Delay

1) In context of drivers’ hours law, unforeseen delay to driver due to emergency situation that may cause him to exceed statutory limits. See also Emergencies.

DEKRA

1) Broadly translated as German Motor Vehicle Certification/ Standards Association. Founded in Berlin in 1924 for setting and certifying vehicle standards and testing, etc. See also TUV.

Defence

1) Means by which a charged offender can put forward a pre-established reason why something occurred to avoid conviction (eg with tachographs that a defect in the system occurred while on the journey in which the contravention of the law was detected - ie by police, etc; or with vehicle overload, driver was on his way to the nearest available weighbridge). See also Due diligence.

Deduct point

1) The point in the production process up to which all the parts assumed to have been used (as defined in the bill of material) are ‘backflushed’ (automatically deducted) from the inventory records. Also see backflushing. (Source: ILT Supply-Chain Inventory Management SIG)

Dedicated distribution

1) A term denoting the operation of exclusive distribution contracts for a single client - ie contract hire. The opposite of shared user distribution.

Deck

1) (1) The floor of a ship (a passenger ship may have a number of decks). The top deck is usually open to the elements. (2) The floor of a loading bay, colloquially called the ‘deck’.