AB
Vehicle Type: Articulated
bus
Repairing all damage to buildings, grounds and equipment resulting from collisions with stationary or moving objects, floods and accidentally ignited fires, etc. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Repairing all damage to revenue vehicles resulting from incidents (e.g., collisions with stationary or moving objects, floods and accidentally ignited fires, etc.). Reporting manual reference: F-30
The time allowed an operator to complete and file the forms necessary to report an accident. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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). Reporting manual reference: Declarations
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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, Declarations, F-10, F-20
A natural and unavoidable catastrophe that interrupts the expected course of events, such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornados, other high winds, lightning, snow and ice storms. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
The vehicles available to operate in revenue service, including spares and vehicles temporarily out of service for routine maintenance and minor repairs. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting, A-30
The vehicles in the year-end fleet that are available to operate in revenue service, including spares and vehicles temporarily out of service for routine maintenance and minor repairs. Reporting manual reference: A-30
The hours that passenger cars travel while in revenue service (actual passenger car revenue hours) plus deadhead hours. Actual passenger car hours time; but excludes hours for charter services, operator training, and vehicle maintenance testing. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The hours that passenger cars travel while in revenue service. Passenger car revenue hours include layover / recovery time; but excludes deadhead, operator training, vehicle maintenance tests, and charter services. Reporting manual reference: S-10, MR-20
The miles that passenger cars travel while in revenue service. Passenger car revenue miles exclude deadhead, operator training, vehicle maintenance tests, and charter services. Reporting manual reference: S-10, MR-20
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. Reporting manual reference: 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.
Reporting manual reference: S-10
The hours that trains travel while in revenue service (actual train revenue hours) plus deadhead hours. Actual train hours includ layover / recovery time; but excludes hours for charter services, operator training, and vehicle maintenance testing. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The hours that trains travel while in revenue service. Train revenue hours include layover / recovery time; but excludes deadhead, training operators prior to revenue service, vehicle maintenance tests, and charter services. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting, S-10
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, cchool bus service, operator training, and vehicle maintenance testing. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting, S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting, S-10, FFA-10, Declarations, MR-20
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. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting, Declarations, S-10, FFA-10, MR-20
ADA
Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990
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. Reporting manual reference: A-10
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. Reporting manual reference: A-30, RU-20
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. Reporting manual reference: A-30, RU-20
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. ADA-related service reported to NTD should not include any categorical service (i.e., Services that are not available to the general public such as: Medicaid, Meals-On-Wheels, Head Start, sheltered workshops, independent living centers, etc.). Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: F-20
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10
Aerial
Tramway 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 onboard the vehicle, power the cable
system. Reporting manual reference: A-30
The distance from terminal to terminal following the path of the tramway towers. Reporting manual reference: A-20
AG
Mode: Automated guideway
transit Vehicle Type: Automated
guideway vehicles
An unlawful attack by one person upon another wherein the offender uses a weapon or displays it in a threatening manner, or the victim suffers obvious severe or aggravated bodily injury. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
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. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
The legislation defining the responsibilities of and requirements for transportation providers to make transportation accessible to individuals with disabilities. Reporting manual reference: Introductions, B-10, F-30, F-40, A-10, A-30, S-10, RU-20
The amortization of the intangible costs of the transit agency including organization costs, franchises, patents, goodwill and other intangible assets. Reporting manual reference: F-40
The recurring costs of providing public transportation service. They include: all employees’ wages and salaries; fringe benefits; operating supplies such as fuel, and oil; contractors’ charges for services; taxes; repair and maintenance services, parts, and supplies; equipment leases and rentals; marketing; lease or rental costs; and insurance. Operating expenses include administrative expenses. Operating costs exclude fixed costs such as depreciation on plant and equipment, costs of providing transportation services not available to the general public, and interest paid on loans on capital equipment. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
The number of passengers who board operational revenue vehicles. Passengers are counted each time they board vehicles no matter how many vehicles they use to travel from their origin to their destination. Trips should be counted regardless of whether an individual fare is collected for each leg of travel. It includes passenger trips on volunteer vehicles. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
The total amount of time in hours for the reporting period that all vehicles travel from the time they pull out to go into revenue service to the time they pull in from revenue service. This includes the hours of personal vehicles used in service. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
The total number of miles for the reporting period that all vehicles travel from the time they pull out to go into revenue service to the time they pull in from revenue service. This includes the miles of personal vehicles used in service. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
AO
Vehicle Type: Automobiles
APC
Automatic passenger
counter
AR
Mode: Alaska Railroad
To take a person into custody, by authority of law, for the purpose of charging him / her with a criminal offense. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40, S&S-50
To unlawfully and intentionally damage, or attempt to damage, any real or personal property by fire or incendiary device. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
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. Reporting manual reference: A-30
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. Reporting manual reference: A-20
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. Reporting manual reference: A-20
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. Reporting manual reference: A-20
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). Reporting manual reference: S-10
A transit mode that is an electric railway (single or multi-car trains) of guided transit vehicles operating without vehicle operators or other crew onboard 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, hroup rapid transit, and people mover systems. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
Vehicle Type: Guided transit passenger vehicles operating under a fully automated system (no crew on transit units). Reporting manual reference: A-30
An automated means of counting boarding and alighting passengers (e.g., treadle mats or infrared beams placed by the door). Reference: www.its.dot.gov Reporting manual reference: Introduction, S-10
Position determination via an automatic technology or combination of technologies, such as gGlobal positioning system (triangulation of satellite signals), signposts (beacons at known locations transmit signals picked up by vehicle), ground-based eadio (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. Reference: www.its.dot.gov
Vehicle Type: Passenger cars, up to and including station wagons in size. Reporting manual reference: A-30, S&S-40
Revenues earned from transporting vehicles in ferryboat transit service. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10
The total miles accumulated on all active vehicles since date of manufacture divided by the number of active vehicles. Reporting manual reference: A-30
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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, S-10, S-20
A typical, representative Saturday in the operation of the transit system, weighted to reflect seasonal variations in service. Reporting manual reference: S-10
A typical, representative Sunday in the operation of the transit system, weighted to reflect seasonal variations in service. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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). Reporting manual reference: S-10
A typical, representative weekday in the operation of the transit system, weighted to reflect seasonal variations in service. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The number of passengers who board public transportation vehicles on an average, typical weekday during a month. Reporting manual reference: MR-20
AVL
Automatic vehicle location
Back to top Credible written or oral (e.g., telephone) communication to a transit agency threatening the use of an explosive or incendiary device for the purpose of disrupting public transit services or to create a public emergency. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
The unlawful and intentional delivery, placement, discharge, or detonation of a biological, chemical, or radiological / other lethal device in, into, or against a public transport facility, a public transportation system (including vehicles), or an infrastructure facility, or conspiracy, instigation, or attempts to commit such acts. Chemical, biological, or radiological / other releases involve solids, liquids, or gases that have chemical properties that produce lethal or serious effects in human beings, or any weapon involving a disease organism. Or conspiracy, instigation, or attempts to commit such acts a) with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury, or b) with the intent to cause extensive damage to, or destruction of such a place, facility or system, where such destruction results in or is likely to result in major economic loss.Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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 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 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). Reporting manual reference: F-10
A tax or fee paid for the liberty or privilege of using a bridge, tunnel or highway. Reporting manual reference: F-10, F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: B-30
BU
Vehicle Type: Buses
The unlawful entry into a building or other structure with the intent to commit a felony or a theft. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40, S&S-50
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. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-20
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.
Reporting manual reference: A-30, S&S-4
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. Reporting manual reference: Introductions, B-30, F-10, F-20, F-30, A-10, A-20, Declarations
Back to topCable
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 onboard the vehicle.
Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
Cable
Car (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 onboard the vehicles.
