|
CFTE Glossary
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
- T -
Tachograph
A device used in a vehicle to automatically record miles driven, number of stops, speed and other factors during a trip.
TANF
Temporary Aid to Needy Families. Created by the 1996 welfare reform law, TANF is a program of block grants to states to help them meet the needs poor of families. It replaces AFDC, JOBS, Emergency Assistance and some other preceding federal welfare programs. Because of TANF-imposed time limits, states trying to place TANF recipients in jobs as quickly as possible, often using program funds to pay for transportation, child care and other barriers to workforce participation.
Tax Base Sharing
Tax-base sharing is a system that establishes regional cooperation among local jurisdictions to pool and redistribute part of the tax increases generated by new development.
Tax refund offset
Reduction of a debtor's tax overpayments by the amount of legally enforceable debt owed to a federal agency. A tax refund offset is a type of administrative offset.
Taxi
The use of a taxicab by a driver-for-hire or passenger for fare. Also includes airport limousines. Does not include rental cars if they are privately operated and not picking up passengers in return for fare.
Taxicab
Vehicle primarily engaged in furnishing passenger transportation (usually automobiles, but sometimes vans or minivans) not operated on a regular schedule or between fixed terminals. Taxicab fleet owners and organizations are included, regardless of whether drivers are hired or rent their taxicabs or are otherwise compensated.
Taximeter
A mechanical or electrical device in the taxicab that records and indicates a charge or fare calculated according to distance traveled, waiting time, initial charge, number of passengers, time of day or night and/or other charges authorized by ordinance or rule. Some taximeters are part of electronic dispatching systems.
TDM
Transportation demand management
TE-045 Innovative Finance Initia
A research program begun by the Federal Highway Administration in 1994 in response to Executive Order 12893. This finance initiative is designed to increase investment, accelerate projects, promote the use of existing innovative finance provisions, and establish the basis for future initiatives by waiving selected federal policies and procedures, thus allowing specific transportation projects to be advanced through the use of non-traditional finance mechanisms.
TEA-21 (Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Cen
The landmark reauthorization of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) for fiscal years 1998-2003. TEA-21 authorized $42 billion for transit and $175 billion in highway money. Signed into law in 1998, it was the largest infrastructure-funding bill ever and represented a real milestone and major victory for the federal transit program in terms of funding levels and policy provisions. TEA-21 included unprecedented provisions designed to guarantee funding for the highway and transit programs at significant levels through fiscal year 2003.
TEA-3 (Transportation Equity Act)
Also called: "SAFETEA." The third iteration of the federal transportation vision established by Congress in 1991 with the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) and renewed in 1998 through the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). Key markers on the road to reauthorization will take place in the fall and winter of 2003 when the US Department of Transportation and the U.S. Congress are expected to finalize their proposals and reach agreements.
Technology transfer
Activities that lead to the adoption of a new technique or product by users and involves dissemination, demonstration, training and other activities that lead to eventual innovation.
Telecommuting
Refers to employees who work at an alternative site, such as at home, usually one or more days per month, thereby reducing their commutes.
Teleservices
Communication services used to improve access to information and government services in inner cities and rural areas by providing access via the telephone, establishing mobile programs, or setting up satellite offices closer to large populations. Facilitates telecommute programs.
Telework
Generally describes alternative office arrangements, such as telecommuting, hoteling, and virtual offic
Telework center
A center, similar to a satellite office, that helps reduce commute times and helps alleviate city traffic and parking congestion, but is operated independently and used by numerous employers (rather than being operated by and for a single employer, as is a satellite office).
Terminal
Establishments primarily engaged in the operation of motor vehicle passenger terminals and of maintenance facilities, not operated by companies that also furnish the passenger transportation.
Therm
Unit of energy measurement.
Third rail
An electric conductor, located alongside the third running rail, from which power is collected by means of a sliding shoe attached to the truck of electric rail cars or locomotives.
Ticketing
All activities associated with fare collection and counting, including supervision and clerical support. Includes printing, distributing, selling and controlling of tickets, tokens and passes; pulling and transporting vaults to counting facilities; counting and auditing of fare collection; and providing security for the fare collection process. Also refered to as "fare collecting."
Time service begins
Start of morning transit service (i.e., the time when a revenue service vehicle leaves the garage, terminal or point of dispatch).
Time service ends
End of night transit service (i.e., the time when a revenue service vehicle returns to the garage, terminal or point of dispatch).
TIP
See: "Transportation improvements program"
Title 23 of the United States Code
Highway title that includes many of the laws governing the federal-aid highway program. The title embodies substantive provisions of law that Congress considers permanent and need not be reenacted in each new highway authorization act.
Title 49 of the United States Code
Transportation title that includes laws governing various transportation-related programs and agencies, including the Department of Transportation, general and intermodal programs, interstate commerce, rail and motor vehicle programs, aviation programs, pipelines, and commercial space transportation.
