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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Suggested Citation:"Glossary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2009. Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14257.
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Glossary

Glossary G-3 Glossary Agency-developed rostering is the process in which the transit agency packages daily runs into weekly work schedules or rosters in advance of the sign-up. The operators then select from the pre- pared rosters. Alternate-fuel buses are buses using low-polluting fuels in place of diesel or gasoline. Examples of alternate fuels include compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefi ed natural gas (LNG), ethanol, methanol, and propane. Electric or hybrid electric vehicles also fall within this defi nition. AM block is a block that is in service only during the AM peak pe- riod. AM peak period is the period in the morning when the greatest level of service is provided, typically Ͳ to ͵ AM. Articulated bus is an extra-long (ͱͰ to Ͳͮ feet) bus with the rear body section connected to the main body by a joint mechanism which allows the vehicle to bend when in operation for sharp turns and curves and yet have a continuous interior for passenger move- ment. Automatic Passenger Counting (APC) systems count the number of boardings and alightings at each stop while also noting time, lo- cation, and direction. Infrared beams are the most common means used in counting. Stop location is identifi ed through the use of data sources such as global positioning systems (GPS), signpost emitters, GIS maps, odometer readings, and inertial navigation. Data from all these sources must be extensively compiled (from multiple buses/ trips on a route) and processed, either by an on-board computer or centrally, to be meaningful. Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems are vehicle tracking systems that function by measuring the real-time position of each vehicle and relaying this information back to a central location. The vehicle location is identifi ed through the use of global positioning systems (GPS). The information is used to assist transit dispatchers as well as inform travelers of bus status. AVL is a potential source of running time and on time performance data for scheduling, but only if an archival reporting system is included. Average weekday is a representative weekday in the operation of the transit system computed as the mathematical average of data for several typical weekdays. A typical weekday is one where there are no anomalies such as high ridership due to extra service added for a special event or low ridership due to inclement weather. Some schedulers claim that this does not really exist. Average Saturday and average Sunday are determined in the same way. Banging out the schedule is a rail scheduling term for the process of scheduling trips on lines that share a common segment in such a way that spaces the trains on the common segment or eliminates confl icts with two trains running too close together. If the spaces on the common segment are evenly apart this is the rail equivalent of “intertiming.” Barn – see garage Base – see garage Base block is a block that is in service during the AM peak, midday, the PM peak and possibly the evening periods. Straight runs are often cut from base blocks. Base period includes the hours between the AM and PM peak peri- ods, during which ridership is generally lower than in peak periods. Also known as “midday” or “off -peak period.” Base vehicles are the number of vehicles required to operate the route at the required headway during the base period. Quickly cal- culated as: cycle time in the base period divided by headway in the base period. Also referred to as “base period vehicle requirement.” Bid – see sign-up Bid package – see rostering Bid sheet – see run guide

Glossary G-4 Block is a vehicle (or train) assignment that includes the series of trips operated by each vehicle from the time it pulls out to the time it pulls in. A complete block includes a pull-out trip from the garage followed by one or (usually) more revenue trips and concluding with a pull-in trip back to the garage. Also known as “coach” or “train.” Block graph is a graphical representation of all blocks assigned to a garage that must be considered in the runcut solution. The graph includes, at a minimum, the start and end times of each block, and may also include terminal times and all eligible relief times. Un- derstanding the number and duration of all blocks is an important requisite in reaching an optimal runcut solution. Block number is a unique number associated with a specifi c block, used to track the block throughout the scheduling process and as a means of identifi cation for the operations department. Block straightening is the procedure of looking at blocks once the blocking process is fi nished and rehooking block beginnings or ends to yield blocks that will be more effi cient in the runcut process. For instance, a block that is ͭͰ hours long might be extended by swap- ping next trips with another block to extend to ͭͲ hours, which would off er a better runcutting potential. Block summary table provides a summary of vehicle statistics, including platform hours and mileage, by block. Blocking is the process in which trips are “hooked” together to form a vehicle assignment or block. Blocking sheet is a sheet listing all blocks that also includes the trips and times for all trips within each block. Board – see paddle or extraboard Bonus time – see make-up time Boost time – see make-up time Branch is one of two or more outer route segments served by a single route. Bus hours – see vehicle hours Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a form of bus service that, through im- provements to infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling, is intended to enhance service quality compared to an ordinary bus line. Fea- tures may include exclusive right-of-way, signal priority, widely spaced stops, higher capacity vehicles with special branding, sta- tions, headway-based schedules, and off -bus fare collection. Cafeteria-style rostering is the process in which operators create their own rosters by selecting daily runs and days off from a master list. Car hours – see vehicle hours Car pooling is the use of an automobile to ferry more than one operator between the garage and a relief location, or even between two relief locations. Check-out time – see clear allowance Clear allowance is the amount of time paid to an operator at the conclusion of the run to turn in transfers, fare media, or other sup- plies and reports. Also known as “turn-in allowance” and “check out time.” Coach – see block Collaterals include all of the various types of penalties and premi- ums that might be required to make legal runs. Comments – see note Consist (pronounced CON-sist) is a rail term that refers collectively to the rail cars comprising a train, i.e., a four-car train is a four-car consist. Crew block is the series of trips operated by each train crew from pull-out to pull-in. The crew block will diff er from the train block if drop-backs are scheduled for the crews.