Reporting manual reference: A-3
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. Reporting manual reference: FFA-10
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. Reporting manual reference: FFA-10
The expenses incurred within the year related to the purchase of facilities, vehicles and equipment. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
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. Reporting manual reference: Introductions, B-10, F-10, F-20
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. Reporting manual reference: R-10
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
CC
Mode: Cable car
Vehicle Type: Cable cars
CEO
Chief Executive Officer
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. Reporting manual reference: Introductions, F-50, S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The revenue earned from operating vehicles under charter contracts. Reporting manual reference: F-10
The principal executive in charge of and responsible for the transit agency. Reporting manual reference: Introductions, Internet Reporting, B-20, S-10, Declarations, S&S-20, RU-10
Attestation by the chief executive officer (CEO) of a transit agency certifying the accuracy of the data submitted to the NTD. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, Internet Reporting, S-10, Declarations, D-10
A writ or order commanding a person to appear in court as a notice to a person that he or she is charged with a petty offense. Reporting manual reference: S&S-50
CMAQ
Congestion Mitigation
and Air Quality Improvement Program
A transit vehicle accident in which there is a:
- Collision
with object:
An incident in which
a transit vehicle strikes an obstacle other than a vehicle or person (e.g.,
building or utility pole).
- Collision
with person:
An incident in which
a transit vehicle strikes an individual. Incidents involving suicides
and attempted suicides are now included in this category.
- Collision with vehicle: An incident in which a transit vehicle strikes or is struck by another vehicle.
Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
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. Reporting manual reference: F-20
Service operated primarily within the boundaries of a community that is not considered a municipality, county/independent city or parish. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
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 service means that for any given trip segment (i.e., distance between any two stations), more than 50 percent of the average daily ridership travels on the train at least three times a week. Only the predominantly commuter service portion of an intercity route is eligible for inclusion when determining commuter rail (CR) route miles. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, S&S-40, RU-10
Vehicle Type: Commuter rail (CR) vehicles used to pull or push commuter rail (CR) passenger coaches. Locomotives do not carry passengers themselves. Reporting manual reference: A-30
Vehicle Type: Commuter rail (CR) passenger vehicles not independently propelled and requiring one or more locomotives for propulsion. Reporting manual reference: A-30
Vehicle Type: Commuter rail (CR) passenger vehicles not requiring a separate locomotive for propulsion. Reporting manual reference: A-30
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. Reporting manual reference: B-10, F-30, F-40, S-10, MR Introduction
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10, MR Introduction
Reimbursement by any organization, government, agency, or company, as a result of a formal contractual agreement with the transit service operator, for trips provided to a specific passenger or group of passengers. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
An individual who is compensated by the transit agency for directly operated (DO) services, the labor expense for the individual is reported in object class 501 labor, or for purchased transportation (PT) service, the labor expense for the individual meets the same criteria as object class 501 labor. Reporting manual reference: S&S Introduction, S&S-40
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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. Reporting manual reference: A-20, S-10, FFA-10
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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-30, S&S Introduction
A small administrative district of a country; esp., the largest local administrative subdivision of most States of the U.S. For Rural NTD reporting, the term county is a county, independent city, parish (Louisiana), borough (Alaska) or US Census area (Alaska). Reporting manual reference: RU-20
Service operated primarily within the boundaries of a single county/independent city or parish. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
A person who is: Onboard, boarding or alighting from a transit vehicle for the purpose of travel, without participating in its operation.
CR
Commuter rail
CU
Cutaways
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 and administering a lost and found operation. Reporting manual reference: F-30
A vehicle in which a bus body is mounted on the chassis of a van or light-duty truck. The original van or light-duty truck chassis may be reinforced or extended. Cutaways typically seat 15 or more passengers, and typically may accommodate some standing passengers. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
Involves the targeting of transit facilities, personnel, information, or computer or telecommunications systems associated with transit agencies. Proscribed activities include a) denial or disruption of computer or telecommunications services, especially train control systems, b) unauthorized monitoring of computer or telecommunications system, c) unauthorized disclosure of proprietary or classified information stored within or communicated through computer or telecommunications systems, d) unauthorized modification or destruction of computer programming codes, computer network databases, stored information or computer capabilities; or d) manipulation of computer or telecommunications services resulting from fraud, financial loss, or other criminal violations. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
Back to topComponent 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), oesigning data processing application, programming and testing data processing applications, controlling and distributing output data and maintaining data processing equipment. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Relief from reporting a specific data item. Reporting manual reference: Introductions, Internet Reporting
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The number of days that service did not operate due to transit labor strikes. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
DB
Vehicle Type: Double
decker buses
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, or when there is no expectation of carrying revenue passengers. However, deadhead does not include charter service, school bus service pperator training, or maintenance training. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting, S-10, R-20, MR-20
Documents stating the validity of the data being reported to the NTD / FTA: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Certification, Independent Auditor Statement for Financial Data and Independent Auditor Statement for Federal Funding Allocation Data, and the Safety and Security Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Certification. Reporting manual reference: Introductions, Internet Reporting, Declarations
Vehicles used exclusively for public transit service of a modal classification. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
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. Reporting manual reference: S-20, FFA-10, Declarations
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 a) 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 b) 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.
Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
Shared use transit service operating in response to calls from passengers or their agents to the transit operator, who schedules a vehicle to pick up the passengers to transport them to their destinations. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
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), or power generation and distribution, revenue vehicle movement control, data processing, revenue collection and processing, and other general administration. Reporting manual reference: F-40
Transit service that operates along a fixed alignment or path at generally fixed times, but may deviate from the route alignment to collect or drop off passengers who have requested the deviation. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
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). Reporting manual reference: 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. Reporting manual reference: A-20, S-10, S-20, FFA-10, Declarations
Any funds where revenues are generated by or donated directly to the transit agency, including passenger fare revenues, advertising revenues, donations, bond proceeds, and taxes imposed by the transit agency. Reporting manual reference: F-10
The tax revenues to transit agencies that are organized as independent political subdivisions with their own taxation authority. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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. Reporting manual reference: Introductions, B-10, F-10, F-20, A-10, R-10, R-20, R-30, FFA-10, Declarations, MR-10, S&S-10, S&S-40, S&S-50, RU-10
DO
Directly operated
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. Reporting manual reference: A-30
DR
Demand response
DRM
Directional route miles
Back to topRail transit way above surface level on fill. Transition segments above surface level on fill are included. Reporting manual reference: A-20
Rail transit way above surface level on structures. Transition segments above surface level on structures are included. Reporting manual reference: A-20
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. Reporting manual reference: A-10
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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-10, A-30, S-10
An individual who is compensated by the transit agency as follows:
- For directly operated (DO) services, the labor expense for the individual is reported in object class (501) labor.
- For purchased transportation (PT) service, the labor expense for the individual meets the same criteria as object class (501) labor.
- Applies to transit employees and contractors.
Reporting manual reference: S&S Introduction, F-30, F-50, R-10, R-20
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. Reporting manual reference: R-10
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. Reporting manual reference: A-10
Evacuation
A condition requiring
all passengers and employees to depart a transit vehicle or property and enter onto
the transit right-of-way (ROW) or roadway under emergency circumstances. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40, RU-20
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. Reporting manual reference: A-20, S-10, FFA-10, Declarations
Expansion
(fleet)
The acquisition of
revenue vehicles for expansion of transit service. Reporting manual reference: F-20
Expense
Transfers (510)
Accounts used for reporting
adjustments and reclassifications of expenses previously recorded.
Reporting manual reference: F-30
Back to topFailure
to Report
Submitting a late report,
incomplete report or no report. Reporting manual reference: Introductions
FARE
Uniform Financial Accounting
and Reporting Elements
Fare
Evasion
The unlawful use of
transit facilities by riding without paying the applicable fare.
Reporting manual reference: S&S-50
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).
Reporting manual reference: F-20
Fare
Revenues
All income received
directly from passengers, either paid in cash or through pre-paid tickets,
passes, etc. It includes donations from those passengers who donate money
on the vehicle. It includes the reduced fares paid by passengers in a
user-side subsidy arrangement.
Reporting manual reference: RU-20
FASB
Financial Accounting
Standards Board
Fatality
A transit-caused death
confirmed within 30 days of a transit incident, which occurs under the
collision, derailment, fire, evacuation, security incident, hazardous material spill, act of God, or safety occurrence not otherwise classified categories.
