3Cs
continuing, comprehensive, cooperative

3-R
restoration, rehabilitation and resurfacing

4-R
restoration, rehabilitation, resurfacing and reconstruction

A

---

A&E
architectural and engineering

AA
affirmative action

AAA
American Automotive Association

AAAFTS
American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety

AADT
annual average daily traffic

AAH
Adopt-A-Highway

AAMVA
American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators

AAOA
Area Agency on Aging

AAP
Affirmative action plan

AAR
Association of American Railroads

AASHTO
American Association of State Highway Officials

ABA
American Bus Association

ABS
antilock braking system

ACC
asphalt cement concrete

ACI
American Concrete Institute

ACPA
American Concrete Paving Association

ACS
automatic clearance sensing

ACSM
American Congress on Surveying and Mapping

ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act

ADIS
advanced driver information systems

ADL
average daily load

ADT
average daily traffic

AFC
automatic fare collection

AFSCME
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees

AFV
alternative-fuel vehicles

AG
attorney general

AGC
Association of General Contractors

AI
Appraisal Institute

AICP
American Institute of Certified Planners

AIP
Airport Improvement Program

AISC
American Institute of Steel Construction

ALAS
Accident Location and Analysis System

AMA
American Motorcyclist Association

AMASCOT
Automated Mileage and Stateline Crossing Operational Test

AMFA
Alternative Motor Fuels Act (1988)

AMPD
average miles driven per day

AMPO
Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations

AMRL
AASHTO Materials Reference Lab

AMSL
above mean sea level

AMTRAK
National Railroad Passenger Corporation

ANPRM
advanced notice of proposed rulemaking

ANSI
American National Standards Institute

AOA
Agency on Aging

AOPA
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

APAI
Asphalt Paving Association of Iowa

APC
automatic passenger counters

API
American Petroleum Institute

APNC
Appanoose County Community Railroad Inc.

APTA
American Public Transit Association

APWA
American Public Works Association

ARAN
automatic road analyzer

ARI
Average Ride Index

ARRA
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (aka Recovery Act)

ARTBA
American Road and Transportation Builders Association

ART
applied research and technology

ARTS
Advanced Rural Transportation Systems
Automated Registration and Title Software
Automated Registration and Title System

ASA
American Society of Appraisers

ASCE
American Society of Civil Engineers

ASCII
American Standard Code for Information Interchange

ASFMRA
American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers

ASOS
Automated Surface Observation System
Automated Surface Observing System

ASPRS
American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing

AST
above ground storage tanks

ASTM
American Society for Testing and Materials

ATA
American Trucking Association

ATB
asphalt-treated base

ATC
air traffic control

ATF
Alcohol Testing Form (U.S. Department of Transportation's)

ATIS
Advanced Travel Information System

ATMS
Advanced Traffic Management System

ATR
automatic traffic recorder

ATSSA
American Traffic Safety Services Association

ATV
all-terrain vehicle

AVC
automatic vehicle classification

AVCS
Advanced Vehicle Control System

AVI
automated vehicle identification

AVL
automatic vehicle locator

AVLS
automatic vehicle location system

AVM
automatic vehicle monitoring

AVMT
annual vehicle miles of travel

AVO
average vehicle occupancy

AVR
average vehicle ridership

AVW
automatic vehicle weighing

AWOS
automated weather observation station
automated weather observation system
automated weather observing system

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B

---

B & A
before and after appraisal

BAC
blood alcohol concentration
blood alcohol content

BAPR
Buy American Act procurement requirement (41 U.S.C. 10a through 10b)

BAT
Breath Alcohol Technician

B/C
benefit cost ratio

BC/BS
Blue Cross/Blue Shield

BEST
Building Excellence in Services and Transportation

BF
base fare

BIA
Bureau of Indian Affairs

BJRY
Burlington Junction Railway

BLCR
bridge load capacity rating

BMP
best management practice

BMS
Bridge Management System

BNSF
BNSF Railway Company

BOL
bill of lading

BPAC
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

BPPM
Best Practices Procurement Manual (Federal Transit Administration's)

