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CFTE Glossary
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P.M. peak period
The period in the afternoon or evening when additional services are provided to handle higher passenger volumes. The period begins when normal headways are reduced and ends when headways are returned to normal.
Paratransit
Comparable transportation service required by the Americans With Disabilities Act for people with disabilities who are unable to use fixed-route transportation systems.
Park-and-ride
An access mode to transit in which patrons drive private vehicles or ride bicycles to a transit station, bus or rail stop or carpool or vanpool waiting area and park their vehicles in the area provided for the purpose. They then ride the transit system or take the carpool/vanpool to their destinations.
Parking
Parking is any type of space used to store a vehicle. Parking can be on-street, surface lots, in underground or above ground garages, or in a "woonerf." Parking may be part of a residential property, publicly provided, or commercially provided. Parking may or may not have an explicit, implicit, implied, actual, subsidized, or out-of-pocket cost. Regulations may also determine the cost and time limits (if any) to park on public streets, and the minimum or maximum amount of parking required for certain uses.
Parking standards
Existing parking standards often fail to take into account the real vehicle ownership rates and use patterns of a development’s prospective residents, resulting in excessive onsite parking. Excessive parking requirements reduce the number of units that can be provided in the development, add to the per-unit costs, encourage automobile use, and reduce the potential for other site and building amenities. They can also have a significant impact on building design and perceived density, making a relatively low-density development appear to be much higher density and resulting in large portions of the site being covered in asphalt rather than landscaping or other amenities. Because parking construction costs are passed on as a housing cost, tenants are forced to pay for a parking space whether they use it or not.
Particulate trap
A filter which removes a portion of the particulates (solids, soot, etc.) from a vehicle's exhaust stream and generally includes a regenerative unit and associated control system to burn the collected solids.
Particulates
Carbon particles formed by partial oxidation and reduction of hydrocarbon fuels. Also included are quantities of trace metal oxides and nitrates originating from engine wear, component degradation and inorganic fuel additives. In the transportation sector, particulates are emitted mainly from diesel engines.
Passenger
Any occupant of a motor vehicle (in or upon the vehicle) who is not the driver.
Passenger count
The total number of passengers over a period of time who use a particular facility.
Passenger flow
The number of passengers who pass a given location in a specified direction during a given period.
Passenger miles
The total number of miles traveled by passengers on transit vehicles; determined by multiplying the number of unlinked passenger trips by the average length of their trips.
Passenger revenue
Money, including fares and transfer, zone and park-and-ride receipts, paid by transit passengers; also known as "farebox revenue."
Passengers per bus hour
An effectiveness indicator that measures service utilization. It is affected by service hours, service design and service area characteristics. A system may carry a high number of passengers per mile but a relatively low number of passengers per bus hour if vehicles operate in congested areas and thus travel at slower speeds.
Passengers per bus mile
An effectiveness indicator that measures service utilization. A higher number is more favorable. Service area characteristics and service design impact this indicator. For example, a transit system serving a community with a widely dispersed population must operate circuitous routes that tend to carry fewer passengers per mile.
Pay-As-You-Go Financing
Describes government financing of capital outlays from current revenues or grants rather than by borrowing.
PCE
Passenger-car equivalence
Peak period
Morning and afternoon time periods when transit ridership is heaviest.
Peak/base ratio
The number of vehicles operated in passenger service during the peak period divided by the number operated during the base period.
Peak-Hour Peak-Direction (PHPD)
Used in transit operations to refer to the time and direction during which maximum passenger travel occurs. The required maximum capacity on a transit line is determined by PHPD passenger demand at the location on the line at which the number of passengers on vehicles is at its highest – this is the maximum load point. Because flow rates are not uniform within an hour, consideration in service scheduling may be given to flow rates for even shorter periods of time.
Peak-period surcharge
An extra fee required during peak periods, such as rush hours.
Pedestrian Malls
Pedestrian malls are urban and suburban shopping districts that eliminate or greatly reduce motor vehicle traffic within their bounds. These malls, often located in existing downtowns or main streets, employ design characteristics, landscaping, and traffic calming to create pedestrian friendly retail destinations. Pedestrian malls are typically characterized by narrow streets, street level retail, landscaping, and lighting. In addition to being retail destinations, pedestrian malls are often public or civic spaces, and therefore hold events such as farmer's markets, art fairs, concerts, etc.
Pedestrian-oriented development
Development that is designed with an emphasis primarily on the street sidewalk and on pedestrian access to the site and building(s), rather than emphasizing personal-vehicle access and parking. Buildings generally are placed close to the street and the main entrance is oriented to the street's sidewalk. typically, buildings cover a large portion of the site. Although parking areas may be provided, they are generally limited in size and are located at the side or rear of the buildings. This type of development also is characterized by the mix of uses within walking distance of one another, allowing people to move easily among many destinations.
People mover
An automated transportation system (e.g., continuous-belt system or automated guidewaytransit) that provides short-haul collection distribution service for passengers, usually in a major activity center.
