The_Dictionary_of_Transport_and_Logistics

USER BODY

User body An organization (eg a consultative committee) representing the interests of a particular group of customers who use transport services (eg rail users). Some are statutory, having been set up through legislation, while others are voluntary.

User of vehicle The person who drives a vehicle or who employs a person to drive it on his behalf (ie both driver and employer of the driver). Key term in transport law – most legislation is aimed at the ‘user’. For example, ‘O’ licences* must be held by the user and most C&U regulations offences are committed by the user.

UTC Urban traffic control. System for controlling traffic in urban areas.

UTI Unité de Transport Intermodal. French term for Intermodal Transport Unit (ITU).

Utilization Concept of achieving maximum use of warehouse space (vehicles, vehicle load capacity, labour, capital, etc). Measure of efficiency of use, which tells (among other things) whether there is over-capacity available, excess labour or whether capital expenditure has not been effectively used.

UTMC Urban traffic management and control. Intelligent (modular) control systems to manage traffic in cities.

UTP Urban transport planning. Urban planning concept mainly adopted in the USA.

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Vv

V2 Take-off speed for an aircraft. Obviously varies with the size and type of aircraft.

Vacuum brakes Brakes on (heavy) vehicles operated by vacuum system

– as opposed to air. Not found on modern vehicles.

Value added Concept whereby a service is given which adds value to a product. In theory distribution adds value because it puts the product into the consumer’s hands.

Value chain Another logistics concept which represents the conversion of primary materials into the object desired by the consumer (ie the part of the logistics operation that actually adds value by making or converting something undesirable into a desirable object).

VAN (1) Value added network. Term used in computer technology.

Van (2) Goods vehicle with enclosed body, usually falling within small and medium weight categories.

Variable costs Accounting term denoting costs of operation which vary according to performance. In transport, the costs of running a vehicle (hence running costs) that vary with use (ie fuel, tyre wear, maintenance).

VASCAR Visual average speed computer and recorder. Machine fitted to police vehicles and used to trap speeding drivers (ie by recording the average speed over a measured distance).

VAT Value added tax. Tax added on to price of goods/services (eg transport) which seller/supplier has to recover from his customer and pass on to Customs & Excise (the dreaded VAT-man) – free tax collection service provided involuntarily by industry to government.

VBG Swedish manufacturer of vehicle towing equipment (drawbars*, etc).

VBRA Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association. Trade association for the vehicle body repair and commercial vehicle body building industry.

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VCA (1)

VCA (1) Value chain analysis. Yet more distribution industry jargon.

VCA (2) Vehicle Certification Agency. Vehicle and Component Approvals Division department within Vehicle Inspectorate* which deals with Type Approval*. See Vehicle Certification Agency.

VCRAT Vehicle Crime Reduction Action Team. A Home Office initiative (started in August 1998) to ensure the Government’s target of reducing all vehicle crime by 30 per cent by 2003.

VDRS Vehicle defect rectification scheme. Operated by police when vehicle (car/light van only) found on road with defects that it is in the owner’s best interest to have repaired. Defects form is issued and repairs must be carried out and certified on back of form by MOT test garage. Form then returned to police within 14 days. It is an offence to fail to do this.

VDU Visual display unit. Computer screen on which the operator sees the data/work displayed.

VED Vehicle excise duty. Payable for all motor vehicles kept on roads (unless exemption certificate* applied for) in accordance with duty rates based on vehicle type/number of axles, etc. Disc is issued to confirm payment, which must be displayed in windscreen. Failure to pay duty (or at wrong rate) can result in fines and need to pay back duty. See also GVED.

Vee (v) engine configuration Vehicle engine where cylinders are formed in two banks at (usually) 60 degrees to each other (ie as in V6 and V8).

Veeder-Root Scottish-based manufacturer of tachograph instruments (among other things). Now taken over by management and operating as TVI Europe Ltd.

Vehicle A means of transporting goods or passengers, including lorries, buses and coaches, railway rolling stock, ships and inland waterway craft and aircraft.

Vehicle acquisition Term to describe the process of determining the best (eg most economical) method of obtaining the use of vehicles (outright purchase/hire purchase/lease/contract hire/rental, etc). This procedure takes into account availability of capital, relevant tax positions and operational considerations.

Vehicle bans Periods of time (usually at weekends) when goods vehicles (over specified weights) are banned from using roads (ie passing through).

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VG

Many EC states have such bans and international operators should be aware of these because of the delays they can cause to vehicle schedules. Also in UK, restrictions on vehicle above specified gross weights entering certain roads, areas, etc as shown on nearby signs.

Vehicle Certification Agency Executive agency of the DTLR* responsible for carrying out tests on new vehicles, vehicle systems and components to ensure they meet international safety and environmental protection standards and for certification of vehicles under the type approval scheme. See also VCA.

Vehicle Enquiry Unit A section within the DVLA* at Swansea which deals with enquiries about vehicle registration numbers, etc.

Vehicle Inspectorate Executive agency of DTLR* which deals with vehicle testing and both roadside and on-premises inspection of goods and passenger vehicles.