BRTF
Blue Ribbon Task Force

BTS
Bureau of Transportation Statistics

BWIM
bridge weigh-in-motion

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C

---

CAA
Clean Air Act

CAAA
Clean Air Act Amendment of 1990

CAD
computer-aided dispatching

CADD
computer-aided drafting and design

CADRE
Critical Automated Data Reporting Elements (NHTSA)

CAO
chief administrative officer

CAP
Civil Air Patrol
corrugated aluminum pipe

CARD
Crash Avoidance Research Data (NHTSA)

CATEx
categorical exclusion

CBEC
CBEC Railway Inc.

CBGR
Great Western Railway Company of Iowa, LLC

CC
Chicago, Central and Pacific Railroad
cost center

CD-ROM
compact disk-read-only memory

CDL
commercial driver's license

CE
categorical exclusion
civil engineer
compensation estimate
construction engineering

CEBA
Community Economic Betterment Account

CEDR
Cedar River Railroad Company

CEPP
Community Economic Preparedness Program

CEQ
Council on Environmental Quality

CERCLA
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 or “Superfund”

CERF
Civil Engineering Research Foundation (ASCE)

CFR
Code of Federal Regulations

CHRIS
Chemical Hazard Response Information System

CI
Congestion Index

CIC
Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway Company

CICS
Customer Information Control System

CIE
Commission Internationale de I'Éclairage (International Commission on Street/Highway Lighting)

CIL
complete interchange lighting

CIN
Commercial and Industrial Network

CIP/CIPR
cold-in-place/cold-in-place recycling

CJPC
Contractors Joint Policy Committee
Criminal Justice Policy Coalition

CL
car load
centerline

CMAQ
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program

CMP
corrugated metal pipe

CMS
congestion management system

CMV
commercial motor vehicle

COB
close of business

COE
Corps of Engineers (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
Center of Excellence
Common Operating Environment

COFC
container-on-flatcar

COG
Council of Governments

CoMS
congestion management system

COOP-COG
Continuity of Operations and Continuity of Government

CORS
continuously operating reference station

CQI
continuous quality improvement

CRC
continuously reinforced concrete

CRP
community and regional planning

CRSI
Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute

CSP
corrugated steel pipe

CSS
context-sensitive solution

CSSB
concrete safety shaped barrier

C-STEP
County-State Traffic Engineering Program

C/TPA
Consortium/Third Party Administrator (capitalized when referencing the statutorily required position)

CVIS
commercial vehicle information system

CVO
commercial vehicle operation /operators

CVSA
Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

CWA
Clean Water Act

CWIM
continuous weigh-in-motion

CWT
constant warning time

CY
calendar year

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D

---

DAIR
D & I Railroad Company

DAS-GSE
Department of Administrative Services-General Services Enterprise

DAS-HRE
Department of Administrative Services-Human Resource Enterprise

DAS-ITE
Department of Administrative Services-Information Technology Enterprise

DAS-SAE
Department of Administrative Services-State Accounting Enterprise

DATMIS
Drug Alcohol Testing Management Information System

dB
decibel

DBE
disadvantaged business enterprise

DE
district engineer

DED
Department of Economic Development (former name; now known as Iowa Economic Development Authority/IEDA)

DEIS
draft environmental impact statement

DERA
Diesel Emission Reduction Act

DHV
design hourly volume

DME
Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corp.

