Bus Operator Portal

Glossary of Terms

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, VVTA operates a bus fleet equipped with passenger lifts/ramps and wheelchair tie-downs, and also operates parallel paratransit service for those who cannot use the fixed-route bus system.
AFC - Automatic Fare Collection. Technology that allows for electronic fare payment and collection, such as "tap on" cards.
Alight - Passenger getting off a vehicle. Opposite of Board.
APC - Automatic Passenger Counting. Technology that allows for passenger counting and vehicle capacity information gathering.
Arrival Time - The time a vehicle is scheduled to arrive at a stop/station.
Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) - The use of computers and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to dispatch and track transit vehicles in real-time. GMV is our AVL system.
Automatic Voice Annunciation (AVA) - Equipment installed on a vehicle to play audible information about upcoming stops. Used to comply with ADA requirements and provide an enhanced experience to the riders.
Average Speed - 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 a VVTA bus is 11 miles per hour.
Block - A group of trips scheduled for a single vehicle.
Block Number - A number displayed on the windshield of a bus to identify a particular block
Board - Passenger getting on a vehicle. Opposite of Alight.
Bus Stop - A location where a vehicle allows passengers to board or alight.
Choice Riders - Riders who have a transportation choice, such as commuters who could use their private vehicle but choose to take public transportation.
Curb-to-Curb - As opposed to corner-to-corner and door-to-door. Transportation service that picks up riders from their exact location and drops them off at their precise destination. Riders are usually expected to travel the short distances to and from the vehicle themselves.
Deadhead - The movement of a transit vehicle while not in service, either to/from the garage or to/from its next trip.
Deadhead Route - The route that the bus operator follows when deadheading. The deadhead route is the last section in the ROLS.
Deadhead Time - The time of a transit vehicle while deadheading, either to/from the garage or to/from its next trip.
Deadhead Time - The time of a transit vehicle while deadheading, either to/from the garage or to/from its next trip.
Deamand Response -
Departure Time - The time a vehicle is scheduled to depart from a stop/station.
Deviated Fixed-Route - A Fixed-Route that allows for deviation from the defined Alignments and Stops, usually in a defined increment such as 1/4 mile from the Fixed Route.
Division - Refers to a garage and yard facility where buses are stored, maintained, and dispatched into service. VVTA has two operating divisions: Division 1, Hesperia; and Division 2, Barstow.
Door-to-Door - As opposed to curb-to-curb and corner-to-corner. Most commonly used in the context of paratransit to refer to the highest-touch service available, with drivers helping riders to physically exit places of origin and enter destinations during pickup and dropoff. VVTA's Direct Access is door-to-door.
Dwell Time - The scheduled time a vehicle is allowed to discharge and take on passengers at a stop, including opening and closing doors.
EOL (End of Line) - Refers to the ending points of a line.
Extra Board - 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.
Fare - The payment a rider makes for VVTA services.
Farebox Recovery Ratio - Measure of the proportion of operating expenses covered by passenger fares; found by dividing fare box revenue by total operating expenses for each mode and/or system-wide.
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) - Government agency providing financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems while also overseeing safety measures and helping develop next-generation technology research.
Fixed Route - Transit services that are provided on a repetitive, fixed schedule along a specified route. Unlike demand responsive transit, fixed-route vehicles only stop to pick up and drop off passengers at specific locations or stops.
Flag Stop - A Stop that is only available through communication with a driver or agency. County routes may be flagged down in the County areas.
Fleet - All of the vehicles employed in a transportation service.
No G Terms yet, but we are looking for some!
Headsign - Refers to the sign above the front windshield of a bus describing the line number and destination. During deadhead movements, it displays “Not in Service.”
Headway - 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 - Refers to a list of all trips, produced with each bid, which summarizes all schedules for every block on each line. Headway sheets serve as the basis of the paddle. Also knwon as Superisor Summary.
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.
Layover Time - Refers to time built into a schedule between arrival and departure for bus operators to rest. 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.
Layover Zone - Refers to a designated stopover point at or near the end of the line for bus operators to rest between trips.
Load Factor - A ratio calculated by the number of passengers carried divided by the total passenger capacity of a transit vehicle.
Manifest - Used in Direct Access to lay out all the passengers that need to be transported and Trips to be made.
Maximum Load Point - Refers to a point on a bus route where the maximum number of passengers are on the bus.
Microtransit - On-demand transportation service that offers shared rides with dynamic routing.
Mobile Ticketing - Providing fares for riders through mobile devices.
National Transportation Database (NTD) - The NTD was established by Congress to be the nation’s primary source for information and statistics on the transit systems of the United States. Recipients or beneficiaries of grants from the FTA are required by statute to submit data to the NTD.
No Show - If a passenger has a scheduled trip and a driver has waited at least five minutes for them to come out and they do not, dispatch can instruct the driver to mark their trip as a “No Show” and move on to their next pick up. “No Shows” slow down the system and may prevent those who need rides from getting one; depending on the service, No Shows can result in suspension of service for the rider.