Reporting manual reference: S&S Introduction, S&S-40, RU-20
FB
Mode: Ferryboat
Vehicle Type: Ferryboats
Federal
Capital Assistance
Financial assistance
from the Federal Transit Administration to assist in paying the capital
costs of providing transit service.
Reporting manual reference: RU-20
Federal
Government Funds
Financial assistance
obtained from the Federal government to assist with paying the costs of
providing transit services.
Reporting manual reference: F-10
Federal
Operating Assistance
Financial assistance
from the Federal Transit Administration to assist in paying the operating
costs of providing transit service.
Reporting manual reference: RU-20
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 travels on the ferryboat on the
same day. Only the predominantly commuter service portion of an intercity
route is eligible for inclusion when determining ferryboat (FB) route
miles. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
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. Reporting manual reference: A-30, S&S-40
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Financial
Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
Entity responsible
for generally accepted accounting principles affecting all types of entities.
Reporting manual reference: Introduction
Fire
Uncontrolled combustion
made evident by flame and / or smoke that requires suppression by equipment
or personnel.
Reporting manual reference: S&S-40, S&S-50
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.
Reporting manual reference: Introductions, 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. Reporting manual reference: S-20, FFA-10, Declarations
Fixed
Route Service
Transit service using
rubber tired passenger vehicles operating on fixed routes and schedules,
regardless of whether a passenger actively requests a vehicle.
Reporting manual reference: RU-20
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.
Reporting manual reference: 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 such as Surface Transportation Program (STP), Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), and the National Highway System (NHS). Reporting manual reference: F-10
Forcible
Rape
The carnal knowledge
of a person, forcibly and / or against that person’s will.
Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
Freight
Tariffs
The revenue earned
from carrying all types of freight on runs whose primary purpose is passenger
operations.
Reporting manual reference: 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.
Reporting manual reference: F-30
FTA
Federal Transit Administration
Financial assistance from §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. Reporting manual reference: F-10, RU-20
FTA
Capital Program (§5309)
Financial assistance
from §5309 of the Federal Transit Act. This program provides capital
assistance for three primary activities which are new and replacement buses and facilities, modernization of existing fixed guideway (FG) systems, and new fixed guideway (FG) systems. Reporting manual reference: F-10, FFA-10, RU-20
FTA
Clean Fuels Program (§5308)
Financial assistance
from §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, both for urbanized and other than urbanized
areas. Funds may be used for the purchase or lease of clean fuel buses,
the construction of clean fuel electrical recharging facilities, improvement
to existing facilities to accommodate clean fuel buses, and the re-powering
and retrofit or rebuild of pre-1993 engines if before a mid-life rebuild.
Reporting manual reference: F-10, RU-20
FTA
Grant Program
Financial assistance
from FTA programs. These funds include:
- FTA Capital Program (§5309)
- FTA Urbanized Area Formula Program (§5307)
- FTA Clean Fuels Program (§5308)
- FTA Metropolitan Planning (§5303)
- FTA Special Needs of Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities Formula Program (§5310)
- FTA Other Than Urbanized Area Formula Program (§5311)
- FTA Research, Development, Demonstration and Training Projects (§5312)
- FTA Job Access and Reverse Commute Formula Program (§5316)
- FTA New Freedom Program (§5317)
- FTA Transit in the Park (§5320)
- Interstate Transfer Program
Reporting manual reference: F-10
FTA
Growing States and High Density States Formula (§5340)
New Growing States
and High Density States Formula Factors: §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.
Reporting manual reference: Introductions
FTA
Job Access and Reverse Commute Formula Program (JARC) (§5316)
Financial assistance
from §5316 of the Federal Transit Act. This program pertains to:
- 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:
- Transportation projects to finance planning, capital, and operating costs of providing access to jobs;
- Promoting public transportation by low-income workers, including the use of public transportation by workers with nontraditional work schedules;
- Promoting the use of transit vouchers for welfare recipients and eligible low-income individuals; and
- Promoting the use of employer-provided transportation, including the transit pass benefit program under Section 132 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
- 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:
- 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;
- 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
- Otherwise facilitate the provision of public transportation services to suburban employment opportunities.
Reporting manual reference: F-10, RU-20
FTA
Metropolitan Planning (§5303)
Financial assistance
from §5303 of the Federal Transit Act. This program supports the
cooperative, continuous and comprehensive planning program for making
transportation investment decisions in metropolitan areas.
Reporting manual reference: F-10
FTA
New Freedom Program (§5317)
Financial assistance
from §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.
Reporting manual reference: F-10, RU-20
FTA
Other Than Urbanized Area Formula Program (§5311)
Financial assistance
from §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 §5311 SAFETEA-LU also includes provisions
for Growing States and High Density States Factors.
Reporting manual reference: Introductions
FTA
Recipient Identification Number (TEAM ID)
The four-digit number
assigned to your transit agency for the FTA electronic grant making system — TEAM
(Transportation Electronic Award and Management).
Reporting manual reference: B-10, RU-10
FTA
Research, Development, Demonstration and Training Projects (§5312)
Financial assistance
from §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.
Reporting manual reference: F-10
FTA
Small Transit Intensive Cities (STIC) Formula
SAFETEA-LU establishes
a provision in the FTA Urbanized Area Formula program (§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:
- Passenger miles traveled per vehicle revenue mile,
- Passenger miles traveled per vehicle revenue hour
- Vehicle revenue miles per capita,
- Vehicle revenue hours per capita,
- Passenger miles traveled per capita, and
- Passengers per capita.
Reporting manual reference: Introductions, F-10, FFA-10
FTA
Special Needs of Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities
Formula Program (§5310)
Financial assistance
from §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 elderly individuals and individuals
with disabilities. A seven State pilot program for FY 2006-2009 has been
established to determine whether expanding eligibility to operating assistance
would improve services to elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities.
In the pilot, up to 33% of a participating State's apportioned §5310 funds may be used for operating expenses. The State (or State-designated
agency) administers the §5310 program.)
Reporting manual reference: F-10, F-30, RU-20
FTA
Urbanized Area Formula Program (§5307)
Financial assistance
from §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
(§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
§5307 SAFETEA-LU also includes provisions for Small Transit Intensive
Cities (STIC) Formula and Growing States and High Density States Factors.
Reporting manual reference: Introductions, B-10, F-10, F-30, FFA-10
Fuel
and Lubricants (504.01)
The costs of gasoline,
diesel fuel, propane, lubricating oil, transmission fluid, grease, etc.,
for use in vehicles.
Reporting manual reference: 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).
Reporting manual reference: R-10, S&S-30
Function
The activity performed
or cost center of a transit agency. There are four basic functions for
reporting. The four basic functions are vehicle operations, vehicle maintenance, non-vehicle maintenance, and general administration. The activities included
under each basic function are detailed in Section 6.2 of the Uniform System
of Accounts (USOA). Reporting manual reference: 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.
Reporting manual reference: F-10
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, and other dedicated funds. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Any expenditures that involve a transfer of money between the transit agency and another party such as a contractor or another government agency.
Reporting manual reference: F-10, F-40, A-20
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 and Intangibles. Reporting manual reference: F-40
FYE
Fiscal year end
Back to topGAAP
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 and planning. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting, F-10, F-30, F-40, R-10
General
Engineering (173)
Component activities
include providing supervision and clerical support for general engineering activities, researching available technology for performing transit activities and preparing specifications for purchasing or constructing capital assets. Reporting manual reference: 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).
Reporting manual reference: 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), and 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). Reporting manual reference: 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. Reporting manual reference: 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 and providing top level
management for the transit agency to implement the development and operation
policies. Reporting manual reference: F-30
General
Purpose Maintenance Facilities
Facilities used for
inspecting, servicing and performing light maintenance work upon revenue
vehicles. Light maintenance includes brake adjustments, engine degreasing, tire work, minor body repairs and painting. Reporting manual reference: A-10, RU-20
Governmental
Accounting Standards Board (GASB)
Affiliated with the
FASB, it specializes in accounting principles within government agencies
in the United States.
Reporting manual reference: 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. Reporting manual reference: B-10, A-20, S&S-40
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, bridges, 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). Reporting manual reference: F-20
Back to topThe spill or release of any amount of hazardous material that creates an imminent danger to life, health, or the environment. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
Headway
The time interval between
vehicles moving in the same direction on a particular route.
Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: A-10
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. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
Vehicle Type: Rail cars with motive capability, driven by electric power taken from overhead lines or third rails, configured for passenger traffic and are usually operated on exclusive right-of-way (ROW). Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10, S-20, FFA-10, Declarations
Vehicles that can carry two or more persons. Examples of high occupancy vehicles (HOV) are a bus, vanpool, and carpool. Reporting manual reference: A-20
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10, A-20, S-20, Declarations
Any person who unlawfully, by force or threat thereof, or by any other form of intimidation, seizes or exercises control of a transit vehicle with the intent to cause any person onboard the vehicle to be detained against his or her will, cause any person onboard the vehicle to be transported against his or her will to any place other than the next scheduled stop, or cause that vehicle to deviate from its schedule. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
The killing of one human being by another, including murder and non-negligent manslaughter: The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another and negligent manslaughter : The killing of another person through gross negligence. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
High Occupancy / Toll
High Occupancy Vehicle
Mode: Heavy Rail. Vehicle Type: Heavy Rail Passenger Cars
A vehicle that combines two or more sources of power that can directly or indirectly provide propulsion power, so as to increase efficiency and thereby reduce emissions. A hybrid vehicle uses a mixture of technologies such as internal combustion engines, electric motors, gasoline, and batteries. Reporting manual reference: A-30, R-10
Back to topIndependent Auditor Statement
Independent Auditor Statement for Financial Data
Independent Auditor Statement for Federal Funding Allocation Data
Intercity Bus
NTD identification number
A type of contributed service reported only if there is no obligation to pay for the service. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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. Reporting manual reference: A-30, S-10
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 onboard the vehicle. The special tramway type of vehicles have passenger seats that remain horizontal while the undercarriage (truck) is angled parallel to the slope. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
Vehicle Type: Special type of passenger vehicles operating up and down slopes on rails via a cable mechanism. Reporting manual reference: A-30, S&S-40
An 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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, MR Introduction, S&S Introduction
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). Reporting manual reference: Introduction, Declarations, MR Introduction, S&S Introduction
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) which are the Independent Auditor Statement for Financial Data (IAS - FD), and the Independent Auditor Statement for Federal Funding Allocation Data(IAS - FFA). Reporting manual reference: Introductions, Internet Reporting, Declarations
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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, Internet Reporting, Declarations
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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, Internet Reporting, Declarations
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. Reporting manual reference: F-20
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, and accumulating accident and liability claim statistics. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Any physical damage or harm to persons as a result of an incident that requires immediate medical attention away from the scene. Reporting manual reference: S&S Introduction, S&S-40, S&S-50, RU-20
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), and replacing major repairable units of revenue vehicles (including engines, transmissions, traction motors and air conditioners). Reporting manual reference: F-30, R-20
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), and replacing major repairable units of service vehicles (including engines, transmissions, traction motors and air conditioners). Reporting manual reference: F-30, R-20
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
Regularly scheduled public service using an over-the-road bus that operates with limited stops between two urbanized areas or connecting rural areas to an urbanized area. Intercity bus mode should only be used by private, intercity bus providers. Reporting manual reference: RU Introduction, RU-20
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 two or more urban areas not in close proximity or connecting one 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. Reporting manual reference: Introductions, A-10
The charges for the use of borrowed capital incurred by the transit agency, including interest on long term, and short-term debt obligations. Interest charges pertaining to construction debt that is capitalized will not be reflected as interest expense. Reporting manual reference: F-40
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10
The incidental time between any two pieces of a run. Reporting manual reference: F-50
Mode: Inclined Plane Vehicle Type: Inclined Plane Vehicles
Back to topFTA Job Access and Reverse Commute Program
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. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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 or a firm or corporation, including a nonprofit 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. Reporting manual reference: B-10
Jitney
Back to topThe 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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: A-20
The unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession, or constructive possession, of another person. Attempted larcenies are excluded. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40, S&S-50
NTD report not submitted by the due date, the last day of the grace period or the extended due date. Reporting manual reference: Introductions
The hours scheduled at the end of the route before the departure time of the next trip. This time is scheduled for two reasons:
- To provide time for the vehicle operator to take a break (layover)
- 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).
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. Reporting manual reference: A-30, RU-20
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. Reporting manual reference: A-30, RU-20
Vehicles leased or borrowed through a purchased transportation (PT) agreement. Reporting manual reference: A-30
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, or 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. Reporting manual reference: F-40
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, and comfort and convenience. Reporting manual reference: S-20, FFA-10
A situation, such as a fire, the presence of smoke, fuel leak, or electrical hazard that constitutes an imminent danger to passengers, employees, contractors, or other persons. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
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 (ROW), low or high platform loading, and vehicle power drawn from an overhead electric line via a trolley or a pantograph. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
Vehicle Type: Rail cars with motive capability, usually driven by electric power taken from overhead lines, configured for passenger traffic, and usually operating on exclusive rights-of-way (ROW). Reporting manual reference: A-30, S&S-40
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. Reporting manual reference: FFA-10
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 the last payment is made, the entire principal will have been repaid. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Financial assistance from local entities to assist in paying capital. They include:
- Tax levies — A specified amount from local tax levies that is dedicated to supporting the capital costs of the public transit system.
- General funds — Transfers from the general fund of local governments to cover the Local Share portion of transit system capital costs.
- Specified contributions — Contributions from the local government towards the Local Share portion of transit system capital costs.
- Reserve funds — Transfers from a capital reserve fund of local governments expressly established to be used to cover the Local Share portion of transit system capital costs.
- Donations — Donations from individuals or organizations to help cover the transit system capital costs.
Financial assistance from local governments (below the state level) to help cover the costs of providing transit services. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Financial assistance from local entities that support the operation of the transit system. They include, but are not limited to:
- Tax levies — A specified amount from local levies that is dedicated to supporting public transit system operating costs.
- General funds — Transfers from the general fund of local governments to cover the Local Share portion of the transit system budget.
- Specified contributions — Contributions from city, county or other municipal government towards the Local Share portion of the transit system budget.
- Donations — Donations from individuals or organizations to help cover the costs of providing transit service but which are not related to specific passengers or trips.
- Other — Other revenues such as advertising.
