I - Glossary
British thermal unit (Btu): The amount of energy required to raise the
temperature of 1 pound of water 1 degree Fahrenheit (F) at or near 39.2 degrees
F and 1 atmosphere of pressure.
Certificated airport: An airport holding an operating certificate issued
by the Federal Aviation Administration in accordance with Code of Federal Regulation
(CFR) Title 14, Chapter 1, Part 139 allowing it to serve scheduled or unscheduled
air carrier aircraft designed for more than 30 passengers.
Commuter rail: Urban passenger train service for short-distance travel
between a central city and adjacent suburb. Does not include rapid rail transit
or light rail transit service.
Container: A box-like device used to store, protect, and handle a number
of packages or items as a unit of transit that can be interchanged between trucks,
trains, and ships without rehandling the contents.
Controlled right-of-way: Lanes restricted for at least a portion of
the day for use by transit vehicles and other high occupancy vehicles (HOVs).
Demand responsive: Transit service provided without a fixed-route and
without a fixed schedule that operates in response to calls from passengers or
their agents to the transit operator or dispatcher. Service is usually provided
using cars, vans, or buses with fewer than 25 seats.
Directional route-miles: The mileage in each direction over which public
transportation vehicles travel while in revenue service. Directional route-miles
are a measure of the facility or roadway, not the service carried on the facility
such as the number of routes or vehicle-miles. Directional route-miles are 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.
Dry-bulk carrier (water): A ship with specialized holds for carrying
dry cargo such as coal, grain, and iron ore in unpackaged bulk form.
Enplanements: The total number of revenue passengers boarding
aircraft.
Exclusive right-of-way: Lanes reserved at all times for transit use
and other high occupancy vehicles (HOVs).
Ferryboat (transit): Vessels that carry passengers and/or vehicles over
a body of water. Generally steam or diesel-powered, ferryboats may also be hovercraft,
hydrofoil, and other high-speed vessels. The vessel is limited in its use to the
carriage of deck passengers or vehicles or both, operates on a short run on a
frequent schedule between two points over the most direct water routes other than
in ocean or coastwise service, and is offered as a public service of a type normally
attributed to a bridge or tunnel.
Full container ship: Ships equipped with permanent container cells,
with little or no space for other types of cargo.
Heavy rail: An electric railway with the capacity to transport a heavy
volume of passenger traffic and characterized by exclusive rights-of-way, multi-car
trains, high speed, rapid acceleration, sophisticated signaling, and high-platform
loading. Also known as "subway," "elevated (railway)," or
metropolitan railway (metro)."
Light rail: A streetcar-type vehicle operated on city streets, semi-exclusive
rights-of-way, or exclusive rights-of-way. Service may be provided by step-entry
vehicles or by level boarding.
Major arterial highway: A major highway used primarily for through traffic.
Metric ton: 1,814 pounds (2,000 pounds multiplied by 0.907).
Minor arterial: In rural areas, roads linking cities and larger
towns. In urban areas, roads distributing trips to small geographic area but not
penetrating identifiable neighborhoods.
Minor collector highway: In rural areas, routes that serve intracounty
rather than statewide travel. In urban areas, streets that provide direct access
to neighborhoods and arterials.
Mixed right-of-way: Lanes used for general automobile traffic.
Motor bus: A rubber-tired, self-propelled, manually steered bus with
fuel supply onboard the vehicle. Motor bus types include intercity, school, and
transit.
Natural gas distribution pipeline: Smaller than transmission pipelines
and maintained by companies that distribute natural gas locally (intrastate).
Distribution pipeline systems are analogous to networks of lesser roads and residential
streets that people travel after getting off the freeway.
Natural gas transmission pipeline: Analogous to a major freeway,
it is the main interstate transportation route for moving large amounts of natural
gas from the source of production to points of distribution. Transmission pipelines
are designed to move large amounts of natural gas from areas where the gas is
extracted and stored to the local distribution companies that provide natural
gas to homes and businesses.
Principal arterial highway: Major streets or highways, many of multilane
or freeway design, serving high-volume traffic corridor movements that connect
major generators of travel.
Short ton: 2,000 pounds.
Tanker: An oceangoing ship designed to haul liquid bulk cargo in world
trade.
Ton-mile: The movement of one ton of cargo the distance of one statute
mile.
Trackage rights: The authority of one railroad to use the tracks of
another railroad for a fee.
Trolley bus: Rubber-tired, electric transit vehicle, manually steered
and propelled by a motor drawing current, normally through overhead wires, from
a central power source.
Unlinked passenger trips: The number of passengers who board public
transportation vehicles. A passenger is counted each time he or she boards a vehicle
even if on the same journey from origin to destination.
Vanpool: Public-sponsored commuter service operating under prearranged
schedules for previously formed groups of riders in 8- to 18-seat vehicles. Drivers
are also commuters who receive little or no compensation besides the free ride.
Vehicle-miles traveled (highway): Miles of travel by all types of motor
vehicles as determined by the states on the basis of actual traffic counts and
established estimating procedures.
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