Vehicle owner liability See Owner liability.

VeMIS On-board vehicle management data recording equipment. Product of Leafield AVM.

Vendor hub Third party operation of a warehouse, funded by suppliers, containing vendor-owned stock for delivery to a customer (see lineside warehouse). (Source: ILT Supply-Chain Inventory Management SIG)

by one organization but where the forecast demand, and required stock levels to meet that demand, are calculated by the manufacturer or distributor of the stock items concerned. (Source: ILT Supply-Chain Inventory

Management SIG)

Venture capital Capital risked on new projects, setting up new businesses, or MBOs*, etc. Specialized firms (finance houses/bank off-shoots, etc) are set up to provide such.

VFR Visiting friends and relatives. Term used in passenger transport analyses of the purposes for which journeys are made.

VG Vortex generator. A device used to change the airflow characteristics of various surfaces (eg the frontal appearance of large vehicles to improve fuel consumption).

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VI

VI Vehicle Inspectorate. Agency of the DTLR* dealing with vehicle standards and enforcement.

Vicarious liability Legal term meaning that one person is held responsible for the (illegal/tortious) actions of another person. For example, an employer can be held liable for the actions of his employees.

Vicinity In the context of ‘O’ licensing*, environmental representations may be made by those who own or occupy land in the vicinity of a vehicle operating centre. Vicinity is not defined as such but may be taken to mean ‘near’ or where affected by noise, etc from such a place.

Vienna Convention United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, which came into force on 1 January 1988.

Vignette In road transport context, a ticket or voucher confirming that charges for road use have been paid – currently Eurovignettes are in use in Germany, Denmark and the Benelux countries of the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

VIN Vehicle identification number: 17-digit international number given to vehicles and recorded on computerized DVLA* owner file. Duplicated on the PNC* to give the police 24-hour access to relevant details of all vehicles registered on the DVLA computer.

Virage project Experimental vehicle of manufacturer Renault Trucks.

Visa See Entry visa.

Viscosity A measure of the internal friction of a fluid (eg engine oil). A typical diesel engine oil would rate 5W/40, but the latest Euro III* diesel engines use synthetic oils rated at 0W/40 – very thin in the cold and very thick in hot temperatures (and usually only changed at 100,000 km intervals). See also ACEA.

Vision requirement Medical requirements for drivers: they must be able to read a number plate in good daylight at distance of 75 yards (with glasses or contact lenses if worn). More stringent standards are applied to LGV*/ PCV* drivers.

VGT Variable-geometry turbocharger. In layman’s terms, a system to make smaller turbocharged diesel engines perform like huge naturallyaspirated diesels (ie to give them more ‘grunt’ at low engine revolutions).

VLBC Very large bulk carrier. Tanker ship built purposely to carry bulk oil.

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VRN

VLCC Very large crude carrier. See also ULBC and ULCC.

VMI Vendor managed inventory. Logistics buzzword for a system by which inventory costs are (hopefully) reduced.

VMS Variable message signs. Electronic signs seen mainly on motorways to convey up-to-date information to drivers (eg on traffic conditions ahead).

VNA Very narrow aisle. Racking with an aisle width of 1.8 metres or less. Often combined with ‘high bay’ racks up to 35 metres. Because of the height racks are often constructed from structural steel sections.

VOC (1) Vehicle Observer Corps. Voluntary group of hauliers, etc formed under auspices of RHA* to combat lorry thefts.

VOC (2) Volatile organic compound. Constituent of partially burnt fuel from vehicle exhaust. Also vapours emitted during distribution of petrol – to be channelled back into underground storage tank of the service station and stored until they can be transferred back into the delivery tanker.

Vocational driving entitlement Means driving licence needed for a person’s work. Under new EU driving licence scheme, drivers who qualify to drive large goods/passenger carrying vehicles (LGV*/PCVs*) will be given a ‘vocational driving entitlement’ on their new ‘unified’* licence.

Vocational licence Correct name for separate LGV/PSV drivers licences which are now being phased out with the introduction of new EC scheme for unified licences.

Vodafone (Racal) One of licensed operators (by government) providing UK cellular telephone network – another is Cellnet (British Telecom).

Voith Manufacturer of vehicle retarders (ie braking systems), etc.

VOR Vehicle off road. Term usually applied when spare parts are urgently required for vehicle out of service.

Vorad Eaton Vorad collision warning system. Product of Eaton designed to reduce accidents by the fitment of radar scanner to vehicles to warn drivers of potential collisions. See also AICC, CoPilot and Prometheus project.

VPD Variable power drive train.

VRN Vehicle registration number. Shown on plate (ie number plate) affixed to front and rear of registered vehicles (with exceptions, eg motorcycles which only require rear number plates).

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VRO

VRO Vehicle Registration Office. See LVRO.

VSIB Vehicle Security Installation Board. National accreditation body for vehicle security installers/installations. Publishes a Code of Practice for the installation of anti-theft devices in vehicles.

VTC Vocational Training Certificate. Proof of qualification achieved by special training and examination – eg as with DGSA qualification.

