Transit Glossary
AB 32 | Refers to the titled the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, this bill requires the state of California to set targets and develop programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. SB 375, along with other measures—such as reduce emissions per vehicle—is part of the effort to meet AB 32 targets. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is the lead agency for implementing AB 32. |
AB 664 | Refers to an Assembly Bill that was passed in July, 1977 to allocate bridge tolls collected on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay, Dumbarton, and San Mateo-Hayward Bridges to further the development of public transportation near these toll bridges. Allocation of these funds is currently governed by the Bridge Toll Allocation Policy established in MTC Resolution No. 2004, Revised. |
ABAG (Association of Bay Area Governments) |
Refers to a voluntary association of counties and cities, which is the land-use planning agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. ABAG also provides demographic, financial, administrative, training, and conference services to local governments and businesses. |
ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) |
Refers to Federal civil rights legislation passed in 1990 that requires public transportation services to be accessible to, and usable by, persons with disabilities. In compliance, AC Transit operates a bus fleet equipped with passenger lifts and wheelchair tie-downs, and also operates parallel paratransit service for those who cannot use the fixed-route bus system. |
AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees) |
Refers to AFSCME Local 3916, which represents front-line and middle management employees of AC Transit, including administrative personnel, supervisors, managers, and various professionals. Local 3916 was organized in 1994 by a group of employees seeking improved working conditions and a stronger voice in face of difficult financial times. The Executive Board includes 11 elected officers who serve two-year terms. Three trustees serve three-year terms with one Trustee elected each year. |
Apprenticeship Training Program | Refers to a program negotiated in 1989 between the ATU (Amalgamated Transit Union) and AC Transit to improve the skills of mechanics. The program, the only one of its kind in the transit industry, has been operating since 1991. It offers a four-year program of eight modules with a work program of 920 hours. Since 1991, 154 apprentices have reached the status of journey mechanics. |
Articulated bus Also see “Slinky” bus |
Refers to a 60-foot three-axle bus. These buses have an “accordion” section in the middle that allows the bus to bend and flex (articulate). The articulated bus has more passenger capacity than standard 40-foot buses. Current models used by AC Transit carry 60 seated passengers. |
Average speed Also see BRT |
Refers to the total miles of revenue service divided by the total hours of revenue service. Average speed includes time traveling and time waiting for passengers plus any other delays. Operating without vehicle traffic, heavy rail generally has the fastest average speed. Light rail usually operates in some vehicle traffic. Urban buses are the slowest. The average speed of an AC Transit bus is 11 miles per hour. Bus Rapid Transit systems are faster. |
Base service | Refers to the number of buses that remain in service on a line for the entire day. This does not include buses that only operate during school and commute hour service. Base service is determined by the frequency of buses that must run from the beginning to the end of a line to adequately service riders during off-peak periods (mid-day and evenings). |
Bell schedule | Refers to the start and end of class times for schools. The bell schedule is used to determine when special school buses run; buses arrive 15 minutes before and 5 to 7 minutes after the start and end of class time bell. |
Block Also see Run |
Refers to a vehicle schedule, the daily assignment for an individual bus. One or more runs can work a block. A driver schedule is known as a “run.” |
Block number Also see Headway sheet and SatCom |
Refers to the actual number (also known as the schedule number) that is displayed in the windshield by the front door on every bus in service. On Headway Sheets, the same block number identifies all scheduled trips operated daily by a single bus, and enables supervisors and the automated SatCom dispatching system to correctly identify each bus in service according to its corresponding schedule. |
Blocking trips | Refers to how bus schedule work is put together to represent one trip. Creating a schedule operated by one bus must meet the union contract for layovers, and the planned requirements of the proposed schedule. |
Boarding riders | Refers to the number of passengers boarding a particular line on any one day. One passenger round trip equals two riders. The number of boarding riders is used to help determine the frequency of buses on the line. |
