Acronyms and Terms Guide
Find out what certain transportation acronyms, initials and terms mean. Get familiar with the different abbreviated names for various operations, lines of business, and programs.
AAAM—American Association of Automative Medicine
AAMA—American Automotive Manufacturers Association
AAMVA—American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators
AASHTO—American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
AC—Alternating Current
ACC—Adaptive Cruise Control
ACI—American Concrete Institute
ACI-NA—Airports Council International-North America
ADA—Americans with Disabilities Act
ADF—Aircraft deicing fluid
ADS-A—Automatic dependent surveillance-addressable system
ADS-B—Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast
AIADA—American International Automobile Dealers Association
AIADA—American Imported Automobile Dealers Association
AIR-21— Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century
AIS—Automatic Information System
AISC—American Institute of Steel Construction
AISI— American Iron and Steel Institute
AM radio—Lower Frequency Radio Waves
AMPO—Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations
API — American Petroleum Institute
APTA— American Public Transit Association
APWA— American Public Works Association
ASM— Available Seat Miles
ASQP— Airline Service Quality Performance
ASRS—Aviation Safety Reporting System
ASTs— Aboveground Storage Tanks
ATC— Air Traffic Control
ATO—Air Traffic Organization
AVL— Automatic Vehicle Location
AVP—Advanced Vehicle Technologies Program
B2B —Business-to-Business
B2C— Business-to-Consumer
BAC—Blood Alcohol Concentration
BART—Bay Area Rapid Transit
BBC— British Broadcasting Corporation
BBL— Barrel
Big LEO—Special Handheld Telephone
BLM—Bureau of Land Management
BPR—Bureau of Public Roads
BTS—Bureau of Transportation Statistics
BTU —British Thermal Unit
C02—Carbon Dioxide
CAB—Civil Aeronautics Board
CAD—Computer-Aided Dispatch
CAF—Corporate Average Fuel Economy
CAMI— Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
CAV—Connected and Automated Vehicles
CBO—Congressional Budget Office
CBP—US Customs and Border Protection
CD-ROM/DVD—Compact Disk-Read Only Memory/Digital Video Disk
CDL —Commercial Drivers License
CDS—Crashworthiness Data System
CFIT—Controlled Flight Into Terrain
CFS—Commodity Flow Survey
CFR —Code of Federal Regulations
CH4—Methane
CIPSEA —Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act
CISO— Chief Information Security Officer
CNG —Compressed Natural Gas
CO—Carbon Monoxide
COMSTAC—Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee
COMTO— Conference of Minority Transportation Officials
CONUS—Continental U.S.
COO—Chief Operating Officer
COOP— Continuity of Operations Plan
CORS—Continuously Operating Reference Stations
CPDLC—Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications
CRAF—Civil Reserve Air Fleet
CRM—Crew Resource Management
CRS—Congressional Research Service
CUTC—Council of University Transportation Centers
CVO —Commercial Vehicles Operations
DBA—Decibels
DC—Direct Current
DFDRs—Digital Flight Data Recorders
DGPS—Differential GPS
DHS—Department of Homeland Security
DOC—Department of Commerce
DOD—Department of Defense
DOI—Department of Interior
DOJ—Department of Justice
DOS—Department of State
DVD—Digital Video Disk
ECP —Electronically Controlled Pneumatic
EDI —Electronic Data Interchange
EDSs —Explosives Detection Systems
EMS —Emergency Medical Services
EPA —Environmental Protection Agency
ERGS —Electronic Route Guidance System
ETC —Electronic Toll Collection
EU —European Union
eVIUS —Electric Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey
FAA—Federal Aviation Administration
FAF—Freight Analysis Framework
FARS—Fatal Accident Reporting System
FAST—Final Approach Spacing Tool
FBI—Federal Bureau of Investigation
FCC—Federal Communications Commission
FedEx—Federal Express
FEIS—Final Environmental Impact Statement
FHWA—Federal Highway Administration
FLH—Federal Lands Highway
FLHP—Federal Lands Highway Program
FMC—Federal Maritime Commission
FMCSA—Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
FMI—Freight Mobility Initiative (ATRI)
FRA—Federal Railroad Administration
FTA—Federal Transit Administration
GA—General Aviation
GAIN— Global Aviation Information Network
GAMA— General Aviation Manufacturers Association
GARA— General Aviation Revitalization Act
GDP — Gross Domestic Product
GEO— Geostationary Earth Orbit
GES—General Estimates System
GIS— Geographic Information Systems
GMDSS—Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
GNP—Gross National Product
GPRA— Government Performance and Results Act of 1993
GPS—Global Positioning System
GPWS— Ground Proximity Warning System
GSA—General Services Administration
GWP— Gross World Product
HFCs—Hydrofluorocarbons
HOV—High Occupancy Vehicle
HPMS—Highway Performance Monitoring System
HSR— Incremental High-Speed Rail
HTF—Highway Trust Fund
IANA—Intermodal Association of North America
IASA— International Aviation Safety Assessment
IATA—Internal Air Transport Association
IBTTA—International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association
ICAO— International Civil Aviation Organization
ICC— Interstate Commerce Commission
IFR—Instrument Flight Rules
IHS— Interstate Highway System
IIJA— Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
IMO—International Maritime Organization
IRF—Internal Road Federation
ISTEA— Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act