Glossary G-5 Cycle time equals the round trip running time plus layover time. This is also known as “round-trip cycle time” or “round-trip time.” Deadhead is the time and distance that a bus needs to travel in places where it will not pick up passengers. Deadheading is typi- cally required to get buses to and from their garage, or when bus operators need to travel from one route or point to another during their scheduled work day. Also known as “non-revenue travel.” Deadhead hours include pull-in time, pull-out time, and deadhead time from one route or point to another. Deadhead miles include pull-in mileage, pull-out mileage, and deadhead mileage from one route or point to another. Depot – see garage Dispatch sheet is a list of all runs or blocks sorted by start time, typically used by operations to track staff and vehicle movements throughout the day. District – see garage Division – see garage. Division may represent a group of garages with some common labor and/or management organization. Dovetailing – see intertiming Drop-back is a technique where the operator or train crew gets off an arriving vehicle at a terminal, takes layover, and assumes opera- tion of the next vehicle to arrive. Most common on frequent rail lines where close headways do not allow suffi cient layover time for the train crew, this technique is also used for special events to maxi- mize the number of trains in service. If service is very frequent, the train crew may not board the next train but instead the train after that; this is called a “double drop-back.” Some agencies use the term “fall-back” instead. End of the line (EOL) – see terminal Exception scheduling is scheduling activity undertaken to address major construction detours or delays, sporting events, holiday ser- vice, or other special situations. Express service is a service generally connecting residential areas with activity centers via a high-speed, non-stop route with limited stops at each end for collection and distribution. Park-and-ride lots are a common feature of express service at the residential end of the route. Similar to limited-stop service, but with a long non-stop segment. Extraboard is a group of operators who provide coverage of vacant runs and other work on a daily or weekly basis. Operators may pick the extraboard during a sign-up or may be assigned to the extra- board if no more runs are available. Also known as “the Board.” Fall-back – see drop-back Fit-in point – see pull-on location Free running time is the absence of a specifi ed running time along a given segment, with an estimated arrival time at the end of the segment. Frequently used on the express portion of an express bus trip, free running time is a component of headway-based schedules and is sometimes included on the last segment of a local route. Frequency is the number of vehicles passing a point on a route within a given unit of time, usually expressed as X vehicles per hour. See also “headway.” Headway is the inverse of frequency: a fre- quency of six buses per hour is equivalent of a headway of ͭ/Ͳ hour or ͭͬ minutes. Full-time operator is an operator available to work full-time runs and eligible to receive full benefi ts. A full-time operator is usually guaranteed Ͱͬ hours of work per week. Typically, full-time opera- tors can select either a full-time run or a split run, or can choose to work on the extraboard. Full-time run is a work assignment whose total hours equal or exceed the guaranteed minimum number of hours for a full-time operator. Also known as a “regular run.”

