500-Series Data Reporting Guidebook

Appendix A.Glossary

All other classes—All driver license classes besides class A, B, C; may include endorsements and restrictions.

Aviation gasoline—Gasoline used in airplanes with internal combustion and piston engines only, not jets or turboprops. Aviation gasoline is a petroleum-based fuel designed for use in aircraft internal combustion engines and complying with the MIL-G-5572 specification or ASTM D-91-79 specification (ex.: Avgas 100/130, Avgas 100LL, UL91). Jet fuel is not included in aviation gasoline.

Biodiesel—A renewable, biodegradable fuel manufactured domestically from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease.

Compressed natural gas (CNG)—Fuel gas composed of methane (CH4) compressed to less than 1 percent of the volume it occupies at standard atmospheric pressure.

Class A driver license—Issued to drivers of any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating or gross combined weight of 26,001 pounds or more (examples include: tractor-trailers, truck and trailer combination, tank vehicles, flatbeds).

Class B driver license—Issued to drivers of any single vehicle with a gross combined weight rating or gross combined weight of 26,001 pounds or more. Examples are straight trucks, large passenger buses, articulated buses, box trucks, dump trucks and small trailers.

Class C driver license—Issued to drivers of any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is transporting hazardous materials as defined in 49 CFR 383.5. Examples include: passenger vans, combination vehicles not covered by class A and B and Small Hazmat vehicles.

Commercial driver license—The CDL group is defined in the C49 CFR83.91. The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 establishes minimum standard requirements and requires a single State-issued license for operators of commercial motor vehicles.

E85—An ethanol-gasoline blend containing ethanol at between 51percent and 83 percent of the mix, depending on geography and season; also called flex fuel.

Gasoline blend—A blend of motor gasoline with alcohol in which 5.7 percent or more of the product is alcohol (ex.: E10, E15, M10, M15). Alcohol includes methanol and ethanol but does not include alcohol produced from petroleum, natural gas, or coal, nor does it include alcohol with a proof of less than 190.

General obligation bonds—Although interest and redemption can be paid from specified revenues or State general revenues, these bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the State. Occasionally, the State issues bonds to finance the construction of toll facilities. When the State guarantees these bonds, they should be included with general obligation issues.

Highway-use alternative fuels—Fuels other than gasoline, gasohol, E85, M85, diesel, or kerosene. This includes LPG (propane, butane), compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), hydrogen, and biodiesel such as soy diesel.

Highway-use diesel—The distillate fuel oil sold for use in motor vehicles that use the compression ignition engine. Diesel fuel is refined from crude oil and from biomass materials. Diesel blends are not included in this category.

Highway-use kerosene—A light fuel oil obtained by distilling petroleum. The kerosene that is sold for highway use includes blends with diesel for use in public transit vehicles, on-highway public vehicles, and private, commercial vehicles.

Limited obligation bonds—Also called revenue bonds, these bonds are usually secured only by the revenue from specific taxes and fees. For toll projects, the security may not be restricted to the revenue earned by the project. However, they are still classified as limited obligation bonds unless backed by the full faith and credit of the State.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG)—Natural gas that has been cooled to a liquid state, at about -260° Fahrenheit, for shipping and storage.

Liquid petroleum gas (LPG)—Any of several mixtures of the volatile hydrocarbon propene, propane, butene, and butane.

M85—Fuel blend made up of 85 percent methanol and 15 percent gasoline.                 

Motor bicycle and moped—A vehicle with two wheels in contact with the ground and a seat or saddle for driver and passengers, and a steering handlebar, and brake horsepower not exceeding 2 horsepower and no enclosure for the driver or passenger.

Motor gasoline—A finished, complex mixture of relatively volatile hydrocarbons with or without small quantities of additives, which have been blended to form a fuel suitable for use in spark-ignition engines.

Motor vehicle—Any vehicle driven or drawn by mechanical power manufactured primarily for use on public highways, except any vehicle operated exclusively on a rail or rails (23 CFR 1215.3).

Motorcycle—A vehicle with two or three wheels in contact with the ground and a seat or a saddle for driver and passengers and a wheel-rim diameter of 10 inches or more, and more than 2 horsepower.

Neat alcohol—Any liquid at least 85 percent of which consists of methanol, ethanol, or other alcohol produced from a substance other than petroleum or natural gas (ex.: E85, M85).

Non-commercial driver license—A non-CDL is the standard driver license, with which drivers may drive a vehicle for recreational or professional reasons. Non-CDLs include licenses for taxi drivers, food delivery drivers, and small truck drivers. Non-commercial drivers may drive only certain types of vehicles. A non-CDL does not allow the driver to operate vehicles over 26,000-pound gross vehicle weight, vehicles with trailers of more than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, passenger vehicles of more than 10 passengers, or hazmat vehicles.

Reimbursement obligations—These are obligations to reimburse local governments for the cost of local roads taken into the State system.

Single-unit truck—A truck, 10,000 pounds or more GVW, with a single frame supporting both the power and cargo-carrying portions of the vehicle.

Toll revenue bonds—These are bonds, generally issued by the separate State commissions or authorities responsible for the facilities, that are secured solely by the earnings of the facilities.

Trailer—A non-motorized vehicle meant to carry property or passengers that must be drawn by a motor vehicle.

Truck tractor—A vehicle possessing only a power unit, with no cargo-carrying capacity on its frame.