A self-propelled unit of rail equipment designed primarily for moving (pushing or pulling) passenger cars. It does not include self-propelled passenger cars. Reporting manual reference: S-10
Level of Service
Lease under Lease Purchase Agreement
Leased or Borrowed from Related Parties
Mode: Light Rail
Vehicle Type: Light Rail Vehicles
Back to topPrimary rail over which rail transit vehicles travel between stations; it excludes yard, and siding track.Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
A non-collision incident in which one or more wheels of a transit vehicle unintentionally leaves the rails. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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, and engineering vehicle maintenance activities. Reporting manual reference: F-30, R-20
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. Reporting manual reference: F-20
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). Reporting manual reference: F-30
Inspecting, cleaning, repairing and replacing all components of fare collection and counting equipment (e.g., fare boxes, vaults, counters, changers and sorters). Reporting manual reference: F-30
Component activities include inspecting, repairing and replacing components of garage and shop buildings and equipment and providing custodial services for garage and shop buildings and grounds. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Component activities include inspecting, cleaning, repairing and replacing components of buildings and equipment used for general administrationand providing custodial services for buildings and grounds used for general administration. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Component activities include inspecting, repairing and replacing components of operating station buildings and equipment and providing custodial services for operating station buildings and grounds. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Component activities include inspecting, repairing and replacing components of passenger station buildings and equipment and providing custodial services for passenger station buildings and grounds. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Component activities include inspecting, cleaning, repairing, clearing and replacing all components of roadway and track. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Component activities include inspecting, cleaning, repairing and replacing all components of structures, tunnels, bridges and subways. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Component activities include inspecting, cleaning, repairing and replacing all components of vehicle movement control equipment (e.g., radios, roadway phones and monitor units). Reporting manual reference: F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: S-20
Component activities include providing supervision and clerical support for research activities and conducting consumer behavior research and transit service demand surveys to help define new routes, revisions to existing routes, etc.Reporting manual reference: F-30
Synonymous term with public transportation. Reporting manual reference: B-10
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Bus
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. Reporting manual reference: A-20
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
A light duty vehicle having a typical seating capacity of up to 7 passengers and a driver. A minivan is smaller, lower, and more streamlined than a full-sized van, but it is typically taller and with a higher floor than a passenger car, such as a hatchback or station wagon. Minivans normally cannot accommodate standing passengers. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
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)). Reporting manual reference: F-30
Roadways other than exclusive and controlled access rights-of-way (ROW) used for transit operations that are mixed with pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Does not include guideway that only has grade crossings with vehicle traffic. Reporting manual reference: A-20, S-10, FFA-10, S&S-40
Mode: Monorail Vehicle Type: Monorail Vehicles
A system for carrying transit passengers described by specific right-of-way (ROW), technology and operational features. Reporting manual reference: Introductions, 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, MR-10, MR-20, S&S-10, S&S-30, S&S-40, RU-10
Description of mode of service operated with subcategories for bus and demand response modes. Bus mode can be conventional bus fixed route service, bus deviated fixed route service, or intercity bus service. Demand response can be the usual service (no standing reservations) or subscription demand response where there are on-going reservations for scheduling consistent passenger trips. These subscription services are for categorical programs, such as Medicaid, Meals-on-Wheels, sheltered workshops, independent living centers and any social service agency programs. Subrecipients of §5311 funds may report these programs to the extent that services are provided in coordination with public transit trips; i.e., they are included in a coordinated public transit – human services transportation system. Reporting manual reference: RU-10, RU-20
Vehicle model number as used by the manufacturer. Reporting manual reference: A-30
The consideration paid by the public body to the private or public seller of transportation service (private / public carrier). The monetary consideration may include 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, and maintenance facility leased by the public body to the private / public carrier. Reporting manual reference: Introductions, B-30
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. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
Vehicle Type: Guided transit passenger vehicles operating on or suspended from a single rail, beam or tube. Reporting manual reference: A-30, S&S-40
The theft of a motor vehicle. A motor vehicle is a self-propelled vehicle that runs on the surface of land and not on rails. Reporting manual reference: S&S-50
Service operated primarily within the boundaries of two or more counties/independent cities or parishes. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
A passenger station that also serves non-transit services. Reporting manual reference: A-10
A town, village, or other district having powers of local self-government. For Rural NTD reporting, the term municipality does not include a city or county. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
Minivans
Back to topFederal 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, and public transportation facilities in National Highway System (NHS) corridors. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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. Reporting manual reference: B-30
Non-Federal (funded vehicles)
Non-Fixed Guideway
National Highway System
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)). Reporting manual reference: Introductions, Internet Reporting, B-10, Declarations, MR-10
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. Reporting manual reference: A-10
Vehicles not used exclusively for contracted service. Reporting manual reference: A-30
Vehicles purchased without Federal funding. Reporting manual reference: A-30
Mixed traffic right-of-way (ROW). For Federal funding purposes, excludes trolleybus (TB) and ferryboat (FB) modes, which are considered fixed guideway (FG). Reporting manual reference: Introductions, FFA-10
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, and other. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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 onboard the vehicle, with one exception, aerial tramway (TR) vehicles which are electrically powered by a motor not onboard the vehicle in order to pull the vehicle via an overhead cable. NTD recognizes eight non-rail modes:
- Aerial tramway (TR)
- Bus (MB)
- Demand response (DR)
- Ferryboat (FB)
- Jitney (JT)
- Publico (PB)
- Trolleybus (TB), and
- Vanpool (VP).
A facility or an area that is not used to enable individuals to board or alight transit vehicles, and that is primarily staffed by transit employees. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40, S&S-50
Services provided on demand, rather than with predetermined fixed time points, i.e., a schedule. Nonscheduled services are demand response(DR), vanpool (VP), jitney (JT), and publico (PB) services. Reporting manual reference: A-10, S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: A-10
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, and other. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Other than Urbanized Area
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.
Incidents such as strikes and blockages that result in the disruption of transit service. Reporting manual reference: S&S-50
National Transit Database
NTD identification number
A unique FTA-assigned number (NTD ID) that each transit agency must have before filing a report. Reporting manual reference: Introductions, B-10
The total number of operational revenue vehicles in the fleet available for general public transit service, including spare or back up revenue vehicles. The total should also include any operational revenue vehicles used by contractors in general public transit service. Non-revenue service vehicles and personal vehicles should not be included. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
The number of active vehicles in the fleet, which meet all ADA accessibility requirements. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
The number of locations at which other traffic may traverse the right-of-way (ROW) for rail modes operating at grade. Reporting manual reference: A-20
Back to topFor operating expense reporting, an article or service obtained. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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, and other expenses. Object classes are detailed in Section 5.2 of the Uniforms System of Accounts (USOA). Reporting manual reference: F-10, F-30, F-40
The number of offenses known by the transit agency to have taken place. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40, S&S-50
Operating Expense
Other Federal Funds (funded vehicles)
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, and operating library and central file facilities. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Owned Outright
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. Reporting manual reference: A-20
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). Reporting manual reference: Introduction, F-10, FFA-10, MR Introduction
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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, Internet Reporting, B-10, F-10, F-30, S-20, FFA-10, Declarations
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). Reporting manual reference: R-10
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, and Standby time. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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)). Reporting manual reference: F-30
The personnel (other than security agents) scheduled to be aboard vehicles in revenue operations, including vehicle operators, conductors, and 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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, F-30, F-50, MR Introduction, S&S Introduction
The labor of employees of the transit agency who are classified as revenue vehicle operators or crew. Reporting manual reference: F-30
A report stage indicating the first time the NTD Annual Report was sent to NTD, and the report is undergoing validation. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting
Transit service that does not fit into one of the previous categories. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
These are requests submitted via the e-File to NTD from the agency regarding consolidation request, extension request, fiscal year change request, new fixed guideway segment request, and new ID request. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting
An unlawful attack or attempt by one person upon another where no weapon was used or which did not result in serious or aggravated injury to the victim. This includes simple assault, minor assault, assault and battery, injury by culpable negligence, intimidation, coercion, hazing, and all attempts to commit these offenses. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40, S&S-50
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, and automotive vehicle ferriage. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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, and shelters, signs and passenger amenities (e.g., benches) not in passenger stations. Reporting manual reference: F-20
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, and monitoring of the seller's operations and other similar costs where the buyer uses its resources to support the purchased service. Reporting manual reference: B-30, F-30
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, and Other. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Any funds not included in the directly generated sources common to all transit agencies and for independent political entities. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Vehicles purchased through Federal programs other than the FTA Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF). Reporting manual reference: F-10, A-30
Other FTA programs other than:
- FTA Capital Program Funds (§5309)
- FTA Special Needs of Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities Formula Program (§5310)
- FTA Other Than Urbanized Area Formula Program (§5311)
- FTA Job Access and Reverse Commute Formula Program (§5316)
- FTA New Freedom Program (§5317)
- FTA Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands (§5320), and
- Other US DOT programs and any other federal programs.
