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Dictionary

WAAS: Wide Area Augmentation System (FAA20)

WADGPS: Wide Area Differential Global Positioning System (FAA20)

Walk: Includes jogging, walking, etc., provided the origin and destination are not the same. (FHWA3)

Walk: To use the rudders opposite to the screws so as to cause the tow to move sideways in close maneuvering. (TNDOT1)

Walking: A colloquial term for a flanking maneuver. (TNDOT1)

WAN: Wide Area Network (FAA20)

War Risk: The possible aggressive actions against a ship and its cargo by a belligerent government. This risk can be insured by a marine policy with a war risk clause. (TNDOT1)

Warehouse: A place for the reception, delivery, consolidation, distribution, and storage of goods/cargo. (MARAD2)

Warning Area: Airspace which may contain hazards to non participating aircraft in international airspace. (FAA8)

WARP: Weather and Radar Processor (FAA20)

Warranty: The written guarantee issued with new motor vehicles or related equipment. It defines the manufacturer's responsibility for the repair or replacement of defective parts and other services provided as part of the purchase price. A warranty can be nullified if the user does not follow certain stipulations of the manufacturer, such as preventive maintenance. (GSA2)

Wash: The usually dry portion of a bed of a stream that contains water only during or after a local rainstorm or heavy snowmelt. (DOI3)

WASHTO: Western Assoc. of State Highway and Transportation Officials (FHWA19)

WASS: Wide Area Augmentation System - GPS (FAA20)

Waste and Tar Oils: Petroleum-based materials that are worthless for any purpose other than fuel use. (DOE5)

WAT: Walk-and-Turn- a divided attention field sobriety test (NHTSA7)

Water Intake/Outflow: A structure through which water enters or exits a conduit. (DOI3)

Water Mode: Consists of navigable rivers, canals, the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Intercoastal Waterway, ocean shipping channels; ports; commercial ships and barges, fishing vessels, urban ferries, and recreational boats. (BTS1) (BTS2)

Water Pollution Abatement Equipment: Equipment used to reduce or eliminate waterborne pollutants, including chlorine, phosphates, acids, bases, hydrocarbons, sewage, and other pollutants. Examples of water pollution abatement structures and equipment include those used to treat thermal pollution; cooling, boiler, and cooling tower blowdown water; coal pile runoff; and fly ash waste water. Water pollution abatement excludes expenditures for treatment of water prior to use at the plant. (DOE5)

Water Transportation: Includes establishments engaged in freight or passenger transportation on the open seas or inland waters, and establishments that provide incidental services such as lighterage, towing, and canal operation. Also includes excursion, sightseeing, water taxis, and cargo handling. (BEA1)

Water Transportation of Freight: Establishments primarily engaged in transporting freight on all inland waterways, including the intracoastal waterways on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. (BOC1)

Water Transportation of Passengers : Establishments primarily engaged in furnishing water transportation of passengers, not elsewhere classified, such as airboats (swamp buggy rides), excursion boat operations, and sightseeing boats. (BOC1)

Waterborne Transportation: Transport of freight and/or people by commercial vessels under U.S. Coast Guard jurisdiction. (BTS11)

Watercourse: A way or course through which water may or does flow. (DOI4)

Waterfront Liquid Natural Gas Plant: An LNG plant with docks, wharves, piers, or other structures in, on, or immediately adjacent to the navigable waters of the United States or Puerto Rico and any shore area immediately adjacent to those waters to which vessels may be secured and at which LNG cargo operations may be conducted. (49CFR193)

Watering Place: A place other than a spring or well where vessels and vehicles replenish their water supply. (DOI4)

Waters of the U.S.: The territorial seas; coastal and inland waters, lakes, rivers, and streams that are navigable waters of the United States, including adjacent wetlands; tributaries to navigable waters of the United States, including adjacent wetlands (man-made non-tidal drainage and irrigation ditches excavated on dry land are not considered to be tributaries); interstate waters and their tributaries, including adjacent wetlands; all other waters of the United States such as isolated wetlands and lakes, intermittent streams, prairie potholes, and other waters that are not part of a tributary system to interstate waters or to navigable waters of the United States, the degradation or destruction of which could affect interstate commerce. (TNDOT1)