TMA
See: "Transportation management area"
TOD
See: "Transit-oriented development"
Total expenses
The total fixed and variable operating expenses associated with regular fixed-route service and charter service or regular demand-response service, whichever is applicable.
Total miles
The total miles accumulated on all active vehicles in the group during a determined period of time.
Total revenue
The total revenue received by a system, including farebox revenue, auxiliary and non-transportation revenue (e.g. advertising revenue, vehicle and building rental, investments, station concessions) and charter revenue.
Track
The pair of rails on which railway vehicles operate.
Tracked air-cushion vehicle
A laterally guided vehicle that is suspended above the track by an air cushion system.
Tracked levitated vehicle
A laterally guided vehicle that is suspended above the track by magnetic levitation. Also see "mag-lev."
Trackless trolley
Another name for "trolleybus."
Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND)
Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND) developments typically include neighborhood centers and parks, mix of uses, and pedestrian and bike facilities. A Traditional Neighborhood District ordinance mandates some combination of these planning characteristics. A TND ordinance might, for example, call for neighborhood centers which include commercial, retail, restaurant and offices uses, multifamily housing and a neighborhood square; mixed residential areas of single family duplexes, townhouses, and multifamily dwellings along with small-scale commercial uses; and single-family housing similar to that in conventional development subdivisions in areas adjacent to typical single family development. Many zoning ordinances don't allow for the construction of walkable, mixed use neighborhoods; to build a new traditiona
Traditional street desi
Dispersed development and separation of uses do not support walkable communities. In contrast, traditional street design emphasizes pedestrian friendly features including sidewalks, a mix of uses, compact street intersections with crosswalks, human scale, relatively narrow streets, on-street parking, pathways, mid-block crossings, short blocks, green medians, through streets, and traffic calming features.
Traffic calming
Traffic calming refers to the use of street design techniques, such as curb extensions, traffic circles and speed humps, to slow and control the flow of automobile traffic.
Traffic circle
A circular island located in the center of intersections of roadways, discouraging through traffic and forcing drivers to reduce travel speed as they maneuver around the island. These circles often are used as traffic-calming devices, but they also can serve as interesting focal points in long street vistas, if they are well landscaped and incorporate fountains, statues or other appealing structures.
Traffic count
A record of the number of vehicles, people aboard vehicles or both that pass a given checkpoint during a given time period.
Tramway
Another name for "light rail."
Transfer cente
A fixed location where passengers interchange from one route or transit vehicle to another.
Transfer charge
An extra fee charged for a transfer to use when boarding another transit vehicle to continue a trip.
Transfer of development rights (TDR)
An administrative program or regulatory procedure by which an owner of environmentally sensitive land sells the land's development potential to an owner of land where higher density development is desirable.
Transit (or public transit)
Another name for "public transportation," generally used in contexts which do not include carpools or vanpools.
Transit agency
See "public transportation agency."
Transit bus
A bus designed for frequent-stop service with front and center doors, normally with a rear-mounted diesel engine, low-backed seating and without luggage storage compartments or toilet facilities. Includes motor buses and trolley coaches.
Transit Center
A primary station in a multi-destination transit system where passengers may conveniently transfer among trunk lines and local feeder route
Transit mall
A type of exclusive right-of-way reserved for transit vehicles in revenue service and pedestrian traffic.
Transit mode
Generally defined as urban and rural public transportation services, including commuter trains, ferry service, heavy or rapid rail and light rail or streetcar systems, taxicabs and local buses and/or vans.
Transit pass
A tax-free employee commute benefit in which an employer subsidizes up to $60 per month for an employee's transit fares or vanpool charges. This benefit also applies to military and federal government employees, and state and local government employees in some locations.
Transit property
All facilities which are controlled directly by a transit agency (agency is responsible for cleaning or maintaining) or provided to a transit agency for its use by another public or private entity (formal/informal agreement with the owner wherein services or facilities are provided to benefit the transit agency). This includes stations, exclusive right-of-ways, bus stops and maintenance facilities.
Transit property damage
Any damage to transit property that requires the repair or replacement of transit agency vehicles or facilities (track, signals, buildings) to a state that is equivalent to the one which existed prior to the incident.
Transit railroad (also transit railway)
Includes heavy transit rail and light transit
Transit stop
A point along a transit route where passengers load or unload. these stops include those for commuter and regional rail transit, light-rail transit, vans and buses.
Transit system
An organization (public or private) providing local or regional multi-occupancy-vehicle passenger services. Organizations that provide services under contract to another agency generally are not counted a separate systems from the contracting agency.