Reporting manual reference: RU-20
Any FTA funds not reported as FTA Capital Program (§5309) and FTA Urbanized Area Formula Program (5307) funds. These funds include:
- FTA Metropolitan Planning (§5303)
- FTA Clean Fuels Program (§5308)
- FTA Special Needs of Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities Formula Program (§5310)
- FTA Other Than Urbanized Area Formula Program (§5311)
- FTA Research, Development, Demonstration and Training Projects (§5312)
- FTA Job Access and Reverse Commute Formula Program (§5316)
- FTA New Freedom Program (§5317)
- FTA Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands (§5320)
- Interstate Transfer Program
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, and Other. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: R-20
Vehicle Type: Encompasses multiple types of non-commercial, non-transit passenger vehicles such as automobiles, minivans, and pickup trucks. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
The bonuses for special operating situations not covered by overtime, spread time and shift premiums. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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). Reporting manual reference: F-40
May include slip and fall accidents, electric shock incidents, chemical burns, or other safety inicdenets that may not fit the Other Reportable Incident types. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40, S&S-50
The labor of employees of the transit agency who are not classified as revenue vehicle operators or crew. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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), and motor vehicle and tire excise taxes,but excluding income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, and gasoline taxes. Reporting manual reference: F-10
An area (a population of fewer than 50,000) so designated by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-10, S-20, FFA-10, Declarations, MR Introduction, RU Introduction
The time an operator spends performing other transportation administration function activities (see function 011) on a temporary basis. Reporting manual reference: F-50
Revenues generated from nonpublic transportation, including school bus revenues, charter bus revenues, and freight tariffs. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Financial assistance from non-FTA programs of the US Department of Transportation (USDOT). These funds include Federal Railroad Administration (including Amtrak) and Other. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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. Reporting manual reference: R-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-40, S&S-50
An individual who is neither a transit passenger, transit facility occupant, employee / other worker at the transit agency, nor trespasser. Reporting manual reference: R-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-40, S&S-50
A bus characterized by an elevated passenger deck located over a baggage compartment. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, A-10, A-30, RU-10
The bonus above straight time pay for hours scheduled and worked in excess of a specified number of hours per day or per week. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
Vehicles owned outright or as part of a safe harbor leasing agreement where only the tax title is sold. Reporting manual reference: A-30, RU-20
Back to topBreak time other than platform layover time and intervening time, and allowances for company paid meals. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-10, F-30, F-40, S-10
Revenues earned from parking fees paid by passengers who drive to park-and-ride lots operated by the transit agency to utilize transit service. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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. Reporting manual reference: R-10
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10
A unit of rolling rail equipment that provides transportation and seating and standing room for the general public. It includes self-propelled cars. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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 excludes hours for charter services, operator training, and vehicle maintenance testing. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The miles that passenger cars are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service (actual passenger car revenue miles) plus deadhead miles. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The hours that passenger cars are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service. Passenger car revenue hours include layover / recovery time; but excludes deadhead, operator training, vehicle maintenance tests, and charter services. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The maximum number of passenger cars actually operated to provide service on an average weekday, average Saturday and average Sunday. Reporting manual reference: S-10, MR-20
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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 and special transit fares. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting
The cumulative sum of the distances ridden by each passenger. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting, F-10, S-10, FFA-10, Declarations
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, and 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), and cable car (CC). Reporting manual reference: F-20, F-30, A-10
Publico
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. Reporting manual reference: R-10
Vehicle Type: Encompasses multiple types of non-commercial, non-transit passenger vehicles such as automobiles, minivans, and pickup trucks. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
Vehicles that are used by the transit provider to transport passengers in revenue service but are owned by private individuals, typically an employee of the agency or a volunteer driver. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
The number of persons used routinely to patrol grounds and to respond to incident in or on transit property.
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, and administering a worker’s compensation program. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Component activities include providing supervision and clerical support for planning activities and conducting long range and regional transit planning and analysis. Reporting manual reference: F-30
A horizontal surface raised above the level of the adjacent area, such as a boarding and alighting area alongside rail tracks. Reporting manual reference: F-20, A-10
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30, F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
Passenger Miles Traveled
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:
- By traveling between mandatory time points on the schedule
- By advising the bus operator if they want to be taken to a destination that is not a scheduled time point when boarding, or
- 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.
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, and 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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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). Reporting manual reference: F-50
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 Vehicle maintenance functions (041) and Non-vehicle maintenance(042) functions. Reporting manual reference: F-30, RU-20
The security force that the agency uses routinely or assigns to patrol its grounds and to respond to incidents in or on transit property. Primary and secondary security forces could be interchangeable due to staffing concerns (e.g., major sporting events). Reporting manual reference: S&S-30.
A nonpublic entity that provides public transportation services. For-profit entities exist primarily to generate a profit, (i.e., a surplus of revenues over expenditures). Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-30, F-10, A-10, MR Introduction, S&S Introduction
A nonpublic 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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-30, F-10, A-10, MR Introduction, S&S Introduction
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
The dollar amount required to repair or replace all vehicles (transit and non-transit) and all property / facilities (track, signals, and buildings) damaged during an incident to a state equivalent to that which existed prior to the incident. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40, S&S-50, RU-20
Purchased Transportation
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). Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-30, F-10, A-10, MR Introduction, S&S Introduction
Any of the following three categories (49 CFR 37):
- Any state or local government
- Any department, agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality of one or more state or local governments
- The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) and any commuter authority.
Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-30, F-10, A-10, MR Introduction, S&S Introduction
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)." Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-10, A-10, A-20, A-30, MR-10, S&S Introduction, RU Introduction
Notes: (1) Passenger rail transportation refers to Amtrak. (2) This definition does not affect the eligibility of intercity bus service under the §5311 Other Than Urbanized Area (Rural) Formula Program. (3) The intercity bus and intercity rail (Amtrak) portion of Intermodal terminals is however an eligible capital cost.
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. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
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. Reporting manual reference: F-40
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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-10, B-30, F-10, F-20, F-30, A-10, A-20, A-30, R-30, FFA-10, Declarations, MR Introduction, MR-10, MR-20, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, S&S-40, S&S-50, RU-10
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. Reporting manual reference: B-30, F-10
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 which are filing in report (508.01), and filing separate report (508.02). Reporting manual reference: F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Back to topAn 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). Reporting manual reference: S-10
Back to topAn incident in which a rail transit vehicle strikes an individual. Incidents involving suicides and attempted suicides are excluded from this category. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
An incident in which a rail transit vehicle strikes or is struck by another transit vehicle (either a revenue vehicle or a non-revenue vehicle). Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
Transit modes whose vehicles travel along fixed rails — bars of rolled steel — forming a track. The vehicles are usually electrically propelled typically through motors onboard the vehicles, but motors may also be at a central location not onboard 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:
- Alaska railroad (AR)
- Automated guideway (AG) transit
- Cable car (CC)
- Commuter rail (CR)
- Heavy rail (HR)
- Inclined plane (IP)
- Light rail (LR), and
- Monorail (MO).
The one-time rebuild or replacement of major subsystems on revenue producing rail cars and locomotives — commonly referred to as midlife overhaul. Reporting manual reference: F-20
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, and negotiating leases. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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, and leases and rentals. They are called reconciling items because they are needed to provide an overall total that is consistent with local published reports. Reporting manual reference: F-40
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. Reporting manual reference: F-20
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. Reporting manual reference: F-40
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. Reporting manual reference: F-20
The replacement of revenue vehicles having reached the end of a minimum normal service life. Reporting manual reference: F-20
An indicator of how an agency’s NTD Annual Report is progressing from initial data input through closeout. The four stages are Working data, Original submission, Revision, and Closeout. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
Existence of one or more of the following:
- A fatality due to an incident - does include suicides, but does not include deaths by natural causes, or deaths not associated with an incident, and / or
- Injuries requiring immediate medical attention away from the scene for one or more persons, and / or
- Property damage equal to or exceeding $25,000
- An evacuation due to life safety reasons
- A mainline derailment
- Acts of God
- Hazardous material spill
- Security incidents:
- Terrorism related events:
- Bomb threat
- Bombing
- Chemical / biological / radiological / nuclear release
- Other system security events:
- Arson
- Sabotage
- Hijacking
- Cyber
- Other personal events:
- Aggravated assault
- Rape
- Suicide
- Attempted suicide
- Vandalism
- Robbery
- Burglary
- Motor vehicle theft
- Larceny / theft
- Homicide
Relief from filing an NTD report. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, Internet Reporting, S&S Introduction
A tract of land set apart by the Federal government for a special purpose, especially one for the use of a Native American people. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
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. Reporting manual reference: S&S Introduction, S&S-40, S&S-50
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50, A-10, A-30, S-10, R-20, FFA-10, Declarations
The hours (miles) that are comprised of running time and layover / recovery time. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The floating and rolling stock used to provide revenue service for passengers. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-10, F-20, F-30, F-50, A-10, S-10, R-10, R-20, R-30, Declarations, MR Introduction, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-40, S&S-50
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, and 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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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 terminil (e.g., deadheading), laying over at route termini for an operator’s rest period, moving operators to and from relief points, and providing non-driving assistance in passenger loading. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting
Vehicle Type: Commuter Rail Locomotives
The taking, or attempting to take, anything of value under confrontational circumstances from the control, custody, or care of another person by force or threat of force or violence and / or by putting the victim in fear of immediate harm. Reporting manual reference: S&S Introduction, S&S-40, S&S-50
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:
- If they want to be taken off route as part of a service deviation, they must tell the bus operator when boarding, or
- 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.
