SPD

1) Short period disqualification. A driving disqualification not exceeding 56 days where driving licence is not actually impounded, only marked by the Court.

Spares (or spare parts)

1) Components or parts, either consumable or repairable, from the associated bill of material used to maintain or repair machinery or equipment. (Source: ILT Supply-Chain Inventory Management SIG)

SPAD

1) Signal passed at danger. Phenomenon associated with rail operations where the train driver (for whatever reason) passes a signal set at red for danger. Alleged to be the cause of a number of recent serious rail accidents. See also ATP, ETCS and TPWS.

Sortation

1) In an express parcels operation - ParcelForce, Lynx or TNT for example - the process of sorting individual consignments/parcels, etc for dispatch to their correct destination.

Software

1) Computer term for programs which provide instructions for the computer (without which it can serve no purpose). Vast range available either standard (eg word processing/ accounting/payroll) or special (route planning, etc). Normally purchased on floppy disk.

Social regulation

1) EU drivers' hours rules (ie regulation EC 3820/85) are termed the social regulation because they relate to the social conditions of work for goods vehicle drivers.