Brown Act (Ralph M.) |
Refers to California’s open meeting law, originally passed in 1953, applicable to all public agencies in California. The Brown Act requires that governing bodies of public agencies (such as the AC Transit Board of Directors) hold meetings in public except under specifically defined circumstances. The law also sets substantive and timeline requirements for public notice of the agendas of governing bodies of California public agencies and regulates certain meeting practices. Government actions violating the Brown Act have in some cases been overturned. |
Bus class Also see Articulated bus and “Slinky” bus |
Refers to a vehicle type of bus: high floor, low floor, over the road coach, vans, or an articulated bus. Bus class can also refer to size: 30-foot, 35-foot, 40-foot, 45-foot, and 60-foot. Sometimes the two terms are used together, for example, “30-foot low floor.” Vans are used for ADA (Americans With Disability Act) riders and riders who live in less accessible areas of the city, such as the hills. High capacity buses (articulateds and 40-foot low floors) are assigned to run on heavily populated lines. |
BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) Also see LRT |
Refers to a new concept that seeks to achieve a high quality transit service like light rail but at a lower cost using buses. BRT vehicles are generally low-floor, high capacity, low-emission buses, with exclusive rights-of-way, rapid fare collection, and infrastructure development. |
Bus shelter | Refers to a shelter for riders to wait for the bus, a 13′x4′ canopy area with bench seating for three people. In addition, the shelter includes a display case with bus information for AC riders and a trash receptacle. Revenue from advertising in some of the shelters allows the vendor to fabricate, install, and maintain the bus shelters at no cost to AC Transit or other Participating Entities. This program started at AC Transit in 1999 and the first bus shelter was installed August 2000. |
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) | Refers to California law, initially passed in 1970, governing analysis and disclosure of environmental impacts of projects proposed by and/or approved by public agencies in California. Identified environmental impacts must either be mitigated or declared to be un-mitigable through a finding of Overriding Considerations. The federal counterpart law is the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Some projects are subject to both CEQA and NEPA (e.g. the East Bay Bus Rapid Transit). |
CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report) |
Refers to a report containing financial statements and statistical data that provides full disclosure of all material financial operations of AC Transit in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. |
CDL 1-4 Also see CDL 5 and VTT |
Refers to eight hours of required yearly classroom and/or behind-the-wheel training conducted by AC Transit that enables bus drivers to renew their licenses. A CDL 1-4 is valid for the first four years of issuance and changes to a CDL 5 in its final fifth year. To drive a bus, operators must obtain and document a minimum of eight hours of training per year. If they have met these requirements, following their fifth year of documented training the California Department of Motor Vehicles issues operators a VTT (Verification of Transit Training), which is valid for another five-year period. |
CDL 5 Also see CDL 1-4 and VTT |
Refers to eight hours of classroom training for bus operators who are in their final year of license validity. The CDL class covers many of the same subjects as the CDL 1-4 and includes preparation for license renewal. This satisfies the California Department of Motor Vehicle’s requirement for eight hours of classroom training for the final year of license validity. |
CEQA Guidelines | Refers to detailed guidelines for interpreting and implementing CEQA, prepared by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR). These guidelines have evolved over time. Currently guidelines are being prepared which change the standard for significant traffic impacts under CEQA from Level of Service (LOS) to Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) pursuant to SB 743 of 2014. |
Central Dispatch | Refers to the operations center located at Division 2 in Emeryville where Central Dispatchers facilitate telephone communications between bus operators, operations supervisors, dispatchers, maintenance department, division management, PBX (Private Branch Exchange), communication and farebox technicians, security and the Alameda and Contra Costa County Sheriff Departments. |
Chief Dispatcher | Refers to the person who pre-assigns bus operators to work the Day Extra Board and the Night Extra Board. Pre-assignments are made on a daily basis. The Chief Dispatcher usually completes the Detail by 1p.m. each day for posting. The pre-assignment is for the following day. |