DMM
district maintenance manager

DMS
dynamic message sign

DNR
Department of Natural Resources

DOE
U.S. Department of Energy

DOI
U.S. Department of the Interior

DOT
Department of Transportation

DPS
Department of Public Safety

DSD
decision sight distance

DSS
decent, safe and sanitary

DTM
digital terrain model

DTN
data transmissions network

DUATS
direct user access terminal systems

DUI
driving under the influence

E

---

EA
environmental assessment

EAA
Experimental Aircraft Association

EAP
Employee Assistance Program

EAS
essential air service

EDS
early deployment study

EEO
equal employment opportunity

EFT
electronic funds transfer

EIS
Emergency Information System
environmental impact statement

EFT
electronic funds transfer

EJ
environmental justice

EMS
emergency medical services
electronic funds transfer

EPA
Environmental Protection Agency

ERMS
electronic records management system

ER
Emergency Relief program

ESA
Endangered Species Act

F

---

FAA
Federal Aviation Administration

FARS
Fatal Accident Reporting System

FAST
Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act)

FBO
fixed-base operator

FCC
Federal Communications Commission

F & E
fixtures and equipment

FDTCCF
Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form

FEIS
final environmental-impact statement

FEMA
Federal Emergency Management Agency

FFY
federal fiscal year (Oct. 1 to Sept. 30)

FHWA
Federal Highway Administration

F-M
farm-to-market (road classification)

FMCSA
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

FMCSR
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations

FMLA
Family and Medical Leave Act

FOIA
Freedom of Information Act

FONSI
finding of no significant Impact

FR
Federal Register

FRA
Federal Railroad Administration

FTA
Federal Transit Administration

FTE
full time equivalent

FWS
Fish and Wildlife Service

FY
fiscal year

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G

---

GA
General Assembly (state legislature)
general aviation  

GAO
General Accountability Office

GATT
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

GAWR
gross axle weight rating

GDL
graduated driver's license

GDP
gross domestic product

GIMS
Geographic Information Management System

GIS
geographic information system

GIS-CC
Geographic Information Systems Coordinating Committee

GNSS
global navigation satellite system

GPS
global positioning system

GSA
gap search and acceptance zone
General Services Administration
Geological Society of America

GSP
gross state product

GVW
gross vehicle weight

GVWR
gross vehicle weight rating

H

---

HAP
hazardous air pollutant

HAR
highway advisory radio

HAZMAT
hazardous materials

HBRRP
Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program

HDDV
heavy-duty diesel vehicle

HDMT
Highway Division Management Team

HEEP
Highway Engineering Exchange Program

HLSEM
Homeland Security Emergency Management

HMA
hot-mix asphalt

HMIS
hazardous materials information system

HOV
high-occupancy vehicle

HP
Horsepower

HPMS
Highway performance monitoring system

HR
House of Representatives

HRR
high-risk rural roads

HSIP
Highway Safety Improvement Program

HSIPR
High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program

HTF
Highway Trust Fund

HTML
HyperText Markup Language

HUD
Department of Housing and Urban Development

HUF
Highway Users Federation (national lobby group)

HV
heavy vehicle

HVAC
heating, ventilating and air conditioning

HVUT
Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax

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I

---

I
interstate

IAC
Iowa Administrative Code

IADA
Iowa Automobile Dealer's Association

IAIS
Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd.

IANR
Iowa Northern Railway Company

IAPS
Iowa Automated Purchasing System
Iowa Automated Permitting System

IASP
Iowa Aviation System Plan

IATR
Iowa Traction Railroad Company

IA zone
initial acceleration zone

IBRC
Innovative Bridge Research and Construction program

IBRD
Innovative Bridge Research and Development program

IC
incidental construction

ICE
Infrastructure Condition Evaluation

ICAAP
Iowa's Clean Air Attainment Program

ICEA
Iowa County Engineers Association

ICEOO
Iowa County Engineer's Office Organization

ICN
Iowa Communications Network

ICPA
Iowa Concrete Paving Association

IDMS
integrated data management system

IEDA
Iowa Economic Development Authority (former name was Iowa Department of Economic Development [Iowa DED])