Vehicle Type: Commuter Rail Passenger Coaches
Vehicle Type: Commuter Rail Self-Propelled Passenger Cars
The time allowed to sign up for runs. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10, S-10
A unique five-digit alpha-numeric identification number (ID) assigned by FTA that each transit agency must have before filing a report. Reporting manual reference: RU-10
Back to topThe deliberate destruction of transit property or the slowing down of public transit operations by employees with the intention of damaging business or the economic condition of the transit agency. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
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:
- Physical barriers such as cones, concrete dividers, medians
- 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.
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, and compiling and maintaining safety statistics. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: S&S Introduction, Internet Reporting, S&S-20
Occurrences and / or arrests / citations meet the requirements of Reportable Incidents: Occurrences of:
- Robbery (confrontational theft)
- Larceny (non-confrontational theft)
- Burglary
- Motor vehicle theft
- Other safety occurrence not otherwise classified
- Fires
Arrest / citation for:
- Other (non-aggravated) assaults
- Fare evasion
- Trespassing
- Vandalism
- Non-violent civil disturbance
Reporting manual reference:S&S Introduction, S&S-50
Any event involving the operation of a transit system if, as a result, one or more of the following occurs:
- An individual dies either at the time of the event or within 30 days of the event
- One or more persons suffer bodily damage as a result of the event requiring immediate medical attention away from the scene
- Property damage in excess of $25,000.
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). Reporting manual reference: S-10, MR-20
Vehicle Type: School Buses
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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). Reporting manual reference: R-20
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
Component activities include providing supervision and clerical support for scheduling activities, collecting data for schedule making, making schedules, cutting runs, and furnishing schedule information (e.g., routes, miles, time and run definitions). Reporting manual reference: F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10, MR-20
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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, S-10, MR Introduction, S&S Introduction
The revenue earned operating vehicles under school bus contracts. This is the exclusive use of buses to carry children to and from their schools. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Vehicle Type: Passenger vehicles which are designed or used to carry more than ten passengers in addition to the driver, and used primarily for the purpose of transporting pre-primary, primary or secondary school students either to such schools from home or from such schools to home. Reporting manual reference: B-10, S&S-40
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The number of seats that are actually installed in the vehicle. Reporting manual reference: A-30
Secondary Security
The number of personnel used occasionally to respond to more serious event occurring in or on transit property when the Primary Security Personnel force requires assistance.
The security force that is used occasionally to respond to more serious events occurring in or on transit property when the Primary Security Personnel force requires assistance. Reporting manual reference: S&S-30
Occurrences of robbery, larceny, burglary, motor vehicle theft, fires and or arrests / citations for other (non-aggravated) assaults, fare evasion, trespassing, vandalism, or nonviolent civil disturbances that do not meet the reporting thresholds for a Reportable Incident Report.
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). Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-30, F-10, F-20, F-30, A-10, A-20, A-30, S-10, FFA-10, Declarations, MR Introduction, S&S Introduction
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). Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-10, FFA-10, RU-10
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). Reporting manual reference: B-10, RU-10
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. Reporting manual reference: B-10, RU-10
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). Reporting manual reference: B-10, RU-10
The amount of service actually used by passengers and which is measured by unlinked passenger trips and passenger miles. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The amount of service scheduled or actually operated. Service supplied is measured in vehicles, miles and / or hours that were operated. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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, and maintenance vehicles for maintaining passenger facilities and rights-of-way (ROW) (rail stations, bus shelters, track, etc.). Also referred to as non-revenue vehicles. Reporting manual reference: F-20, F-30, A-10, R-20, RU-20
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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), and refueling and adding oil and water to service vehicles. Reporting manual reference: F-30, R-20
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), and refueling and adding oil and water to revenue vehicles. Reporting manual reference: F-30, R-20
The bonuses for working during times of day that are subject to special pay differentials. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, MR Introduction, S&S Introduction
A vehicle having only one occupant (the driver). Reporting manual reference: F-10, S-20, FFA-10, Declarations
A public or private nonprofit organization providing specialized programs and transportation service to a specific clientele such as the elderly and persons with disabilities. Reporting manual reference: B-30
Single Occupancy Vehicle
The revenue vehicles maintained by the transit agency to meet routine and heavy maintenance requirements, meet unexpected vehicle breakdowns or accidents, and thereby preserve scheduled service operations. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, A-30, S-10
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 US 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, and 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. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Public transportation services that are paid, in whole or in part, directly to the transit provider by a third party. These services may be offered by transit providers as part of a Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan. Common sponsors include the Veterans Administration, Medicare, sheltered workshops, the Association for Retarded Citizens-Arc, Assisted Living Centers, and Head Start programs.
A high-performance four-wheel drive car built on a truck chassis. It is a passenger vehicle which combines the towing capacity of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a minivan or station wagon. Most SUVs are designed with a roughly square cross-section, an engine compartment, a combined passenger and cargo compartment, and no dedicated trunk. Most mid-size and full-size SUVs have three rows of seats with a cargo area directly behind the last row of seats. Compact SUVs and mini SUVs may have five or fewer seats. Reporting manual reference: RU-10
The bonus above straight time pay for hours worked after a specified number of hours from the start of the operator’s day. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: A-30
Financial assistance from any state agency to assist in paying capital costs. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
Financial assistance obtained from a state government(s) to assist with paying the costs of providing transit services. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Financial assistance from any state agency that supports the operation of the transit system. It includes, but is not limited to:
- Tax levies — A specified amount from state levies that is dedicated to supporting public transit system operating costs.
- General funds — Transfers from the general fund of state governments to cover the Local Share portion of the transit system budget.
- Specified contributions — Contributed from the state towards the Local Share portion of the transit system budget.
The revenue earned from granting operating rights to businesses (e.g., concessionaires, newsstands, candy counters) on property maintained by the transit agency. Reporting manual reference: F-10
FTA Small Transit Intensive Cities Formula
Surface Transportation Program
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).
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). Reporting manual reference: F-50
Shared use transit service operating in response to on-going reservations made by passengers to the transit operator, who can schedule in advance a consistent trip to pick up the passenger and transport them to their destination. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Government financial assistance. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Rail transit way below surface with a cover over the tunnel. Cut and cover, bored tunnel, underwater tubes, etc., are included. Reporting manual reference: A-20
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. Reporting manual reference: F-10
Track device to diverge cars / trains to another track. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
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). Reporting manual reference: F-20
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, and 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). Reporting manual reference: F-30
Back to topStraight track. Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
The taxes levied against the transit agency by Federal, state and local governments. Reporting manual reference: F-30
A private for profit company where passenger vehicles are for hire by the riding public. Reporting manual reference: B-30
Vehicle Type: An automobile in which passengers are carried for a fare at a rate usually recorded by a taximeter. Reporting manual reference: A-30
Vehicle Type: A station wagon in which passengers are carried for a fare at a rate usually recorded by a taximeter. Reporting manual reference: A-30
Vehicle Type: A van in which passengers are carried for a fare at a rate usually recorded by a taximeter. Reporting manual reference: A-30
Vehicle Type: Three categories of vehicles based upon size: sedan (TS), van (TV), and station wagon (TW). Reporting manual reference: S&S-40
Trolleybus
Vehicle Type: Trolleybus
FTA Recipient Identification Number
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. Reporting manual reference: R-10
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, and smart cards. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Start of morning transit service, i.e., the time when the first revenue service vehicle leaves the garage or point of dispatch. Reporting manual reference: S-10
End of night transit service; i.e., the time when a revenue service vehicle returns to the garage or point of dispatch. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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, and time spent in customer service. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
The time allowed for certain operators to spend in conducting union business. Reporting manual reference: F-50
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. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Type of Service
The total miles accumulated during the period on all active vehicles, based on the end of period inventory. Reporting manual reference: A-30
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 pullout, and pull-in. It therefore includes both deadhead, and revenue service. Reporting manual reference: S-10
Aerial Tramway
Vehicle Type: Aerial Tramways
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)).