Clipper® Also see MTC |
Refers to MTC’s prototype for a regional transit fare payment. Travelers will be able to pay fares on multiple Bay Area transit systems, including buses, trains, and ferries using a single Clipper® card. |
CSP (Comprehensive Service Plan) |
Refers to a plan to restructure the grid route network into a multi-destination, multipurpose route network with the goal to increase per capita transit ridership in the East Bay. |
CTC (California Transportation Commission) Also see RTCC |
Refers to a state-level version of MTC that sets state spending priorities for highways and transit and allocates funds. The governor appoints its nine members. |
Deadhead operation | Refers to non-revenue time when a bus is not carrying passengers, usually a trip from, to, or between lines or garages. Usually this refers to the trip between the home division garage to the point where the bus enters or leaves its route. |
Detail Also see Extra Board |
Refers to a list of assignments for Extra Boards. The Detail also lists miscellaneous information, such as training assignments, vacations, and assignments of qualified bus operators to other job positions that may need to be filled on a temporary basis. Posted in Gillie rooms, the detail is viewed by bus operators and other District personnel. |
Diesel fuel | Refers to fuel composed of petroleum distillates that has a boiling point and specific gravity higher than gasoline. Currently all AC Transit buses use ultra low sulfur fuel that is defined as 15 parts per million or less as mandated by the California Air Resources Board. Approximately half of the AC Transit bus fleet will use “soot filters” in 2003 to further decrease the release of harmful particulates into the air. |
Dispatcher | Refers to an individual who combines bus operators, run assignments, and buses that provide transportation service to passengers. Dispatchers are based at each of the four divisions. |
Districts 1 and 2 | Refers to a service division for administrative purposes: Special Transit Service District No. 1 includes Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Emeryville, Hayward, Oakland, Piedmont, Richmond, San Leandro and San Pablo, plus unincorporated communities of Ashland, Castro Valley, El Sobrante, Kensington and San Lorenzo. Special Transit Service District No. 2, which joined AC Transit in 1974, includes Fremont and Newark in Southern Alameda County. |
Division | Refers to a garage and yard facility where buses are stored, maintained, and dispatched into service. The district has three operating divisions: Division 2, Emeryville; Division 4, East Oakland; and Division 6, Hayward. |
DL170 | Refers to certain tests required by the California Department of Motor Vehicles and conducted by training Instructors for trainees to qualify for a commercial driver license. Also refers to the DMV form that is submitted by AC Transit to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) indicating that a trainee has passed the required Pre-Trip, Skills and Road tests. |
DL260 Also see CDL 1-4, CDL 5 and VTT |
Refers to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) form used to document the annual training hours received by a bus operator through the CDL 1-4 and CDL 5 courses. The completed DL 260 is submitted to the DMV in the final year of an employee’s driver license and VTT (Verification of Transit Training) validity, enabling the employee to receive a VTT and license renewal. |
Drivers Committee | Refers to a joint labor/management committee that was formed in August 1994 by the District and the Local 192 of the Amalgamated Transit Union to begin involving bus operators in developing policy changes and service improvements to the overall operation of AC Transit. |
East Bay Paratransit Consortium (Also known as ADA Paratransit) |
Refers to the East Bay Paratransit Consortium that was formed in 1994 by AC Transit and BART in a joint exercise of powers agreement (JPA) to provide paratransit service mandated by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While external funding covers less than 30 percent of cost (rising to about 50 percent in FY 2002-03), AC Transit covers 69 percent and BART 31 percent of the remainder in areas served by both transit districts. |
Enhanced bus Also see BRT |
Refers to an option for improving existing bus service at a lower cost than either BRT or LRT (bus rapid transit or light rail transit). Enhanced bus service uses low-floor, low-emission buses, but without dedicated bus lanes. Stops are planned at greater distances than existing bus service. |
EOL (End of Line) |
Refers to the ending points of a line. |
Euro bus Also see Van Hool bus |
Refers to a low-floor Van Hool designed bus, three doors on 40 foot buses, and four doors on 60 foot articulated buses, that offer large windows on all four sides, with multi-colored LED (light emitting diode) signs on at least three, and possible four sides of the bus. ADA wheelchair accessibility is available through a middle door. |