IDNR
Iowa Department of Natural Resources

IFAS
Iowa Financial Accounting System

IFTA
International Fuel Tax Agreement

IGRA
Iowa Good Roads Association

IIHS
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

IIM
Iowa in Motion

IJR
interchange justification report

ILEA
Iowa Law Enforcement Academy

ILPA
Iowa Limestone Producers Association

IM
instructional memorandum

IMRL
I & M Rail Link, LLC

IMS
intermodal management system

IMTA
Iowa Motor Truck Association

InTrans
Institute for Transportation (at Iowa State University)

IP
information plan

IPERS
Iowa Public Employees Retirement System

IPPE
Individual Performance Plan and Evaluation

IPTA
Iowa Public Transit Association

IRI
International Roughness Index

IRP
International Registration Plan

IRVM
integrated roadside vegetation management

ISAC
Iowa State Association of Counties

ISBL
in-service brightness level

ISD
intersection sight distance

ISTEA
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991

IT
information technology

ITE
Institute of Transportation Engineers

ITS
intelligent transportation systems

ITSA
Intelligent Transportation Society of America

IVHS
intelligent vehicle highway systems

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J

---

JARC
Job Access Reverse Commute (program)

Jct
junction

K

---

KJRY
Keokuk Junction Railway Company

L

---

LAN
local area network

LCCA
life cycle cost analysis

LCL
less-than-container load

LCV
longer combination vehicles

LD
light-duty [bus]

LDI
locally determined income

LEF
load equivalency factor

LEP
limited-English proficiency

LI
Legibility Index

LiDAR
light detection and ranging

LF
low frequency

LKS
like kind substitution

LNG
liquefied natural gas

LOS
level of service

LPA
local public agency

LPAC
local public agency coordinator

LPG
liquefied petroleum gas

LRFA
Local Rail Freight Assistance program

LRIS
linear referencing information system

LRS
linear referencing system

LRTF
Living Roadway Trust Fund

LRTP
Long-Range Transportation Plan

LTD
long-term disability

LTL
less than truckload

LUST
leaking underground storage tank

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M

---

M85
methanol 85 percent, gasoline 15 percent

MAGLEV
magnetic levitation (national high-speed ground transportation)

MARS
mobile accident reporting system

MAASTO
Mid American Association of State Transportation Officials

MAP-21
Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century

MBE
minority business enterprise

MCSAP
Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program

MIDP
mortgage interest differential payment

MIS
Management Information System

MOEs
measures of effectiveness

MOA
memorandum of agreement

MOU
memorandum of understanding

mp
milepost

mpg
miles per gallon

mph
miles per hour

MPO
metropolitan planning organization

MRO
medical review officer

MRVD
Minimum required visibility distance

MSC zone
Merge steering control zone

MSDS
Material Safety Data Sheet

MSL
minor school license

MTAP
Multi-State Technical Assistance Program

MTIP
Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program

MUTCD
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices

MV
market value

N

---

NAAQS
National Ambient Air Quality Standards

NADA
National Automobile Dealers Association

NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement

NBI
National Bridge Inventory

NBIS
National Bridge Inspection Standards

NCHRP
National Cooperative Highway Research Program (part of the Transportation Research Board)

NEPA
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

NF
New Freedom (Program)

NGA
National Governors Association

NHI
National Highway Institute

NHS
National Highway System

NHTSA
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

NIMBY
not in my backyard

NIMS
National Incident Management System

NIOSH
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

NLT
not later than

NOI
notice of intent

NOV
notice of violation

NPIAS
National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems

NRCS
National Register of Historic Places

NRTF
National Recreational Trails Fund

NRVC
Nonresident Violator Compact

NS
Norfolk Southern Railway Company

NSBA
National Steel Bridge Alliance

NTCIP
National Transportation Communications ITS Proposal

NTOR
no turn on red

NTS
National Transportation Statistics
National Travel Statistics

NTSB
National Transportation Safety Board

NWS
National Weather Service

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O

---

OD
origin-destination

ODAPC
Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (U.S. DOT)

OIG
Office of Inspector General

OL
Operation Lifesaver

OLI
Operation Lifesaver Inc.