Transit trip
A one-way trip by a transit vehicle in revenue service starting at one terminal point of a route and ending at another terminal point. A round trip is counted as two separate trips. In the case where the route is a loop involving entirely different streets and pick-up points, and where there is no logical way to identify the terminal points, then the traversing of the loop can be regarded as a single trip. (FTA) Also see "passenger trip," or "unlinked trip."
Transit zones
Local travel zones by which transit fares may be determined. In the transit zone system, passenger fares usually are increased for trips between zones. Also called "fare zones."
Transit-friendly development
See "transit-oriented development"
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)
The development of housing, commercial space, services, and job opportunities in close proximity to public transportation. Reduces dependency on cars and time spent in traffic, which protects the environment and can ease traffic congestion, as well as increasing opportunity by linking residents to jobs and services. Also called "transit-friendly" or "transit-supportive" development.
Transit-supportive development
See "transit-oriented development"
Transitway
Another name for "high-occupancy vehicle lane." A dedicated right-of-way, most commonly in a transit mall, that is used by transit vehicles, usually mixed with pedestrian traffic.
Transponder
A piece of equipment which, when set upon a specific radio frequency, emits a directional signal of its own and enables the receiver to track or monitor the vehicle's location.
Transport Workers Union
One of the major labor unions in the transit industry; membership is limited to operators, mechanics and other non-supervisory employees of the transit industry.
Transportation broker
Coordination of transportation services in a defined area. The transportation broker may centralize vehicle dispatch, record keeping, vehicle maintenance and other functions under contractual arrangement with agencies, municipalities and other organizations. Also a method of matching travelers with a variety of transportation providers through the use of central dispatching and administrative facilities.
Transportation demand management (TDM)
Program designed to maximize the people-moving capability of the transportation system by increasing the number of people in each vehicle or by influencing the time of, or need to, travel. To accomplish these sorts of changes, TDM programs must rely on incentives or disincentives to make the shifts in behavior attractive. The term TDM encompasses both the alternatives to driving alone and the techniques or supporting strategies that encourage the use of these modes.
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
As stated in FHWA-UMTA joint regulations that govern transportation programming, a prioritized program of transportation projects to be implemented in appropriate stages over several years (3 to 5 years). The projects are recommended from those in the transportation systems management element and the long-range element of the planning process. This program is required as a condition for a locality to receive federal transit and highway grants.
Transportation Management Area (TMA)
An urbanized area with a population more than 200,000 (as determined by the most recent decennial census) or other area when TMA-designation is requested by the Governor and the MPO (or affected local officials), and officially designated by the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration. TMA designation applies to the entire metropolitan planning area(s).
Travel day
The 24-hour period beginning at 4 a.m. and ending at 3:59 a.m., designated as the reference period for studying trips and travel.
Travel density
The average number of vehicle miles driven on a section of highway each day divided by the length of the section in miles. It is expressed as a number of vehicles and may be referred to as "average daily traffic."
Tribal Entity
In most cases where federal funding is involved, tribal refers to the governmental entities of federally recognized Indian tribes (including Alaska natives and native Hawaiians), as well as those corporate entities established by the governments of federally recognized tribes.
Trip
See: "passenger trip" or "transit trip."
Trip distribution
In planning, the process of estimating movement of trips between zones, modes or areas by using surveys or models.
Trip generation
In planning, the determination or prediction of the number of trips produced by and attracted to each zone, mode or area.
Trip type
One of two: "intercity" or "city." Trip type often is subdivided into "charter" or "scheduled" service.
Trolley
Another name for "light ra
Trolley bus
Rubber-tired passenger vehicle operating singly on city streets. They are driven electrically with power being drawn from an overhead electric line via trolleys.
Trolley replica
A type of vehicle having the appearance of a trolley or streetcar but that has rubber tires and is powered by diesel, gasoline, propane or alternative fuel engine contained within the vehicle. Trolley replicas are classified as a motor bus mode in the National Transit Database system. Trolley replicas often are used in downtown, shopping and historic districts.
Trust fund
Accounts established by law to hold receipts which are collected by government and earmarked for specific purposes and programs. These receipts are not available for the general purposes of the government. For example, the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund is comprised of receipts from certain highway user taxes (e.g., excise taxes on motor fuels) and reserved for use for transit capital projects and related purposes. Also refers to funds collected and used by the federal government for carrying out specific purposes and programs according to terms of a trust agreement or statute, such as the Social Security and highway trust funds. Trust funds are administered by the government in a fiduciary capacity and are not available for the general purposes of the government. See "Dedicated Funding Source."
Turnkey
A generic term for a variety of public/private partnership arrangements whereby a public sector entity awards a contract to one or more private firms to undertake the development, construction, and/or operation of an infrastructure project for a predetermined period of time before turning the project back over to the public entity. Turnkeys may take various forms, including design-build-transfer and build-operate-transfer.
|
