Using Telematics Data to Improve the National Emissions Inventory

The Coordinating Research Council (CRC) sponsored the A-100 project to provide state/local air agencies and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with more accurate vehicle activity data for Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES)2014a, based on the broadest application of telematics data for emissions modeling to date. The products of A-100 include better estimates of vehicle speed distributions at the local level for the 2014 National Emissions Inventory (NEI), and for EPA’s broader inventory and air quality efforts. Inputs for relative vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) by hour, day type, and season were also improved. Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG) worked with StreetLight Data, Inc. to synthesize data reported from millions of personal and commercial vehicles operating on roads across the U.S. into county-level activity inputs for MOVES. Detailed analysis of the data and emission impacts were conducted in Fulton County, Georgia (Atlanta); Cook County, Illinois (Chicago); and Clark County, Nevada (Las Vegas). Key findings included differences in speeds and VMT distribution by city and vehicle type, including heavy-duty truck speeds that were higher than those of passenger vehicles within broad road types. ERG also compared the emissions inventories for baseline vs. telematics data in the three counties. The impact on the annual average day emissions ranged from -2 to 9 percent for volatile organic compounds (VOC), 1 to 5 percent for NOₓ, and -9 to 14 percent for PM₂.₅. The changes in hourly emissions were much larger, underscoring the importance of good local data for hourly speeds and VMT distributions.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADC20 Standing Committee on Transportation and Air Quality.
• Authors:
  • DenBleyker, Allison
  • DeFries, Tim
  • Palacios, Cindy
  • Koupal, John
  • Manzo, Catherine
  • Bowman, Neal
  • Vaz, Neil
  • Schewel, Laura
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2018-1-7 to 2018-1-11
• Date: 2018

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 17p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Data analysis; Environmental impacts; Exhaust gases; Heavy duty trucks; Nitrogen oxides; Particulates; Passenger vehicles; Speed; Telematics; Vehicle miles of travel
• Identifier Terms: Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES); National Emissions Inventory
• Uncontrolled Terms: Volatile organic compounds
• Geographic Terms: Clark County (Nevada); Cook County (Illinois); Fulton County (Georgia)
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Environment; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01665960
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 18-05796
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Apr 12 2018 1:38PM