Extra board Also see Point |
Refers to operators who have no specific run but are used to cover unassigned runs or runs left open because of an absence of assigned operators. Unassigned or extra board work is posted in the Gillie Room and rotates on a daily basis. |
Farebox recovery ratio | Refers to the ratio of passenger fares (including inter-agency agreements related to fares), to total operating costs. |
Feeder line Also see Trunk line |
Refers to a bus line that services neighborhoods and crosses trunklines offering transfer opportunities. |
Flex service | Refers to an on-demand bus service that allows passengers to summon buses to existing bus stops within designated zones using a desktop computer, smart phone device or traditional telephone. Riders can schedule their pick-up and desired drop-off locations, reducing their wait time. Service is provided by smaller buses that are able to divert on and off its primary route to pick up and drop off passengers. |
Four-point securement system | Refers to an onboard securement system for wheelchairs, three-wheel and four-wheel scooters. The system incorporates four seatbelt type straps that attach to the frame of a mobility device as a way to keep it from moving or rolling while on the bus. |
Frag (Fragment) |
Refers to a driver’s daily work assignment, usually five hours or less and typically during peak hours. An a.m. and a p.m. “frag” may be put together to form one complete run. |
Frequency Also see Headway |
Refers to the quantity of service on a route, usually described in terms of the number of buses per hour or the elapsed time between consecutive buses. The latter measure is also called the headway. The term high frequency denotes many buses per hour, or small headways. |
Fuel cell | A fuel cell employs a chemical process to convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity that powers a motor. Since there is no combustion, the bus does not emit smog-producing exhaust—just water vapor. |
Fuel cell program | Refers to a unique AC Transit partnership program to evaluate fuel cell electric propulsion systems with the objective of commercializing the technology for the transit industry. |
Gillie room | Refers to a location in a division with tables and chairs where bus drivers congregate and pick up their daily assignment from dispatchers. |
Gillig | Refers to a manufacturer of transit buses. AC Transit has Gillig buses as part of its fleet (2800 series). The Gillig Corporation is located in Hayward, California. |
Grid network | Refers to a type of route structure. In a typical grid network, high-frequency routes operate along the length of east-west and north-south corridors, intersecting each other to form a grid pattern. This allows a passenger to travel between two points with one transfer. Ideally, routes are spaced ½ miles apart so that riders can easily walk and transfer to any line. |
Group relief | Refers to a type of run assignment that involves a bus operator working the regular days off of another bus operator. Group Relief is created to operate a bus run on regular driver day(s) off. Group Relief schedules are created through the combined efforts of the Drivers Committee and the Schedule department. |
Headsign | Refers to the sign above the front windshield of a bus describing the line number or letter (only for Transbay buses), its line name, and destination. |
Headway Also see Frequency |
Refers to time intervals between vehicles moving in the same direction on a particular route. Headway can change on a line during the day as rider demand changes. |
Headway sheet Also see Paddle |
Refers to a list of all trips, produced with each sign-up, which summarizes all schedules for every block on each line. Headway sheets serve as the basis of the paddle that is distributed to each driver on a daily basis for a single line. |
HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) |
Refers to high occupancy vehicle lanes (carpool lanes), which are lanes reserved for people who share a ride in carpools, vanpools, and/or buses, or who drive a motorcycle. These lanes are marked with a diamond symbol and HOV signs. |
Hybrid bus | Refers to a bus that runs on hybrid propulsion (fossil fuel combined with electric power). An onboard generator powered by an internal combustion engine or fuel cell supplies electricity. |
Interlining | Refers to the practice of combining two routes end-to-end. If two routes share the same frequency and have one end in common, they may be combined for either passenger convenience or because this permits a more cost-effective operation. Interlined routes usually retain their separate numbers to avoid confusion. |
Kiss and ride | Refers to an area within a station where commuters are driven by private car and dropped off to board a public transit vehicle. |
Kneeling bus Also see Passenger lift |