O/O
owner occupant

ORV
off-road vehicle

OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OT
overtime

OTRB
Over-the-Road Bus Accessibility Program

OWI
operating while intoxicated

P

---

PCA
Portland Cement Association

PCC
Portland cement concrete

PCI
Pavement Condition Index
Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute

PDA
predetermined access

PDARG
Project Development Automation Resources Group

PDQ
Position Description Questionnaire

PDS
Personal Development Seminars

PE
preliminary engineering
professional engineer

PFC
passenger facility charge

PH
public hearing

PIL
partial interchange lighting

PIM
public information meeting

PL
property line
public law

PM
particulate matter
program manager
project manager

PMDs
post-mounted delineators

PMS
pavement management system

PMT
personal miles of travel
Project Management Team (for Iowa DOT)

POTW
publicly owned treatment works

POV
privately owned vehicle

ppb
parts per billion

PPE
personal protective equipment

PPM
parts per million
Policies Procedures Manual

PPP
Pollution Prevention Plan
public participation process
public-private partnerships

PRAC
Passenger Rail Advisory Committee

PRIIA
Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008

PRF
Primary Road Fund

PRISM
Performance and Registration Information Systems Management

PRT
perception-reaction time

PSA
public service announcement

PSI
pounds per square inch

PSR
present serviceability rating

PSS
project scheduling system

PTIG
Public Transportation Infrastructure Grants

PTMS
public transportation management system
Public Transit Equipment and Facilities Management System

PTP
Passenger Transportation Plan

Pub. L. No.
A congressional session law reference consists of three parts: (1) name of the statute (or if not named "Act of [date]"); (2) its public law number ("Pub. L. No."); and (3) original section number (when discussing less than the full act). If the statute has no official or popular name, the form "Act of [full date of enactment]" should be used.  The section number follows the public law or chapter number, not the name of the act.

See Iowa Department of Transportation's Style Manual – Online Reference for examples.

PWIM
portable weigh-in-motion

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Q

---

QA
quality assurance

QBS
qualifications-based selection

QHSO
qualified human service organization

QC
quality control
Quality Council

R

---

RAC
Rail Advisory Committee (state industry group)

RAIRS
Railroad Accident /Incident Reporting System

RAMS
Roadway Asset Management System

RCB
reinforced-concrete box

RCE
resident construction engineer

RCI
Roadway Congestion Index

RCP
reinforced concrete pipe

RCRA
Resource Conservation & Recovery Act of 1976

REAP
Resource Enhancement and Protection

RED
Rail Economic Development

RFI
request for information

RFP
request for proposal

RFQ
request for qualifications

RHP
replacement housing payment

RIRS
Railroad Inspection Reporting System

RISE
Revitalize Iowa's Sound Economy

RISTIS
Rural Interstate Safety and Traveler Information System

RMS
resource management system

ROD
record of decision

ROW
right of way

RP
responsible party

RPA
regional planning affiliation

RPMs
raised pavement markers
revolutions per minute

RQ
reportable quantities

RR
railroad

RRLG
Railroad Revolving Loan and Grant (RRLG) Program

RT
reaction time

RTAP
Rural Transit Assistance Program

RTDP
Regional Transit Development Program

 

RTK-GPS
real-time kinematic global positioning system

RTOR
right turn on red

RTP
Regional Transportation Plan

RUTF
Road Use Tax Fund

RV
recreational vehicle

RWIS
Roadway Weather Information System

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S

---

SAFETEA-LU
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users

SAN
storage area network

SAP
substance abuse professional

SBA
Small Business Administration

SCORT
Standing Committee on Rail Transportation

SC Zone
steering control zone

SCL
speed-change lane

SCS
Soil Conservation Service

SEOC
State Emergency Operations Center

SFY
state fiscal year

SGR
State of Good Repair (Initiative)