Waterway: River, canal, lake or other stretch of water that by natural or man-made features is suitable for navigation. (DOE5)

WATS: Survey of Motor Freight Transportation and Public Warehousing (BTS8)

WAVM: Wide-Area Vehicle Monitoring (FHWA19)

Waybill: The document covering a shipment and showing the forwarding and receiving stations, the name of consignor and consignee, the car initials and number, the routing, the description and weight of the commodity, instructions for special services, the rate, total charges, advances and waybill reference for previous services, and the amount prepaid. (BTS11)

WBE: Women's Business Enterprise (FHWA18)

WBS: Work Breakdown Structure (FAA20)

WC: Work Center (FAA20)

WCAM: Weather Camera (FAA20)

WCF: Working Capital Fund (DOT1)

WCIS: Workmen's Compensation Information System (FAA20)

WCP: Weather Communications Processor (FAA20)

WCTR: World Conference on Transport Research (FHWA19)

WCTRS: World Conference on Transport Research Society (FHWA20)

WCUS: Waterborne Commerce of the United States (DoD/COE1)

Weather Radar: Provides the flight crew with visual display of weather that could contain turbulence. The system's primary function is to assist in turbulence avoidance, although most airborne radar systems are also capable of terrain mapping. (FAA6) (FAA10)

WECO: Western Electric Company (FAA20)

Weekday: From 6 a.m. Monday to 5:59 p.m. Friday. (NHTSA3)

Weekend: From 6 p.m. Friday to 5:59 a.m. Monday. (NHTSA3)

Weekend Trip (American Travel Survey): Travel by persons who stay one or two nights away, including a Friday and/or Saturday night. Travel over three to five nights including a Friday and/or Saturday night stay is defined as a long-weekend trip. (BTS11)

WEFA: Wharton Econometric Forecasting Association (FAA3)

Weigh Facility: An area having facilities for weighing of trucks by State highway authority. (DOI3)

Weight Ton: There are three types of weight tons; 1) The short ton, weighing 2,000 pounds; 2) The long ton, weighing 2,240 pounds; and 3) The metric ton, weighing 2,204.68 pounds. The last is frequently quoted for cargo being exported from Europe. (TNDOT1)

Weight-Distance Tax: A tax basing the fee per mile on the registered gross weight of the vehicle. Total tax liability is calculated by multiplying this rate times miles traveled. (ATA2)

Weight/Measurement Ton: In many cases, a rate is shown per weight/measurement ton, carrier's option. This means that the rate will be assessed on either a weight ton or measurement ton basis, whichever will yield the carrier the greater revenue. For example, the rate may be quoted on the basis of 2,240 pounds or 40 cubic feet or 1 metric ton or 1 cubic meter. (TNDOT1)

Weir: A dam in a waterway over which water flows and that serves to raise the water level or to direct or regulate flow. (DOE5)

Well Area: An area identified as a danger to maritime navigation containing one or more wells. (DOI3)

Well Out In River: Channel report term meaning nearer to the middle of the river than to the bank. (TNDOT1)

Wellhead Unit Value: The wellhead sales price, including charges for natural gas plant liquids subsequently removed from the gas; gathering and compression charges; and state production, severance, and/or similar charges. (DOE5)

WEM: Workshops In Emergency Management (RSPA1)

WES: Waterways Experiment Station (FHWA19)

WESCOM: Western Electric Satellite Communications (FAA20)

Western Rivers: Generally, the Mississippi River system but technically the Mississippi River system above the Huey P. Long Bridge, the Red River to the north, the Port Allen-Morgan City Waterway, and that part of the Atchafalaya River above its junction with the Port Allen-Morgan City Waterway. (TNDOT1)

WET: Wetland Evaluation Technique (FHWA19)

WFD: Widespread Fatigue Damage (FAA20)

WFLHD: Western Federal Lands Highway Division (FHWA16)

WG: Working Group (FAA20)

Wharf: A general term for any structure at which vessels berth or tie-up. The term is also used specifically for a berthing structure of open piling construction, aligned parallel with the shoreline, and referred to as a marginal wharf. (MARAD1)