Refers to a feature on all buses that lowers the floor to the curb or to near-curb level to make it easier for passengers to board, especially for seniors and persons with disabilities. AC Transit provides special “Flash Cards” upon request to allow riders to quickly request this assistance when boarding. |
Layover time (Also known as Spot time) Also see Timed transfer |
Refers to time built into a schedule between arrival and departure for bus drivers to rest; minimum times are set by union contract. Layovers normally occur at each end of a route to allow for a driver’s break and schedule recovery, but they may be scheduled at other points to allow for timed transfer connections. |
Layover zone | Refers to a designated stopover point at or near the end of the line for bus drivers to rest between trips. |
Limited stop service Also see Trunk line |
Refers to a route segment where designated buses stop only at transfer points or major activity centers, usually about every ½ mile. Limited stop service is usually provided on major trunk lines, in addition to local service that makes all stops. |
Line instructor | Refers to a bus operator who is certified by AC Transit’s Training and Education Department to train new bus operators in bus operations and customer service. Line instructors also provide training to veteran bus operators on new routes, and on new buses and equipment. |
Linked/Unlinked trip | Refers to a trip where a rider may transfer between types of vehicles (e.g., AC Transit and BART), or multiple stops, such as stopping at a daycare center or store along a commute trip. An unlinked trip is a passenger trip taken on a single vehicle, such as a single bus ride. |
LRT (Light Rail Transit) |
A rail transit line that can operate in a variety of settings including private right-of-way, subway, or mixed on-street traffic. LRT usually relies on overhead wires for power. Light rail is designed for heavily traveled corridors where the stop needs do not support heavy rail transit. San Francisco Muni and Santa Clara County Transit both operate light rail lines. |
Loop | Refers to a portion of a bus line where the driver operates a segment in one direction only. Passengers may only board on one side of the loop. Loops are sometimes required due to lack of pavement accessibility, or when no off street turn-around is available. |
LOS (Level of Service) |
Refers to a measure of congestion that compares actual or projected traffic volume with the maximum capacity of the intersection or road in question. LOS is rated from A (free-flowing traffic) to F (gridlock). |
Low-floor vehicle | Refers to a bus that does not have steps. Building a bus floor at one level between the front to rear doors allows passengers to enter and exit more quickly. The addition of steps usually adds boarding and alighting time, especially for passengers with limited mobility. |
Maximum load point | Refers to a point on a bus route where the maximum numbers of passengers are on the bus. |
MCI (Motor Coach Industries) |
Refers to a manufacturer of the 45-foot commuter buses with a seating capacity of 57 and a standing capacity of 13. The headquarters of MCI is in Schaumburg, Illinois. AC Transit has MCIs in its fleet (6100 series). |
Measure B | Refers to a 1986 ordinance that provided for the creation of the Alameda County Transportation Authority (ACTA). The measure authorized ACTA to collect and distribute a ½ cent transactions and use tax within Alameda County for county-wide highway and public transportation improvements. In 2000, Measure B was reauthorized so that approximately 23 percent of all collected annual revenues will be allocated to AC Transit for operating fixed rate and paratransit service. |
Measure C | Measure C is a 1988 Contra Costa County ordinance that authorized the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) to collect and distribute a ½ cent transactions and use tax within Contra Costa County for a county-wide improvement of public transit and paratransit services. As one of four bus transit operators in Contra Costa County, AC Transit is an eligible applicant for Measure C funds and submits project proposals to CCTA. |
MTC (Metropolitan Transportation Commission)MTC (Metropolitan Transportation Commission) |
Refers to the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine counties that touch San Francisco Bay. MTC supports Transitinfo.org that provides online access to transit information for agencies throughout this area, including AC Transit. |
Multimodal | Refers to the availability of multiple transportation options, especially within a system or corridor. A multimodal approach to transportation planning focuses on the most efficient way of getting people or goods from place to place by means other than privately owned vehicles; by bus, trolley, light rail, streetcar, cable car, and / or ferry systems. |
NABI (North American Bus Industries) |
Refers to a manufacturer of transit buses. Corporate NABI headquarters is located in Anniston, Alabama. AC Transit has 40-foot high floor NABI buses in its fleet (2900, 3000, 3100) series. |