VTOL Vertical take-off and landing. Aircraft capable of taking-off and ascending vertically and also descending and landing vertically. Mainly confined to military applications as with the Harrier, the so-called ‘jump’ jet.

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Ww

WA With average. See Average.

Wagon and drag Old haulage industry term for lorry and trailer (ie drawbar combination*).

Wagonload Rail freight service for individual wagon loads or to meet less than full trainload* requirements.

Waiting period Period required for offenders to wait before penalty points can be removed from their driving licence/counterpart.

WAN Wide area network. A system for linking computers located at different sites to enable them to share information and peripherals like printers.

WAP Wireless application protocol. Used in connection with mobile telephone technology.

War risk An exclusion clause found in contracts and insurance policies which absolves the party (eg the insurer) from meeting claims arising from the perils of war, strife, riots, hostilities, etc.

Warning triangle Reflective red triangle to be placed on roadside to warn approaching drivers of a vehicle stopped on the road ahead. Legal requirement to carry and use such in many EU states (eg France, Germany; Spain requires two).

Warranty A guarantee or implied condition of sale (eg in respect of a vehicle or items of plant and equipment). Also in marine insurance policies.

Warsaw Convention International convention (signed in 1929) governing the carriage of cargo and passengers by air.

Way The road or track on which vehicles travel – hence roadway or highway and railway. Can also include a canal or river. Ways may be natural (ie river or sea), natural but artificially improved (ie a river with navigation improvements) or artificial (ie roads and railways).

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WAYBILL

Waybill Non-negotiable document which is evidence of a contract for the transport of cargo. See also Air waybill.

Wayleave Term that relates to a situation where the right to use a way* is granted by the owner (eg the land owner) in return for a payment. Typical use would be to erect pylons and run telephone wires or power cables along the way.

Way marker A sign on a track or path indicating the route to follow (or a choice of routes) and possibly the distance to the next key point ahead or the final destination.

Way point A point or stopping place on a road, path or track. Often where a journey is, or may be broken, or from which route distances are measured.

WDA Writing down allowance. Accounting term referring to a tax allowance under which a 25 per cent per annum allowance is made on the residue of capital expenditure (on vehicles, plant and equipment, etc) brought forward from the previous accounts period.

Web site A specific site on the World Wide Web exclusive to a firm or organization providing information on its products/services/activities and giving it a 24-hour global presence. Usually prefaced by a ‘home page’ and comprising a number of linked Web pages and may offer links to other associated or relevant Web sites.

Webasto Manufacturer of vehicle cab heaters (among other things).

Week Under EU drivers’ hours law, fixed period from 00.00 hours Monday until 24.00 hours on following Sunday during which the driver may drive for six shifts after which he must have a weekly rest-period.

Weekly rest Rest period to be taken by goods vehicle driver under EU law once each week and following six daily driving shifts. Must amount to 45 hours normally but may be reduced to 36 hours when driver at base and 24 hours elsewhere. Reduced time must be made up en bloc by end of the following week.

Weigh out Where the weight capacity of a vehicle/container is reached before the volumetric capacity is filled.

Weight limit Restriction on use of certain road sections/bridges by vehicles exceeding specified maximum gvw as shown on road sign (black vehicle, showing weight limit, on white background within red circle).

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WHITE VAN (MAN)

Weight not to be exceeded in GB Weight shown on DTLR plate* for vehicle which indicates the maximum weight for vehicle/trailer and its axles permitted on the road in Great Britain – this may be less than manufacturer’s design weight but takes priority. See also PMW.

Weight tolerance No tolerances are allowed in observing permitted maximum vehicle weights but when subjected to dynamic weighing*, axle and gvw are determined to within +/– 150 kg per axle (for vehicle 150 kg x number of axles).

Well Driven A campaign to monitor safe and considerate lorry driving. Stickers on the backs of some lorries give a telephone number to ring if you wish to praise or berate the driver.

Wharfage A fee charged to a ship owner/operator for the use of a wharf for mooring and loading/unloading cargo.

Wheel clamp Device used by authorities (ie police) for immobilizing illegally and obstructively parked vehicles. Driver has to make contact and pay fixed penalty fee plus release charge to recover vehicle. Also used (controversially in many cases) by private contractors.

Wheelbase Distance between centre line of front and rear axles of vehicle. In case of three axles (ie one front /two rear), distance between the front axle and a point 110 mm behind centre line between two rear axles.

Wheels and sheds Term used by logisticians (usually derogatively) to describe fundamental aspects of the supply chain, namely lorries and warehouses.

White goods Distribution term for domestic appliances/equipment.

White Paper Government document setting out proposals for action/ legislation for consultation with interested parties (usually preceded by a Green Paper* and followed by the publication of a Bill* and subsequently an Act of Parliament*). In the transport context, the best known White Paper of recent times was that of 1998 on the future of transport, ‘A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone’, commonly referred to as the Integrated Transport White Paper. See also Green paper.

White ticket In connection with fixed penalty* system, ticket issued by police or traffic warden* for non-endorsable offences.

White van (man) White painted, mainly small, delivery vans invariably showing no owner/operator livery (ie unmarked). Notorious for being

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