ITS — Intelligent Transportation Systems
ITSA—Intelligent Transportation Society of America
ITSJPO—Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office
IVHS— Intelligent Vehicle Highway System
IVI — Intelligent Vehicle Initiative
LAAS— Local Area Augmentation System
LCD— Liquid Crystal Display
LEO— Low Earth Orbit
LNG— Liquefied Natural Gas
LPG— Liquefied Petroleum Gas
LTL— Less Than Truckload
LTPP—Long Term Pavement Performance Program
LTVs— Light trucks and vans
Maglev— Magnetic levitation
MAP-21— Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act
MARAD— Maritime Administration
MERCOSUR— Southern Common Market
MBD—Million barrels of oil per day
MCMIS—Motor Carrier Management Information System
MMAC—Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center
MPH—Miles per hour
MPO—Metropolitan Planning Organization
MSP — Maritime Security Program
MTMCTEA—Military Traffic Management Command Transportation Engineering Agency
MTS— Marine Transportation System
N2O— Nitrous Oxide
NAFTA— North American Free Trade Agreement
NAPA—National Asphalt Paving Association
NAS— National Airspace System
NASA— National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NATCA—National Air Traffic Controllers Association
NCFO— National Census of Ferry Operators
NCP— National Contingency Plan
NDGPS—Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System
NDRF— National Defense Reserve Fleet
NEPA— National Environmental Policy Act
New— HSR new high-speed rail systems
NGS—National Geodetic Survey
NHS—National Highway System
NHTS—National Household Travel Survey
NHTSA—National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
NIMBY—Not In My Back Yard
NMMA— National Marine Manufacturers Association
NMSL— National Maximum Speed Limit
NO2— Nitrogen Dioxide
NOAA— National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agencys
NOTAM— Notices to Airmen
NOx— Nitrogen Oxide
NPTS — Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey
NS— Norfolk Southern
NSC— National Security Council
NSI —National Shipbuilding Initiative
NTAD—National Transportation Atlas Database
NTSB—National Transportation Safety Board
NUMMI —New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.
OAG—Official Airline Guide
OCS—Outer Continental Shelf
O3—Ozone
OPEC—Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
OSRA—Ocean Shipping Reform Act
OST—Office of the Secretary of Transportation
OSTP—Office of Science and Technology Policy
OTRBs—Over-The-Road Buses
PanAm—Pan American
Pb—Lead
PCBs—Polychlorinated biphenyl
PDDs—Presidential Decision Directives
PFCs—Perfluorocarbons
PM10—Particulate matter less than 10 microns
PNGV—U.S. Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles
PPM—Parts per million
PPPs—Power Projection Platforms
PTC—Positive Train Control
PTP—Prevention Through People
R&D—Research and development
RITA—Research and Innovative Technology Administration
RNAV—Area Navigation
RORO—Roll-on/Roll-off ships
ROSA P—Repository and Open Science Access Portal
RPM—Revenue Passenger Miles
RRF—Ready Reserve Force
RRIF—Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing
RSPA—Research and Special Programs Administration
RTAP—Rural Transportation Assistance Program
RTMs—Revenue Ton-Miles
SafeOCS— SAFE Outer Contenential Shelf
SA—Selective Availability
SAE—Society of Automotive Engineers
SAFER—Special Aviation Fire and Explosion Reduction
SAFETEA-LU—Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act
SBIR—Small Business Innovation Research
SCADA—Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition
SEABEE—Construction Battalion (CB)-this acronym is a Phonetic reference to the CB member of this Navy Unit.
SF6 —Sulfur Hexafluoride
SIPs—Safety Integration Plans
SIPs—State Implementation Plans
SO2—Sulfur Dioxide
SPEARS—Screener Proficiency Evaluation and Reporting System
STARS—Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System
STB—Surface Transportation Board
STIP—Statewide Transportation Improvement Program
STRAHNET—Strategic Highway Network
SUVs—Sport Utility Vehicles
TCAS —Traffic Alert Collision Avoidance System
TDM — Transportation Demand Management
TDLS — Tower Data Link Services
TEA-21— Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century
TEU —20-foot Equivalent Unit
TIFIA — Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 1998
TIP— Threat Image Projection
Title XI — Maritime Guarantee
TL— Truckload
TOFC/COFC— Trailer-on-Flatcar Car (TOFC) and Container-on-Flatcar Car (COFC)
TRACON—Terminal Radar Approach Control
TRB — Transportation Research Board
TTI —Texas Transportation Institute
TSAR— Transportation Statistics Annual Report
TSI — Transportation Services Index
TVAR— Transportation Vulnerability and Resilience
TWA — Trans World Airlines
UNFCCC— United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
UPS— United Parcel Service
USCG —U.S. Coast Guard
USDOC—U.S. Department of Commerce
USDOT— U.S. Department of Transportation
USGS— U.S. Geological Survey
USPS— U.S. Postal Service
UST— Underground Storage Tank
UTA— Union de Transport Aeriens
VFR—Visual Flight Rules
VHF—Very High Frequency
VISA—Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement
VLCCs — Very Large Crude Carriers
VMT —Vehicle-Miles Traveled
VOCs—Volatile organic compounds
VSL—Variable Speed Limit
VIUS—Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey
VSTB—Surface Transportation Board
WAAS — Wide Area Augmentation System
WRDA— Water Resources Development Act