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) | Refers to Federal law—signed by President Nixon on January 1, 1970– governing analysis and disclosure of environmental impacts of projects. Defines covered and exempt projects. Applicable to projects using federal funds and those proposed by federal agencies. Analysis will indicate if a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) can be made, or if an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required. The state counterpart law is the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA. |
New Flyer | Refers to a manufacturer of transit buses. Corporate New Flyer headquarters is in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and the assembly plant is located in Crookston, Minnesota. AC Transit has 60-foot articulated high floor buses in its fleet (1800, 1900) series. |
Nodes Also see Time point |
Refers to a term used by schedulers to define the actual time a bus arrives at a designated stop or time point. |
Optical signal priority Also see BRT |
Refers to systems on rapid buses that use a coded, infrared signal; the system gives any authorized vehicle — emergency or transit — the exclusive advantage of a green light to get through traffic. Components include emitters, detectors, phase selectors and accessories. |
Owl service Also see Timed transfer |
Refers to buses that run after midnight, currently served by the “800″ series of buses or “All-Nighters” that provide round-the-clock service within the East Bay, and from the East Bay to San Francisco and vice-versa. |
Paddle Also see Pouch |
Refers to the schedule for each bus showing all trips in a day, including arrival and departure times. Usually printed in 8 ½” by 11″ format, the paddle is laminated for each schedule. Bus operators use the paddle to help maintain their schedule. |
Paratransit Also see EBPC |
Refers to scheduled service for people who cannot use regular fixed-route bus service. AC Transit partners with BART as the East Bay Paratransit Consortium to provide this service in compliance with a federal mandate throughout west Contra Costa and Alameda counties. |
Passenger lift Also see Kneeling bus |
A mechanical device, either a lift or ramp, that allows wheelchair or scooter users, as well as other mobility-impaired passengers, to board a bus without climbing the steps. By law, passenger lifts must be capable of lifting at least 600 pounds. |
PBX | Refers to the telephone information center that is located at the General Office. Customers call here for information about routes, schedules, and services. Customers also call PBX to file commendations and complaints about service and/or employees. |
Peak service | Refers to weekday a.m. and p.m. service during commute hours to carry a maximum number of passengers. Commute or peak hours are defined as time between 6 and 9 a.m. in the morning, and between 4 and 7 p.m. at night. |
Platform hours | Refers to the total scheduled time a bus spends from pull-out to pull-in at the division. Platform hours are used as a benchmark to calculate the efficiency of service by comparing “pay to platform” hours. |
Point Also see Extra board |
Refers to a type of assignment for Extra Board bus operators. The operator is assigned 24-hours in advance a specific time to report to the Division for standby status. The “point” person provides coverage for open assignments and extra service. |
Pouch Also see Gillie Room, Paddle |
Refers to the naugahyde pouch carried by all bus drivers, picked up in the morning in the Gillie Room and usually containing the paddle with accident cards, courtesy cards, and emergency transfers in addition to a block number and a headsign code block. A separate sheet also indicates any stops that must be called out to passengers. |
Pull-in | Refers to the time a bus is scheduled to return to the division. |
Pull-out | Refers to the time a bus is scheduled to leave the division. |
Regional Measure 3 (RM3) | Refers to toll increase measure approved by the voters of the nine Bay Area Counties in June, 2018, to be administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). Provides for a stepped series of toll increases on the state owned bridges across San Francisco Bay (all bridges over the bay except the Golden Gate Bridge). Toll revenue will be used for transit capital and operations, road repair, and other transportation purposes. |
RTCC (Regional Transit Coordinating Council) Also see MTC |
Refers to the council created by state statute and overseen by MTC. RTCC was created in 1992 to better coordinate transit routes, schedules, fare and transfers throughout the Bay Area, and to explore potential advantages of joint ventures in areas such as marketing, maintenance, and purchasing. |
Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP) | Refers to the current form of this document was set by California’s SB 375, which passed in 2008 and added the requirement for a Sustainable Communities Strategy. The RTP/SCS must be approved by a region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization and its Council of Governments once every four years. In the Bay Area, these are respectively the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Government. The RTP/SCS both lays out a program for transportation investments in the region and a conceptual land use plan designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. |
Report time | Refers to the 10 minutes before a bus is due to leave a division. During this time, drivers pick up their pouch and prepare a bus for departure. |
Revenue hours (Also known as Revenue service) |
Refers to all scheduled time a bus spends serving passengers, which can also be defined as platform hours minus deadhead and layover time. |
Revenue trip Also see Linked/Unlinked trip |
Refers to any linked or unlinked trip that generates revenue by cash payment, use of a pass, and / or any other means of payment. |
Round trip (Also known as a cycle) |
Refers to one inbound, plus one outbound trip (unless a loop route), equals one round trip or cycle. |
Run Also see Block |
Refers to a driver’s daily work assignment. One or more runs can work a single block. Runs can also work on multiple blocks. A driver’s schedule is primarily determined for each sign-up period through the run-cut process where bus schedules are integrated with driver assignments. |
Run-cut | Refers to the process, normally performed four times a year, of generating daily bus driver work assignments in a cost efficient manner to meet all contract requirements negotiated between the union and district. Run-cutting software is used to generate assignments that may be reset until they fulfill the requirements of all participating parties. |
Running time | Refers to time allowed between any two points, such as from time point to time point, or from end-of-line to end-of -line. |
Run relief point | Refers to a list of locations where bus operators begin their respective run assignments when scheduled to relieve an operator who is already in service on a route. Each Division has specific relief locations for its routes. |
SatCom | Refers to a computer aided dispatching and automatic vehicle location system (CAD/AVL) that uses global positioning satellite and state of the art radio communications technologies. SatCom enhances bus operation by improving communication options (audio and text), and allows dispatchers to actually see where a bus is located on a computer map display. |
SB1 | Refers to State law raising gas taxes and vehicle licenses fees approved in 2017—first California gas tax increase in 25 years. Increased funding has been used for transit capital costs and road repair. Referred to the statewide November 6, 2018 ballot as Proposition 6, which would rescind the increases, and remove certain funds from AC Transit and other transit agencies. The overall loss to transportation agencies if Prop. 6 passes is estimated at approximately $2 billion annually. |
SB 375 | Refers to 2008 statute establishing the coordinated Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy as a document to be prepared at the regional (Bay Area) level. |
Short rest | Refers to pay given to any driver who has less than 10 hours off between assignments. |
SRTP (Short Range Transit Plan) |
Refers to a capital and operating plan produced biennially with a 10-year horizon, prepared to qualify for federal, state, and local funding. |
Short turn | Refers to a trip that doesn’t go to the furthest point of the line, due to passenger load and schedule adherence. |
“Slinky” bus Also see Articulated bus |
Refers to a nickname used by many passengers for the articulated bus. |
Smart card Also see Translink |
Refers to a technology used by TransLink to add and deduct value from an electronically encoded card when a rider passes it near a programmed reader on buses and at fare gates on BART. |
Spot time Also see Layover time |
Refers to the amount of time a bus sits at the end of line, usually defined by union contract. |
Spread Time Also see Frag |
Refers to the total time from the start of a driver assignment to its end, whether a bus is in service or not. |
STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program) Also see CTC |
Refers to what the CTC (California Transportation Commission) ends up with after combining various RTIP’s (Regional Transportation Improvement Program) as well as a list of specific projects proposed by Caltrans. Covering a four-year span and updated every two years, the STIP determines when and if transportation projects will be funded by the state. |
Synopsis | Refers to an overview for all run assignments within a Division. The synopsis includes starting and ending times and locations, platform hours, and pay hours. The synopsis is posted in respective Gilllie Rooms and is used by bus operators, and other Division personnel. |
TDA (Transportation Development Act) Also see MTC |