Glossary G-6 Garage is the place where vehicles are stored and maintained and where operators report for their assignments. Also known as “barn,” “base,” “depot,” “district,” “division,” “station,” or “yard.” See also “storage lot.” Garage relief is an operator relief that occurs at the garage. Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system that provides accurate and continuous location informa- tion. Tunnels, terminals, and urban street canyons can limit GPS accuracy. Guarantee time – see make-up time Hawk – see owl Headway is the interval of time between two vehicles running in the same direction on the same route, usually expressed in min- utes. See also “frequency.” Frequency is the inverse of headway: a headway of ͭͬ minutes is equivalent to a frequency of one bus every ten minutes or six buses per hour. “Headway” is sometimes used by operations personnel to designate a gap in service or a missing bus. Headway sheet is a document that displays all time points and trips on a route. Usually includes run numbers, block numbers, and pull-in and pull-out times. Used interchangeably in this manual with “master schedule,” and also known as “recap” or “rotation.” Heavy rail is transit service using rail cars with self-contained, self- propelled motive capability, driven by electric power usually drawn from a third rail, operated on exclusive right-of-way with level platform boarding. Heavy rail generally utilizes longer trains and longer spacing between stations than Light Rail. Hooking is the process of attaching the end of a trip in one direc- tion to the beginning of a trip the other direction. A block is a series of hooked trips. Also see “rehooking” below. Hot is a term used to describe a trip that leaves a time pointearly. Such a trip is “running hot.” Hub – see transit center Inside time – see swing time Interlining is the use of the same vehicle on a block operating on more than one route with the same operator, without returning to the garage during route changes. This is most often done at com- mon terminals or for routes sharing a common trunk. Interspersing - See intertiming Intertiming is the process of scheduling trips of two or more routes that share a common segment in a manner that evenly spaces the trips over the common segment. Intertiming is intended to provide more frequent service for those passengers who begin and end their trips within the shared segment. Also known as “interspers- ing” and “dovetailing”. Intervening time – see swing time Layover time is the time between the scheduled arrival and depar- ture of a vehicle at a transit terminal. Often used interchangeably with “recovery time,” although technically layover time is rest time for the operator between trips while recovery time is time built into the schedule to ensure an on-time departure for the next trip. In this manual, layover and recovery are calculated together, and the total time between trips is referred to as layover. Light rail is a fi xed-guideway mode of transit service using electri- cally propelled rail cars that draw current from overhead wires, operated on reserved but not necessarily grade-separated right- of-way. Light rail generally utilizes shorter trains (at times one-car trains) and shorter spacing between stations than heavy rail and may also operate in streets with mixed traffi c. Limited-stop service is a service typically operating on arterial streets that makes stops only at major points along the route. Similar to express service, but without a lengthy non-stop segment. Line check – see point check

Glossary G-7 Line of work is a weekly work package, developed during rostering, that comprises a fi xed set of runs and days off for a set workweek. Line pick is a sign-up held in between scheduled sign-ups to fi ll one or more runs permanently vacated due to illness, disability, or ter- mination. Only operators with less seniority than the prior holder of the vacated run are eligible to bid. Also, a special sign-up held on one route only due to a signifi cant schedule change on the route during the sign-up period. Line-up – see sign-up Lines of work – see rostering Loading standard is the agency-established goal for passenger loads (not the maximum vehicle load, which is considerably higher). The loading standard is usually expressed as a percentage of seated capacity, as the maximum number of standees, or as the maximum load. The loading standard often varies over the day, with peak- period loading standard higher than off -peak periods. Some agen- cies also specify a time or distance duration that certain loads are allowed (e.g., ͭͱͬ% for up to ͭͬ minutes). The loading standard is used to calculate demand-based headways during the various periods of the service day. Make-up time is time added to an operator’s work hours to bring the total up to the guaranteed minimum (usually eight hours per day or Ͱͬ hours per week). Full-time operators often have an eight- hour guarantee, even if their runs are short of eight hours. Other terms include “guarantee time,” “boost time,” “bonus time,” and “pad time.” Manifest – see paddle Mark-up – see sign-up Master run list is a list containing all weekday, Saturday, and Sun- day runs. The Master Run List may be the Run Guide or some varia- tion of the Run Guide. Typically used in cafeteria rostering. Master schedule is a document that displays all time points and trips on a route. Usually includes run numbers, block numbers, and pull-in and pull-out times. Used interchangeably in this manual with “headway sheet,” and also known as “recap” or “rotation.” Match-up sheet is a listing of all arrival and leave times of all routes at a particular terminal. This sheet simplifi es the process of interlin- ing trips. Maximum load point is the location along the route where the passenger load is greatest. The maximum load point can diff er by direction and by time of day. Long or complex routes may have multiple maximum load points, one for each segment. Also known as “peak load point.” Meet is when two trains, on two diff erent tracks (in single-track operation, one train is on a passing siding), converge at the same location. Midday period – see base period. Miss – see miss out Miss out is the term applied when a scheduled operator does not report on time for his/her assignment. Also known as “no show” or “miss.” Mode is a type of transit service characterized by vehicle or opera- tional features. Common transit modes include motorbus, trolley- bus, light rail, heavy rail, commuter rail, and demand-response. Multipiece runs are runs made up of pieces from multiple blocks. In most cases, split runs are inherently multipiece runs. But either half of a split run could itself have multiple pieces, cut from multiple blocks. Multipiece straight – see straight run Node – see transit center Non-revenue travel – see deadhead

