DCF

1) Discounted cash flow - means of determining the present day value of future cash flows - or financial returns (eg emanating from a project to be inaugurated at some future date). It is usual to apply a rate of discount of eight per cent per annum, but it is not unusual for investment that fails this test to be authorized in the public sector if it can be claimed to be ‘in the public interest’. An essential factor in cost-benefit analysis.

DBFO

1) Design, build, finance and operate. Department of Transport’s (DoT) private finance initiative for awarding road building, design, maintenance and operating contracts.

Day cab

1) Term used to describe goods vehicle cab with no sleeping/bunk facilities (but see also sleeper pod). Generally this means a shorter cab allowing greater load platform length on the chassis.

Data Protection Act

1) Data Protection Act 1984 under which computer users who hold personal data about individuals on their files (other than exempt data) must register with the Data Protection Registrar (from whom all relevant information can be obtained).

Data interchange

1) System for the interchange of information (ie data) via computer by electronic means (electronic data interchange - EDI).

Dangerous substances

1) Substances defined as dangerous for the purposes of carriage by road as defined in legislation, eg The Road Traffic (Carriage of Dangerous Substances in Packages, etc) Regulations 1985 - but not only this, and as specified in the HSE ‘Approved List’. See also Approved list.