Refers to a State law enacted in 1971 that makes funds available for the nine-county area served by MTC for transit, pedestrian/bicycle, community transit service, street/road purposes, and operations.. TDA funds are generated from a tax of ¼ of one percent on all retail sales in each county; used for transit, special transit for disabled persons, and bicycle and pedestrian purposes. Funds are collected by the state and allocated by MTC to fund transit operations and programs. AC Transit receives TDA funds from both Alameda and Contra Costa counties. |
Time point Also see Nodes |
Refers to a location on a bus route assigned a fixed scheduled time that is part of a larger line schedule. |
Timed transfer | Refers to a system of scheduling transit so that connecting routes come together at the same time. This allows passengers convenient no-wait transfers between bus lines. Timed transfers are frequently used with owl (late-night) service. |
TIP (Transit Improvement Program) Also see MTC |
Refers to a program operated by MTC whereby proposed capital projects are ranked according to criteria developed by a task force of regional transit operators. |
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) | Refers to housing or other development built at or close to major transit stations or stops (of any mode). TOD is often built at somewhat higher densities than surrounding development. TOD encourages residents to commute and take other trips by transit rather than by driving. TODs are typically designed to also facilitate residents’ travel by walking. TOD may be built on land owned by a transit agency—examples are housing at BART stations and at VTA light rail stations. “Smart growth” is an older term for similar types of development. |
Transfer point | Refers to a point where bus lines intersect and passengers can transfer to another line. |
Transit police | Refers to units of the Alameda and Contra Costa County Sheriff Departments that are specifically assigned to provide law enforcement services (protection of life and property) on District property and to incidents occurring aboard District vehicles. |
Transit advertising | Refers to ads posted on the exterior and interior of most buses. |
TSI (Transportation Safety Institute) |
Refers to a Federal Transit Administration-sponsored institute that conducts a full range of training programs in rail and bus safety and accident investigation. Its headquarters is in Oklahoma City. |
TSP (Transit Signal Priority) | Refers to a system that modifies traffic signal timing to give priority to transit buses. The system uses communication between the bus and the traffic signal controller via GPS antennas and computer software to ensure that buses get additional green time. |
Travel time | Refers to paid time that allows a bus driver to travel from relief point to garage or from garage to relief point. |
Trippers | Refers to a pay term that describes a short piece of work on a bus, normally less than 3 hours. A tripper is a short block made up of one or two trips, and usually serves only one peak period. Also any assignment of work to a driver, which is not long enough to qualify as a run or as a full day’s work. |
Trunkline Also see Feeder line and Headway |
A route operating along a major corridor that carries a large number of passengers and operates at headway frequencies of 15 minutes or less, like AC Transit’s 82, 72, 51, and 40/43 lines. |
TriM (Ticket Reading and Issuing Machine) |
Refers to a machine that is attached to the farebox where magnetic fare media can be both issued and read. All paper tickets and monies go into the farebox; all magnetic passes/transfers go into the TRiM. A patron who boards the bus places a pass or transfer into the TRiM where the magnetic strip is read, similar to a credit card, and validates that the media is valid. The TRiM issues an audible sound. It beeps for a valid pass/transfer or warbles for a non-valid one, for example, a pass that’s being used after its expiration date. |
Turn-in time Also see Pouch |
Refers to the five minutes allotted to all bus drivers after pull-in time to park the bus, and to walk-through the bus for a final spot check, including closing windows, and to finally turn in the pouch. |
Van Hool Bus See Euro bus |
Refers to a Euro-style bus manufactured in Antwerp, Belgium. |
VMT (Vehicle Miles Traveled) |
Refers to the numbers of cars that are on the road at the same time in the same area. The greater the number, the worse the congestion will be. Reducing the growth of VMT can help ease traffic congestion and improve air quality. |
VTT (Verification of Transit Training Certificate) (Also see CDL 1-4 and CDL 5) |
Refers to a certificate that is issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The certificate indicates that certain training requirements have been met for new and veteran bus operators. To meet the legal standards for operating a transit bus, the operator must possess a VTT, a valid medical certificate and a commercial driver license. |