Reporting manual reference: S-10
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 excludes hours for charter services, operator training, and vehicle maintenance testing. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The hours that trains are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service. Train revenue hours include layover / recovery time; but excludes deadhead, training operators prior to revenue service, vehicle maintenance tests, and charter services. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The maximum number of trains actually operated to provide service on an average weekday, average Saturday and average Sunday. Reporting manual reference: S-10
Synonymous term with public transportation. Reporting manual reference: B-10
An individual who is compensated by the transit agency for directly operated(DO) services, the labor expense for the individual is reported in object class 501 labor. For purchased transportation (PT) service, the labor expense for the individual meets the same criteria as object class 501 labor. Reporting manual reference: S&S Introduction, S&S-40
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, and administering sign-ups. Reporting manual reference: F-30
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. Reporting manual reference: F-50
The unauthorized entry of transit owned land, structure, or other real property not intended for public use. Reporting manual reference: S&S Introduction, S&S-40, S&S-50
A person in an area of transit property not intended for public use (i.e., an unauthorized area). Reporting manual reference: S&S Introduction, S&S-40, S&S-50
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 onboard the vehicle. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
Vehicle Type: Rubber-tired, electrically powered passenger vehicles operated on city streets drawing power from overhead lines with trolleys. Reporting manual reference: A-30, S&S-40
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. Reporting manual reference: A-30, RU-20
Vehicle Type: Taxicab Sedan
The time allowed an operator to report the conclusion of a piece of work to the dispatcher. Reporting manual reference: F-50
Vehicle Type: Taxicab Van
Vehicle Type: Taxicab Station Wagon
Describes how public transportation services are provided by the transit agency: directly operated (DO) or purchased transportation (PT) services. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, Internet Reporting, B-10, F-20, F-30, F-40, A-10, A-20, S-10, S-20, R-20, FFA-10, Declarations, MR Introduction, MR-10, MR-20, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, S&S-40, S&S-50, RU-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
Back to topUrbanized Area Formula Program (funded vehicles)
FTA Urbanized Area Formula Program
Urbanized Area Funding
Transit industry initiative for a uniform reporting system for transit agencies. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, MR Introduction, RU Introduction
A structure of categories and definitions used for NTD reporting to ensure uniform data. The USOA contains:
- Various categories of accounts and records for classifying financial (Chart of Accounts) and operating data
- Definitions of the data elements included in each category
- Definitions of practices for the orderly and regular collection and recording of the data.
Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-10, F-30, F-50, S-10, FFA-10, Declarations, MR Introduction
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. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting, F-10, S-10, FFA-10, Declarations, MR Internet Reporting, MR-20
Unlinked Passenger Trips
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. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, Internet Reporting, B-10, S-10, FFA-10, Declarations, MR Introduction, S&S Introduction, RU Introduction
Vehicles purchased with funds administered under the Urbanized Area Formula Program. Reporting manual reference: A-30
Uniform System of Accounts
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, and other utilities such as electrical power for purposes other than for electrically driven vehicles, water and sewer, gas, garbage collection and telephone. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Urbanized Area
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 US Bureau of the Census statistics. Reporting manual reference: B-10, FFA-10
Back to topThe willful or malicious destruction or defacement of transit property or vehicles. Reporting manual reference: S&S-50
Repairing all special damage to buildings, grounds and equipment resulting from willful or malicious destruction or defacement. Reporting manual reference: F-30
Repairing all special damage to revenue vehicles resulting from willful or malicious destruction or defacement. Reporting manual reference: F-30, R-20
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 mass 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 mass 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, and coordination or clearing house service, do not qualify as public vanpools. Reporting manual reference: B-10, MR-10, S&S Introduction, S&S-10, RU-10
Transit service 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. Vanpool(s) must also be open to the public and that availability must be made known. Does not include ridesharing coordination. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
An enclosed vehicle having a typical seating capacity of 8 to 18 passengers and a driver. A van is typically taller and with a higher floor than a passenger car, such as a hatchback or station wagon. Vans normally cannot accommodate standing passengers. Reporting manual reference: A-30, RU-20
The revenue earned from granting rights to concessionaires (e.g., food and beverage service) on the transit agency’s vehicles. Reporting manual reference: F-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
All activities associated with revenue and non-revenue (service) vehicle maintenance, including administration, inspection and maintenance, and servicing (cleaning, fueling, etc.) vehicles. In addition, vehicle maintenance includes repairs due to vandalism and accident repairs of revenue vehicles. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting, F-20, F-30, R-10
All activities associated with vehicle operations, including transportation administration and support, revenue vehicle movement control, scheduling of transportation operations, revenue vehicle operation, ticketing and fare collection, and system security. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting, F-30, R-10
The hours that vehicles are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service. Vehicle revenue hours include layover / recovery time; but excludes deadhead, operator training, and vehicle maintenance testing, as well as school bus and charter services. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The miles that vehicles are scheduled to or actually travel while in revenue service. Vehicle revenue miles include layover / recovery time; but excludes deadhead, operator training, and vVehicle maintenance testing, as well as school bus and charter services. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The form of passenger conveyance used for revenue operations. Reporting manual reference: A-30, S&S-40, RU-20
The number of revenue vehicles available to meet the annual maximum service requirement. Vehicles available for maximum service include spares, out of service vehicles, and vehicles in or awaiting maintenance. But exclude vehicles awaiting sale, and emergency contingency vehicles. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, A-10, S-10, MR Introduction
The maximum number of vehicles actually operated to provide service on an average weekday, average Saturday and average Sunday. Reporting manual reference: S-10
All revenue vehicles held at the end of the fiscal year, including those in storage, emergency contingency, and awaiting sale. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting, A-30
The number of revenue vehicles operated to meet the annual maximum service requirement. This is the revenue vehicle count during the peak season of the year, on the week and day that maximum service is provided. Vehicles operated in maximum service (VOMS) exclude atypical days, or one-time special events. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, Internet Reporting, B-10, B-30, F-50, A-30, S-10, Declarations, MR Introduction, MR-10, MR-20
Vehicle Type: Vintage or antique rail cars originally manufactured before 1975. The vehicles are typically operated in mixed traffic right-of-way (ROW), but may also operate on exclusive or controlled access rights-of-way (ROW). Reporting manual reference: A-30
Vehicle Type: Vans
Transit agency, public or private, which is not a recipient or beneficiary of Urbanized Area Formula Program funds. Reporting manual reference: Introduction, B-10, MR Introduction, S&S Introduction
Individuals who drive vehicles in revenue service to transport passengers for the transit provider but are not employees of the transit provider and are not compensated for their labor. Reporting manual reference: RU-20
Vehicles Operated in Annual Maximum Service
Vanpool
Vehicle Revenue Hours
Actual Vehicle Revenue Miles
Vehicle Revenue Miles
Vehicle Type: Vintage Trolley / Streetcar
Back to topRelief from a specific reporting requirement based on either a threshold value or good cause. There are three categories of waivers:
- Nine or fewer vehicles
- Data
- Report.
Reporting manual reference: Introduction, Internet Reporting, S&S Introduction, S&S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The period between the end of the AM peak and the beginning of the PM peak. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
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. Reporting manual reference: S-10
The time allowed an operator to appear as a witness in cases involving revenue vehicle operation. Reporting manual reference: F-50
A report stage indicating that the NTD Annual Report can be edited and revised by the agency and the edited data and revisions have not been submitted to NTD. Reporting manual reference: Internet Reporting
Back to topThe year of original manufacture of the vehicle. Reporting manual reference: A-30, RU-20
The year in which the transit agency reinvested in the vehicle to enhance its reliability or extend its useful life. Reporting manual reference: A-30
Last Updated: 06/24/2008