People with disabilities
People who, by reason of illness, injury, age congenital malfunction or other disability, are unable to use local transit facilities and services, without adequate facilities, as effectively as people who are not so affected.
Performance Zoning
Establishes minimum criteria to be used when assessing whether a particular project is appropriate for a certain area; ensures that the end result adheres to an acceptable level of performance or compatibility. This type of zoning provides flexibility with the well-defined goals and rules found in conventional zoning.
Petroleum
A generic term applied to oil and oil products in all forms, such as crude oil, natural gas and nonhydrocarbon compounds blended into finished petroleum products.
Planned Unit Development (PUD) Zoning
Planned unit development provisions allow land to be developed in a manner that does not fit into all the use, bulk, and open space requirements of any of the standard zoning districts. The PUD allows greater flexibility and innovation than conventional standards because a planned unit is regulated as one unit instead of each lot being regulated separately.
Planning Board or Commission
A group of residents appointed by the city council or board of supervisors to consider land use planning matters. The commission's duties and powers are established by the local legislative body and might include hearing proposals to amend the general plan or rezone land, initiating planning studies (road alignments, identification of seismic hazards, etc.), and taking action on development proposals.
PM
Preventive maintenance
Pre-Award/Post-Delivery Audit Requirements
Since 1991, FTA has required recipients of Sections 5307, 5309, 5310 and 5311 funds to carry out audits of vehicles and other rolling stock purchased with FTA money. These audits are to ensure that vehicles are manufactured according to specification and comply with applicable Buy America and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Predictable and Cost Effective Development Decisio
Predictable, Fair and Cost Effective Decisions refers to the act of removing barriers in regulatory process that inhibit the construction of pedestrian- oriented, compact, mixed-use development, and making public investment and infrastructure decisions that support such development activity. In doing so, governments create a fertile policy framework that frees the private market to provide pedestrian and transit friendly development.
Preliminary Rating
A credit opinion from a rating agency based on a preliminary assessment assigned to a proposed bond issue.
Present value (PV)
The value of future cash flows discounted to the present at certain interest rate (such as the entity's cost of capital or funds), assuming compounded interest. The GAO definition of present values is as follows: The worth of a future stream of returns or costs in terms of money paid immediately (or at some designated date). A dollar available at some date in the future is worth less than a dollar available today because the latter could be invested and earn interest in the interim. In calculating the net present value, prevailing interest rates provide the basis for converting future amounts into their "money now" equivalents. Under credit reform, the subsidy cost of direct loans and loan guarantees are to be computed on a present value basis and included as budget outlays at the time the direct or guaranteed loans are disbursed.
Priority Funding Areas
A priority funding area is a government designated area that receives funding priority for infrastructure projects like new roads, water and sewer systems, schools over non-priority areas. The geographic definition of these areas can vary; a priority funding area might include a municipality, a small community, a targeted industrial area, or any region set aside by counties for planned growth.
Program account
Budget account into which an appropriation to cover the subsidy cost of a direct loan or loan guarantee program is made and from which such cost is disbursed to the financing account. Usually, a separate amount for administrative expenses is also appropriated to the program account.
Project revenues
All rates, rents, fees, assessments, charges, and other receipts derived by a project sponsor from a project.
Propane
An alternative fuel; a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) which is stored under moderate pressure and with vapor heavier than air; produced as a by-product of natural gas and oil production.
Public open space
In land-use and transit planning, informal or formal outdoor areas that are intended for use by the public for passive or active recreation. These areas can vary in size and may include, but are not limited to include, these elements: seating, landscaping, playground equipment, sports fields and water features. Community parks, urban parks and urban plazas are three types of public open space that may be located in, around or near rail transit stations.
Public transit (or public transportation)
Passenger transportation services, local, metropolitan or regional in scope, that are available to any person who pays a prescribed fare. Also, transportation by bus, rail or other conveyance, either publicly or privately owned, which is provided to the public or specialty service on a regular and continuing basis. Also known as "mass transit," "mass transportation," "public transportation" and "transit."
Public transit agency
A public entity responsible for administering and managing transit activities and services. Public transit agencies can directly operate transit service or contract out for all or part of the total transit service provided.
Public transit system
An organization that provides transportation services owned, operated or subsidized by any municipality, county, regional authority, state or other governmental agency, including those operated or managed by a private management firm under contract to the government agency owner.
Publicos
Passenger vans or Class C motor buses operating with fixed routes but no fixed schedules. Publicos are a privately owned and operated mass transit service which is market-oriented and free of government assistance, but is regulated through a public service commission, state or local government. Publicos generally are operated under franchise agreements, fares are regulated by route and there are special insurance requirements. Vehicle capacity varies from eight people to 30 people or more, and the vehicles may be owned or leased by the operator.
Purchase of Development Rights
Purchase of Development Rights (PDRs) are voluntary, legal agreements that allow owners of land meeting certain criteria to sell the right to develop their property to a township, city, county, or state government, or to a nonprofit organization. A conservation easement is then placed on the land and the agreement is recorded on the title to limit the future use of the land to agriculture or other open space uses.
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