Glossary G-8 No-show – see miss out Note is text associated with a trip or a specifi c time pointon a trip. Typically reported on scheduling outputs such as headway sheets and paddles, it can be an essential part of posting information for the operator’s pick. A subset of notes may also be exported to pub- lic timetables. Notes often describe exceptions, e.g., “trip does not operate when school is closed” or “trip departs from Gate X”. Also known as “comments.” Off -peak period – see base period On-board count – see ride check On-board tally – see ride check On-street relief is the process where, at a specifi c time during a specifi c trip on a block, one operator’s run ends and another operator’s run begins. The relief may occur at a terminal or at a designated point along the route (possibly close to the garage). On-street relief is used to minimize pull-out and pull-in miles and hours. Operators are usually paid travel time between the garage and the relief point. Reliefs may also occur at the garage; these are know as “garage reliefs.” On time is defi ned specifi cally by each system; a trip is considered on time if it arrives or departs from a time pointwithin a specifi ed range of time. A typical range is ͬ to ͱ minutes after the scheduled arrival/departure time. A trip that leaves a time pointearly is re- ferred to as “hot” or “running hot.” One-way trip – see trip Open run is a run which was not bid at the previous sign-up or has been vacated during a sign-up due to retirements, terminations, long-term illnesses and such. Outside time – see spread time Overtime premium is pay at the rate of ͭ.ͱ times (or higher) the normal rate for work performed in excess of daily or weekly thresh- olds, usually eight or ten hours per day or Ͱͬ hours per week. Owl is a run that operates during the late night/early morning hours to provide all-night service. Also known as “hawk.” Paddle is an output of the scheduling process that provides the operator with information regarding his or her workday—what time the work day starts/ends, how to get to/from relief locations, the trips to be operated, times at all timepoints, and notes. If an opera- tor drives on more than one route in the day, the paddle will have all trips shown sequentially, as well as travel paths between routes if needed. The paddle may also include a list of route turns, route maps, farebox, headsign, and radio codes, and key intersections and stops that must be announced. Also known as “trip sheet,” “board,” “manifest,” and “schedule.” Pad time – see make-up time Paid relief – see travel time Part-time operator is an operator who works less than Ͱͬ hours a week. The maximum number of hours that a part-time operator can work per week is often specifi ed in the contract. A part-time operator may not receive the full benefi ts of a full-time operator, and may be paid at a lower wage rate. Part-time run – see tripper Passenger load is the number of passengers carried on one or more vehicles at any point on a route. Of particular interest is the maximum passenger load on a route or segment. Passengers per minute (PPM) is the measurement of how many people accumulate every minute at all bus stops waiting for service in the direction being analyzed. Patch is a temporary modifi cation to a trip or series of trips on a route implemented during the sign-up period to account for a de- tour or to address minor running time problems.