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.
On-Time Performance (OTP) - Direct Access - A major metric to assess the quality of ADA paratransit. On-time performance (OTP) is a measure of 1) how many trips depart within the pickup window communicated to the rider when they booked their trip, or 2) arrive before a rider’s requested dropoff time at their destination.
On-Time Performance (OTP) - Routes - A major metric to assess the quality of ADA paratransit. On-time performance (OTP) is a measure of 1) how many trips depart within the pickup window communicated to the rider when they booked their trip, or 2) arrive before a rider’s requested dropoff time at their destination.
Paddle - An informational sheet given to a vehicle operator which lists the scheduling of the driver's shift for the day including which routes, times, deadheads, and breaks.
Paratransit - Paratransit service provides shared-ride, curb-to-curb service for customers with disabilities or other limitations which prevent them from accessing the regular bus service
Passenger - An individual on board, boarding, or alighting from a revenue transit vehicle. Excludes operators, transit employees, and contractors.
Passenger Miles Traveled (PMT) - The total number of miles traveled by passengers on transit vehicles. Passenger miles are determined by multiplying the number of unlinked passenger trips times the average length of their trips.
Platform Hours - Refers to the total scheduled time a bus spends from pull-out to pull-in at the division.
Pre-Trip - A bus pre-trip, also known as a pre-trip inspection, is a routine safety check performed by bus operators or maintenance staff before the vehicle begins its service for the day. The purpose of the pre-trip inspection is to ensure that the bus is in proper working condition and is safe to operate. This process is crucial for identifying and addressing any potential issues that could affect the safety and reliability of the bus during its route.
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.
Random Trip Sampling - Random trip sampling is a method used in transportation to collect ridership data on bus routes. This technique involves randomly selecting trips or times of travel within a specific period and then collecting data during those trips. Random Trip Sampling is a requirement by the FTA and NTD.
Recovery Time - See Layover
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.
Report Time - Refers to time before a bus is due to leave a division. During this time, operators prepare a bus for departure.
Revenue Hours - Refers to all scheduled time a bus spends serving passengers, which can also be defined as platform hours minus deadhead and layover time. Revenue service includes layover and recovery time. Revenue service excludes deadhead.
Ridership - The total number of passenger trips taken on a particular service or system during a given time period.
Round Trip - (Also known as a cycle) - Refers to one Eastbound/Northbound, plus one Westbound/Southbound trip (unless a loop route), equals one round trip or cycle.
Route - The path of a transit vehicle. A common name/number as public reference for a defined sequence of stops and turns.
Route of Line Sheet (ROLS) - A piece of paper with worded direction of a bus route, deadgeads, and other information (such as sign codes, bus stops to announce, and any other important notes regarding the bus route).
Run - See Paddle
Run-Cut - Refers to the process, normally performed three times a year, of generating daily bus operator work assignments in a cost efficient manner to meet all contract requirements negotiated between the union and the contractor. Run-cutting software is used to generate assignments that may be reset until they fulfill the requirements of all participating parties. VVTA does not do the run-cutting, the contractor is responsible for the run-cut.
Running Time - Refers to time allowed between any two points, such as from time point to time point, or from start-of-line to end-of-line.
Schedule - All Trips affiliated with a single Route. Most frequently referred to as a timetable.
Short Turn - Refers to a trip that doesn’t go to the furthest point of the line, due to passenger load and schedule adherence.
Spread Time - Refers to the total time from the start of a driver assignment to its end, whether a bus is in service or not. For a split, from first sign-on to last sign-off.
Stop - A physical place where a transit vehicle stops for boarding or alighting. Each stop has a unique 5-digit identifier.
Stop - Farside (FS) - A bus stop that is located after an intersection.
Stop - Midblock (MB) / Inbetween (IB) - A bus stop that is located away from an intersection and referred to by block address or streets before and after the stop.
Stop - Nearside (NS) - A bus stop that is located before an intersection.
Stop - Paired - Bus stops that are across the street from one another, usually with the same stop name.
Terminus/Terminal - The beginning or ending of a route.
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.
Title VI - Refers to Title VI of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, and requires that transportation planning and programming be nondiscriminatory on the basis of race, color or national origin.
Transfer Center / Hub - A fixed location where passengers interchange from one route or vehicle to another.
Transfer Point - Refers to a point where bus lines intersect and passengers can transfer to another line.
Travel Time - Refers to paid time that allows a bus operator to travel from a relief point to the division or from the division to a relief point.
Trip - A sequence of stops on a route served sequentially from the starting terminal to the end terminal.
Unlinked Passenger Trips - The frequency in which passengers board a public transportation vehicle.
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) - One vehicle traveling one mile constitutes a vehicle mile.
Voice Announcements - One vehicle traveling one mile constitutes a vehicle mile.
Wayside Signage - Signage located at a stop or terminal for riders to know how much longer until the bus arrives.
Zone Fares - A system of fares where a transit system’s service area is divided into zones with different specified fares.