SHA
state highway agency

SHPO
State Historic Preservation Office

SHRP
Strategic Highway Research Program

SI
International System of Units (Metric)

SI&A
Structure Inventory and Appraisal

SIB
State Infrastructure Bank

SIC
Standard Industrial Code

SIIMS
Statewide Inventory and Inspection Management System

SIP
State Implementation Plan

SME
special mobile equipment

SMS
Safety Management System

SOP
standard operating procedure

SOV
single occupancy vehicle

SPR
statewide planning and research

SRF
State Revolving Fund

SRTS
Safe Routes to School [program]

SSD
stopping sight distance

SSRS
Single State Registration System

STA
State Transit Assistance

STB
Surface Transportation Board

STIP
Statewide Transportation Improvement Program

STP
Surface Transportation Program
sewage treatment plant

STPP
Surface Transportation Policy Project

STT
Screening Test Technician (capitalized when referencing the statutorily required position)

STV
small target visibility

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T

---

TAC
Technical Advisory Committee

TANF
temporary assistance to needy families

TCCP
Technical Training and Certification Program

TCD
traffic control device

TCLP
total concentration leachate procedure

TCP
Traffic Control Plan

TDM
transportation demand management

TDS
total dissolved solids

TE
Transportation Enhancement

T&E
threatened and endangered (species)

TEA-21
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century

TEAM
transportation electronic management system

TEAP
Traffic Engineering Assistance Program

TDP
transportation development plan

TIF
tax increment financing

TIGER
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (Program)

TIGGER
Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (Program)

TIP
Transportation Improvement Program

TJ
transfer of jurisdiction (of highway authority)

TL
truckload

TMA
transportation management area

TMA
transportation management association

TMS
traffic monitoring system

T/O
tenant occupant

TODS
tourist-oriented directional sign

TOFC
trailer-on-flatcar

TPMS
Transportation Program Management Software
Transportation Programming Management System
Transportation Project Management System

TPWP
Transportation Planning Work Program

TRB
Transportation Research Board

TRIP
The Road Information Program

TSA
Transportation Security Administration

TSIP
Transportation Safety Improvement Program

TS&L
type, size and location

TSM
transportation system management

TSMO
transportation systems management and operations

TSO
time sharing option

TSP
total suspended particulates

TSS
total suspended solids

TVM
transit vehicle manufacturer

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U

---

UCR
Unified Carrier Registration System

UCRA
Unified Carrier Registration Agreement

UHF
ultrahigh frequency

UFOV
useful field of view

ug
microgram

ug/m3
micrograms per cubic meter

ug/mg
microgram per megagram

ULS
Universal Licensing System

UP
Union Pacific Railroad Company

U.S.
United States

USDA
U.S. Department of Agriculture

U.S. DOT or USDOT
United States Department of Transportation

USC
United States Code

USGS
United States Geological Survey

USRA
United States Railway Association

UST
underground storage tank (for fuel)

U-STEP
Urban-State Traffic Engineering Program

UZA
urbanized areas

V

---

V
design speed

VC zone
visual clear zone

VE
value engineering

VHF
very high frequency

VHT
vehicle-hours traveled

VIN
vehicle identification number

VMT
vehicle-miles traveled (preferred, most common use to reference the number of miles that vehicles are driven)
vehicle-miles of travel
virtual machine technology
virtual management technologies
virtual method table

VOC
volatile organic compounds

VOR
vehicle occupancy rate

VPD
vehicles per day

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W

---

WBE
Women's Business Enterprise

WCSC
Waterborne Commerce Statistical Center

WEEM
waterway economic efficiency model

WIM
weigh-in-motion

WQS
water quality standards

X

---

XML
Extensible Markup Language

Y

---

Z

---

ZBB
zero-base budgeting

ZEV
zero-emission vehicle

Back to top