Glossary G-9 Pattern – see service pattern and schedule pattern Path – see variant and service pattern Pay hours are the number of hours for which an operator is paid at his/her rate. Pay hours include work hours, make-up time, over- time premium, spread premium, and any other adjustments called for in the contract. Pay-to-platform ratio is the ratio of pay hours to platform time. For example, if an operator receives ͵:ͬͬ in pay for ʹ:ͬͬ of platform time, the pay-to-platform ratio is ͭ.ͭͮͱ (͵:ͬͬ/ʹ:ͬͬ). The pay-to- platform ratio is one of the most widely used methods of measur- ing runcut effi ciency and is often used to measure the impacts of non-platform items (such as report allowance or relief allowances) on operator pay hours. Some systems use the inverse, the ratio of platform to pay hours. Peak load point – see maximum load point Peak periods are the hours during which ridership is highest, usu- ally in the morning and afternoon commute times (e.g., Ͳ to ͵ AM and ͯ to Ͳ PM). Sometimes expressed as peak hour, the hour of highest ridership, it can also refer to the period during which the most frequent service is operated, e.g., peak ͮͬ minutes. Peak of the peak is the absolute busiest time interval (measured in short increments such as ͭͱ or ͯͬ minutes, depending on headway) during the peak period, in terms of passenger demand and service. Peak-to-base ratio is the ratio between the number of buses or trains required to operate the schedule during the higher of the peak periods and by the number of buses in service in the “base” period between the peaks. A peak-to-base ratio of ͮ.ͬ means that twice as many buses are required to operate peak period service as midday service. The peak-to-base ratio greatly infl uences the runcut in terms of the number of straight and split runs that are possible. A higher ratio means more split runs. Peak vehicles are the maximum number of vehicles required to operate the route at the required headway. Quickly calculated as round-trip cycle time divided by headway. Also referred to as “peak vehicle requirement.” Peak vehicle requirement – see peak vehicles Pick – see sign-up Pieces are portions of a run, especially distinct portions separated by a break. Piece balancing is the process in which the scheduler strives to balance the number of AM and PM pieces to increase the possibil- ity of creating split runs that are in accord with formal and informal rules and to leave a balanced number of AM and PM trippers for the extraboard to cover. Platform time, a phrase derived from the early ͮͬth century days when motormen and conductors operated from the “platform” of a streetcar, includes all time when the operator is operating the vehicle. Layover time and pull-in and pull-out time are part of platform time, but report allowance and clear allowance, and travel time (unless part of a pull-in or pull-out) are not. Similarly, platform miles include all miles traveled while the operator is operating the vehicle. Also known as “vehicle hours.” PM block is a block that is in service only during the PM peak pe- riod. PM peak period is the period in the afternoon when the greatest level of service is provided, typically ͯ to Ͳ PM. Point check is a technique to collect information about passenger loads and schedule adherence at a single location (or point), typi- cally a time point or a location where branches of a route diverge. Also known as “line check.” Posting is the term used for notifi cation to operators of all work assignments that will be available for selection during the next sign-up. Runs are posted for cafeteria rostering; rosters are posted for agency-developed rostering. Runs and rosters are posted for a

Glossary G-10 number of days prior to the start of actual bidding to provide time for operators to study their options prior to making their selection. Premium pay is pay to an operator that is over and above the straight time pay rate; includes overtime premium, spread premi- um, shift premium, and any other operating premiums as defi ned by the contract. Pull-in is the non-revenue movement of a vehicle from its last scheduled terminal or stop to the garage. Pull-in miles are the distance the vehicle travels from the route to the garage, and are included in vehicle miles, but not in revenue miles. Collectively, pull-in miles and pull-out miles are also known as pull miles and are components of deadhead miles. Pull-in time is the time the vehicle spends traveling from the route to the garage. Pull-in time is included in vehicle hours, but not in revenue hours. Collectively, pull-in time and pull-out time are also known as pull time and are components of deadhead time. Pull miles – see pull-in miles and pull-out miles Pull-off location is the place on a route where a vehicle ends rev- enue service. Pull-on location is the place on a route where a vehicle begins rev- enue service. Also referred to as a “fi t-in” point. Pull-out is the non-revenue movement of a vehicle from the garage to its fi rst scheduled terminal or stop. Pull-out miles are the distance the vehicle travels from the garage to the route, and are included in vehicle miles, but not in revenue miles. Collectively, pull-in miles and pull-out miles are also known as pull miles and are components of deadhead miles. Pull-out time is the time the vehicle spends traveling from the ga- rage to the route. Pull-out time is included in vehicle hours, but not in revenue hours. Collectively, pull-in time and pull-out time are also known as pull time and are components of deadhead time. Pull reliefs are reliefs made by pulling out one vehicle and pulling in another vehicle. Pull time – see pull-in time and pull-out time Pulse center – see transit center Pulse transfer – see timed transfer Recap – see headway sheet or master schedule Recovery time – see layover time Regular run – see full-time run Rehooking is the process of changing how trips are linked into a block. This is done when evaluating blocks and during the runcut- ting process. Relief is the replacement of one operator on a vehicle by another operator on the same vehicle. The fi rst operator may be going on a break or may be ending his/her work day. The second operator may be starting his/her work day or coming back from a break. Relief allowance – see travel time Relief location is a designated point on a route where operators or crews may be scheduled to begin or end their run or a piece of their run. This can include the garage itself. Also known as “relief point.” Relief opportunities are times within a block when reliefs could be scheduled, typically at the end of a trip or when the vehicle passes a specifi ed relief location. Relief point – see relief location Relief run is a run that is available as a result of other operators’ day off selections. Some rosters are made up of several diff erent relief runs. Relief time – see travel time Report – see show-up

