GLOSSARY OF TRANSIT TERMS |
| Accessibility |
The extent to which facilities and vehicles are barrier free and useable by persons with disabilities, including wheelchair users. An accessible vehicle is equipped with lifts or ramps. |
| Ambulatory |
Transit defines a rider who is “ambulatory” as one who is not confined to a wheelchair, or if in a fold-up manual wheelchair, can transfer from it to a seat in the vehicle without assistance. |
Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) |
A civil rights law passed by Congress in 1990 which makes it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities in employment, services provided by state and local governments, public and private transportation, public accommodations and telecommunications. |
| Attendant |
Designated by the eligible rider as someone who is responsible for providing personal care and assistance to the eligible rider during the entire trip and whose presence is essential for the eligible rider to travel. Attendant does not pay a fare. Also called Personal Care Attendant (PCA) or escort. |
| Brokerage |
A method of transportation service delivery that matches passengers with appropriate providers through a central trip request and administrative facility. |
| Bus Shelter |
A building or other structure constructed near a bus stop to provide seating and protection from the weather for the convenience of waiting passengers. |
| Chartered Bus |
A bus transporting a group of persons who, pursuant to a common purpose, and under a single contract at a fixed price, have acquired the exclusive use of a bus to travel together under an itinerary. |
| Demand-Response |
Non-fixed route service utilizing vans or buses with passengers boarding and alighting at prearranged times at any location within the system’s service area. Also called “Dial-a-Ride” in other places of the country. |
| Dispatcher |
Person responsible at a transit agency for assigning drivers and scheduling routes. |
| Fare |
Portion of the cost of a trip that is paid by the rider. |
| Fixed Route |
Service provided on a repetitive, fixed-schedule basis along a specific route with vehicles stopping to pick up and deliver passengers to specific locations. Each fixed route trip serves the same origins and destinations. A deviated fixed route is one in which there is an established route but at times the driver may deviate from that route to pick up a rider. |
| Intercity Bus Service |
A bus with front doors only, high-backed seats, separate luggage compartments, and usually with restroom facilities for use in high-speed long-distance service (for example, Greyhound). |
| No Show |
When a rider does not call to cancel a scheduled trip and is not there for the pick-up. |
| Peak Period |
Morning and afternoon time periods when transit riding is heaviest. |
| Priority Seating |
An area designated at the front of a bus for seniors and persons with disabilities. |
| Response Time |
Time that elapsed between when a ride is dispatched and the rider is picked up. |
| Ride Card |
An individual deemed eligible to ride a transportation service can in some cases bulk purchase rides and pay for them in advance, sometimes receiving a discount to purchase a “ride card.” Instead of paying for each individual ride, rides are purchased in advance. |
| Securement |
Refers to lap belts, shoulder harnesses, and devices that secure a wheelchair or scooter on a vehicle. |
| Service Animal |
Animals that are individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities such as guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, and alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure. |
| Smart Card |
Looks like a credit or debit card and can use a magnetic stripe, embedded computer chip or a combination of the two. Some transit systems use smart card technology to collect fares and some also use it to provide benefits to eligible individuals. |
| Stretcher Transportation |
A type service that transports a rider who cannot sit up in a seat or wheelchair and must be transported lying down. |
| Subscription Service |
Service that is on a reoccurring basis and each individual trip does not need to be scheduled; there is a standing order and a seat is already reserved. |
| Transfer |
(1) An additional fare paid by the rider in order to board another bus in the same system to reach a destination.
(2) Ability for a rider to move from a wheelchair or scooter to a seat without assistance, e.g., can “transfer” from a wheelchair to a seat in a van or taxi. |
| Travel Training |
A program that teaches persons with disabilities how to ride on fixed route service. |
| Trip |
A trip is a one-way ride and each rider is counted individually. |
| Vendor |
A transportation provider that contracts with a Brokerage to provide transportation services. |
