are being met consistently |
| QC | Quality Control |
| SAT | System Acceptance Test: A project phase that tests all product components for accuracy and function after all vehicles have been installed with the ITS equipment. Also, Secondary Assessment Testing can occur here |
| SOW | Statement of Work |
| Third-Party Vendor | A third-party supplier that works with Avail to provide and integrate different technologies within the ITS system. |