Glossary G-11 Report allowance is the amount of time paid an operator from sign-in time to pull-out time. During this time, the operator may obtain instructions and supplies pertinent to his/her run, locate the assigned vehicle, and perform a pre-trip inspection. Report time – see sign-in time. Sometimes used to refer to report allowance. Revenue hours are the number of hours of service available to pas- sengers for transport on the routes. Excludes deadhead hours, but includes layover time. Calculated for each route and for the system as a whole. Revenue miles are the number of miles of service available to passengers for transport on the routes. Excludes deadhead miles. Calculated for each route and for the system as a whole. Revenue service is when a vehicle is in operation along a route and is available to the public. Ride check is a technique to collect information about boarding and alighting at every stop, in addition to passenger loads and schedule adherence at all time points. Ride checks may also in- clude data collection on type of fare paid, stop announcements, or other information of interest to the agency. Ride checks are more labor-intensive than point checks, but provide more complete data for a given route. Also known as “on-board count” or “on-board tally.” Rostering is the process of grouping daily operator runs into pack- ages of weekly work assignments. The fi nished package is known as a roster, a bid package or lines of work. Rotating (rotary) roster is a roster where operators cycle through the weekly Lines of Work over the course of the sign-up period. Rotation – see headway sheet or master schedule Round-trip is a trip that travels along a route and then returns to its original starting point; a combination of two one-way trips on a route. Round-trip cycle time – see cycle time Round-trip time – see cycle time Route is a defi ned series of stops along one or more streets be- tween two terminal locations designated by a number and/or a name for identifi cation internally and to the public. Run is a work assignment for an operator. Most often, run refers to a whole day’s work assignment. Runcutting is the process of converting (or cutting) vehicle blocks into work assignments for operators. The fi nished product is re- ferred to as a runcut. Run guide is a summary of runs that describes start/fi nish loca- tions, work hours, and cost element breakdowns. The Run Guide is the principal document that describes all of the runs available for bid. Also known as “Bid sheet” or “Run list.” Run list – see run guide Running time is the time it takes for a vehicle to travel the length of a route or between two specifi c points on a route. Scheduled running time is time assigned in the schedule. Actual running time is time observed in the fi eld. One-way running time is time in one direction along the route. Round-trip running time is time in both directions combined. Running time does not include layover time. Sometimes referred to as “travel time,” although this term has an alternate meaning as defi ned below. Run number is the number assigned to each work assignment on a specifi c day. At some systems, the run number is unique only when used in combination with a designator for the garage or the route or route group number. Run summary is a list of runs showing start/fi nish times, hours worked, and paid hours. Payroll systems use the Run Summary. Schedule is a document showing trip times at time points along a route. The schedule may also include additional information such

Glossary G-12 as route descriptions, deadhead times, interline information, run numbers, and block numbers. Schedule pattern is a summary of the schedule in terms of run- ning times between time points and layover time at terminals. The schedule pattern can be repeated throughout the day or can change as running times and layover times change during the day. School extras – see school trips School trips or school service are additional scheduled trips at school bell times to accommodate the heavy loads associated with student ridership along a route. School trips are typically inserted into the schedule for no longer than necessary to address ridership demand. As with other service, these trips are scheduled to meet demand, are open to the public, and are included on public time- tables. Also known as “school trippers” and “school extras.” School trippers – see school trips Service area, in its broadest defi nition, is the area in which a tran- sit agency provides service. This may also be defi ned as the area within a convenient walking distance (such as ¼ mile) of a route or a stop. For the purposes of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, service area is the area within ¾ mile of a fi xed route service. Service curve is a plot of the number of buses in service by hour. See also vehicles in operation graph. Service guidelines – see service standards Service pattern is the unique sequence of stops associated with each type of trip on a route. If all trips operate from one end to the other on a common path the route has one service pattern. Branches, deviations or short turns introduce additional service patterns. Service patterns are a fundamental component of sched- uling and provide the framework for tracking running time, gener- ating revenue trips, and identifying deadhead movements for the route. Also referred to as “trip pattern,” “variant,” or “path.” Service standards are performance requirements expressed in sys- tem policies. Service standards are normally established in areas such as cost effi ciency (cost per unit of service), service eff ective- ness (boardings per unit of service), cost eff ectiveness (cost and subsidy ratios), passenger loading, and schedule adherence. Many agencies also have service policies that guide the development of routes and schedules. Also known as “service guidelines.” Shake-up – see sign-up Shift premium is a premium paid to operators for working during times of the day that are subject to special pay diff erentials, e.g., an owl (late night/early morning) run. Short turn is a trip that terminates at an intermediate point instead of traveling the full length of the route. Short turning is frequently used to add capacity to a specifi c segment of the route. Also known as “turnback” or “short line.” Short line – see short turn Show-up is an assignment for an extraboard operator to be at a specifi c location to fi ll in for a miss out or to do other work. A cer- tain amount of stand-by time is paid in the event that the operator does not receive a run. Also known as “report.” Show-up time – see sign-in time Sign-in time is the time an operator is assigned to report for duty at the start of each piece of a run. The operator may be required to sign in or may be acknowledged by the dispatcher as having re- ported. Also known as “report time,” “sign-on time,” or “show-up time.” Sign-on time – see sign-in time Sign-up is the process in which operators select work assignments. Most agencies have three or four sign-ups each year. Sign-up is also called “bid,” “line-up,” “pick,” “shake-up,” and “mark-up.”

