Available to promise (ATP)

1) The uncommitted portion of a company’s inventory and planned production, maintained in the master schedule to support customer order promising. The ATP quantity is the uncommitted inventory balance in the first period and is normally calculated for each period in which an MPS receipt is scheduled. In the first period, ATP includes on-hand inventory less customer orders that are due and overdue.

Availability

1) The primary measure of system performance relating to the expected percentage of the supported system that will be available at a random point in time and not out of service for lack of spares.

Auto-Oil Programme (AOL)

1) An EU-inspired programme for setting fuel quality and vehicle emission standards with the specific intention of reducing pollution from road traffic by 2010, and generally the environmental impact of transport.

Automatic coupling

1) Type of coupling for articulated vehicles (no longer in widespread use) whereby the action of reversing the tractive unit under the semi-trailer results in automatic raising of the landing gear and release of the trailer brakes to provide swift coupling and uncoupling without the driver leaving the vehicle cab.

Automated store ordering

1) Process where store replenishment orders are generated automatically, based on data capture of sales, stocks and deliveries due.

Auto-reverse brakes

1) On light trailers with overrun brakes, a system which allows the driver to reverse vehicle by overriding the overrun mechanism without leaving his seat (ie provides instant reverse facility which is otherwise not possible). Legally required on new trailers since 1 April 1989.