Transit Term Definitions

Many technical terms are used when discussing transit issues. This page provides definitions for many of them.

Fare Box Recovery The ratio of revenue to total operating cost or percent of cost directly covered by MTA generated revenues.
Vehicle Miles Number of vehicles times the distance each travels. Two vehicles that go six miles and three vehicles that gone four miles each generate twelve vehicle miles.
Passenger or Passenger Trips Number of boardings. The MTA uses "un-linked trips." One person who changes buses is called two passengers.
Deadhead Vehicle operating without passengers to reach service starting point or to return to the storage yard
Late Train A MARC train is not late if it arrives within 5 minutes of its scheduled time at the final destination. Don't believe MARC's on time performance? Keep your own log and let us know.