Glossary G-13 Sign-up period is the period of time that a specifi c sign-up is in ef- fect, usually three or four months. Slipping and sliding is the process of shifting one or more trips forward or backward in time to achieve a specifi c purpose. Also known as “trip shifting.” Span of service is the length of time, from the beginning of the fi rst trip to the end of the last trip, during which service operates on the street. Span of service can be expressed for a route or for the system as a whole. Split run is a run containing two or more pieces of work separated by a break over one hour in length. Also known as a “swing run.” At some systems, three-piece split runs are allowed, but one of the breaks (or “swings”) is usually paid whereas in two-piece split runs the break is generally not paid. Split runs tend to be used to allow both peaks to be covered by one operator since the work day would otherwise be too long for a straight run. Spread bonus – see spread premium Spread pay – see spread premium Spread penalty – see spread premium Spread premium is pay at the rate equal to one-half or more of all minutes in excess of a specifi ed maximum spread time, in addition to regular straight pay. The spread premium may be multilayered, e.g., half time up to Ͳͬ minutes over the specifi ed maximum spread time and three-quarters or all time more than Ͳͬ minutes over the specifi ed maximum spread time. Spread premium is separate and distinct from overtime premium. Also known as “spread penalty,” “spread bonus,” or “spread pay.” Spread time is the total time between the start of the fi rst piece and the end of the last piece of a split run with two or more pieces. Also known as “outside time.” Stand-by time is the time that an operator spends at the garage at the agency’s direction awaiting assignment of a run or a piece of work. Usually associated with a report by an extraboard opera- tor, stand-by is intended to provide a pool of operators that will be available to fi ll runs vacated by unscheduled absences. Storage lot is a bus storage area remote from a garage, used to minimize deadhead mileage or due to capacity constraints. Straight run is a run in which trips are consecutive without inter- ruption. Straight runs do not contain any breaks (except for meal breaks at some systems) for the operator. Any break in a straight run is usually less than one hour in length. A straight run with a break is referred to as a two-piece straight or multipiece straight. Swing run – see split run Swing time is the elapsed time (usually unpaid) between the pieces of a split run. Also known as “intervening time.” If swing time is paid, it is sometimes called “inside time.” System bid – see system sign-up System line-up – see system sign-up System mark-up – see system sign-up System pick – see system sign-up System shake-up – see system sign-up System sign-up is a scheduled sign-up during which operators may transfer from one garage to another. System sign-ups are usually held no more than once a year. At intermodal agencies, the system sign-up may allow an operator to transfer between modes as well. Also known as “system bid,” “system mark-up,” ”system pick,” “system shake-up,” and “system line-up.” Terminal is one end point of a route where trips usually begin and end. Short turns and branches introduce additional terminals. Also known as “end of the line” or EOL.