Wharf Demurrage: Charge assessed against cargo remaining in or on terminal facilities after the expiration of free time, unless arrangements have been made for storage. (MARAD1)

Wharfage: Charge assessed by a pier or dock owner against freight handled over the pier or dock or against a steamship company using the pier or dock. (MARAD2)

Wheelbase: The distance from the center line of the front axle to the center line of the rear axle. (GSA2)

Wheelchair: A mobility aid belonging to any class of three or four wheeled devices, usable indoors, designed for and used by individuals with mobility impairments, whether operated manually or powered. A "common wheelchair" is such a device which does not exceed 30 inches in width and 48 inches in length measured two inches above the ground, and does not weigh more than 600 pounds when occupied. (49CFR37)

Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle: A vehicle that a wheelchair-bound person may enter either 1) via an on-board retractable lift or ramp; 2) directly from a station platform reached by an elevator or a ramp that is either level with the vehicle floor or can be raised to floor level. (APTA1)

When Halfway Over: Channel report term used in crossings meaning when halfway across the river, put head of tow on the next mark listed in the channel report. (TNDOT1)

When Well Over: Channel report term used in describing courses steered in crossings when more than halfway across or halfway over the reach. (TNDOT1)

WHI: Western Highway Institute (FHWA19)

Wicket: A rectangular heavily constructed slab of wood and steel hinged in a counterbalanced way so as to be lying flat on the riverbed when down, and held upright by the pressure of the water when raised. Wickets are placed in a parallel line across the river. When all are in raised position, they form a wall or dam, thus backing up the water and raising it to the pool level. (TNDOT1)

Wide Out: A channel report term meaning not quite as far as the middle but well out in the channel. (TNDOT1)

Wide Reef: An illusion caused by the wind blowing upstream against the current. There is generally a deep trench under the ripples caused by the wind. (TNDOT1)

Wide Spread: Trailer axles which are more than 8 feet apart. (ATA1)

WiFi: Wireless Fidelity (FAA20)

Wigwag : An early 20th century railroad grade crossing signal that uses a pendulum like motion to signal the approach of a train. (BTS13)

WIM: Weigh-In-Motion (BTS8) (FHWA7)

Winch Rig: Straight truck or tractor with a hoist. (ATA1)

Wind Indicator: A visual device used to provide wind information. (DOI4)

Windbreak: A shelter, either natural (e.g., a line of trees or a thick hedge) or artificial (a screen), which breaks or interrupts the force of the wind. (DOI4)

Windshield: The combination of individual units of glazing material of the locomotive, passenger car, or caboose that are positioned in an end facing glazing location. (49CFR223)

Wingboard: A 12-by 36-inch daymark formerly used with type 46 wooden structures. Wingboards are now being replaced by passing daymark. (TNDOT1)

Wingdam: A rock and sand dike extending from the right or left bank of the river outward toward the channel. Often lies just below the surface of the water at pool stage. Wingdams are used to direct the flow of water into the main channel to assist in its maintenance. (TNDOT1)

Winglet: An out-of-plane surface extending from a lifting surface. The surface may or may not have control surfaces. (14CFR1)

WIPP: Waste Isolation Pilot Program (FHWA18)

Wires: Short lengths of wire rope of varying sizes used to couple up the many barges within a tow. They are usually of standard length to span the distance from one timberhead to another on the barges and are used with ratchets. Named as follows: tow wire, backing wire, face wire, stem wire, scissor wire, lashing. (TNDOT1)

WISQARS: Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (CDC database) (NHTSA7)

With Average: A marine insurance term meaning that a shipment is protected for partial damage whenever the damage exceeds a stated percentage. (TNDOT1)

WIU: Wayside Interface Unit (FRA5)

WJHTC: William J. Hughes Technical Center (FAA20)

WLAN: Wayside Local Area Network (FRA5)

WLB: Seagoing Buoy Tender (USCG5)

WLBR: Seagoing Buoy Tender Replacement Vessel (USCG5)

WLE: Women in Law Enforcement (NHTSA7)

WLI: Inland Buoy Tender (USCG5)

WLIC: Inland Construction Buoy Tender (USCG5)

WLM: Coastal Buoy Tender (USCG5)

WLMR: Coastal Buoy Tender Replacement Vessel (USCG5)

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