Glossary G-14 Three-piece run is a run made up of three pieces of work separated by two intervals of time. Generally, one of the intervals in a three- piece run is paid time. Through-routing is a form of interlining in which a vehicle switches from inbound service on one route to outbound service on another route while continuing in service throughout the day. Timed transfer is a transfer made easier and more certain for pas- sengers by the process of scheduling two or more routes to meet at a given location at a specifi c time. A short layover may be pro- vided at the timed transfer point to ensure that connections can be made even if one vehicle is running slightly behind schedule. Timed transfers have become more important with the growth of hub- and-spoke network designs. Also known as a “pulse transfer.” Time point is a designated location on a route used to control the spacing of vehicles along the route. As a rule, vehicles should not pass through a time point either before or after the specifi ed time on the schedule. A route may contain several time points depend- ing on its overall length. As a rule of thumb, time point spacing is usually every seven to ͭͱ minutes along a local route, and time points are designated where possible at major intersections, major trip generators, and key destinations. Timetable is a document containing route and time information produced for use by riders. Traffi c check is a generic term used to describe any technique to collect ridership and time-related data. Point checks and ride checks can also be referred to as traffi c checks. Traffi c checkers are individuals who conduct ride checks or point checks to collect ridership and time-related data. Train – see block Train block is the series of trips operated by each train from the time it pulls out to the time it pulls in. A complete block includes a pull-out trip from the yard followed by one or (usually) more rev- enue trips and concluding with a pull-in trip back to the yard. Transfer center – see transit center Transfer window is the layover time scheduled at timed transfer locations to ensure that transfer connections can be made, and may also refer to the amount of time past its scheduled departure time that a vehicle can be held at a transfer location to wait for a late arriving vehicle. Transit center is an area designed to be served by multiple routes. A transit center may be on-street or off -street, but in either case stop locations are established to facilitate passenger connections and safe vehicle movement. In radial networks, transit centers were located in downtown areas. With the emergence of hub-and- spoke networks, an agency may utilize multiple transit centers (or hubs). Also known as “transfer center,” “pulse center,” “hub,” “transit hub,” and “node.” Transit hub – see transit center Travel time is paid time allowed for an operator to travel between the garage and a relief location. If the travel is for relief purposes only and is not part of a pull-in or pull-out, then travel time is not included in platform time. Also known as “relief time,” relief allow- ance,” and “paid relief.” Trip is the one-way operation of a vehicle between two points on a route. Trips are usually noted as inbound, outbound, eastbound, westbound, etc., to identify directionality. Also known as “one-way trip.” Trip pattern – see service pattern Tripper is a short piece of work whose total time is less than that specifi ed as constituting a full-time run. A tripper is often a piece of work in the AM or PM peak period that cannot be combined with another piece of work to form a split run because of insuffi cient hours, excessive swing time, or excessive spread time. Trippers are often operated by extraboard or part-time operators. Also known as “part-time run.” Tripper can also refer to a vehicle that pulls out, makes no more than one round-trip, and pulls in.

Glossary G-15 Trip sheet – see paddle and headway sheet Trip shifting – see slipping and sliding Trunk is the common portion of a route with branches; more broadly, a section of a corridor served by multiple routes or trip types. Turnback is the location where a short turn trip turns around to begin service in the opposite direction. Sometimes used to refer to the short turn trip itself. Turn-in allowance – see clear allowance Two-piece run is a run made up of two pieces of work separated by an interval of time. The pieces will usually be on diff erent blocks and may be on diff erent routes. Two-piece straight – see straight run Variant is a series of stops that describe a unique path. See “Ser- vice Pattern.” A service pattern follows one or more variants. Vehicle hours are total hours of travel by a vehicle, including hours in revenue service (including layover time) and deadhead travel. Also known as “bus hours” for bus. “Car hours” is the term used for rail. Vehicle miles are total miles of travel by a vehicle, including hours in revenue service and deadhead travel. Vehicles in operation graph is a graphical representation of the number of vehicles in operation by time of day, typically by route but also by garage or system. See also service curve. Work hours are the total hours worked by an operator, not includ- ing fringe benefi t hours such as sick leave, holiday, etc. Work hours include only labor hours associated with the requirements of put- ting the runs in service and operating the service. Yard is the rail equivalent of “garage,” the place where rail vehicles are stored and maintained. Yard balancing is the process of ensuring that the number of train cars pulling into a specifi c yard at the end of the service day equals the number that pulled out at the beginning of the service day. On rail lines served by more than one yard, the same vehicles do not necessarily return to the same yard. Only the count in each yard must be the same at the end of the day as the beginning.

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TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 135: Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling explores information on available scheduling tools and techniques and their capabilities. Also, the report provides guidance to transit agencies on a variety of scheduling issues typically faced in a transit operating environment.

TCRP Report 135 is an update to TCRP Report 30: Transit Scheduling: Basic and Advanced Manuals and addresses contemporary issues in transit scheduling. The appendixes to TCRP Report 135 were published as TCRP Web-Only Document 45: Appendixes to TCRP Report 135: Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals and Contemporary Issues in Transit Scheduling.

An interactive scheduling manual is available as an ISO image. Links to the ISO image and instructions for burning a CD-ROM from an ISO image are provided below. Once a CD-ROM has been made with the ISO image, open the folder on the CD-ROM called Interactive Scheduling Manual and click on Transit_Scheduling_Lessons.pps.

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