Understanding MOVES 

Level Model

Presentation for FACA 

April 28, 2009

Edward Glover

EPA Office of Transportation and Air 
Presentation Outlinez Description of MOVES Project z Example

– Defining a MOVES Project– MOVES Runspec– MOVES Project Inputs
MOVES Domains

z National Scalez County Levelz Project Domain
Descriptionz Pollutants

– Project Level models all pollutants– Chained pollutants require inputs f

‘chain’

z Processes

– Running, Start, Extended Idle, Bra– Evaporative Processes are NOT co
Description (con’t 1)z Project Level utilizes MOVES 

– Emission rates – Correction factors

z Project Level does NOT utilize 

– Growth rates– VMT estimates– Population data– Operating distributions
Description (con’t 2)z Project Level allows only one 

of ... per run

- County- Year- Month - Hour
Description (con’t 3) 

z Project level does MOVES mod

‘Link’ level

– Roadway links– Off-network link
Description (con’t 4)z Project level models ‘average’ cond

of connected link(s). 

– NOT a SimCity type simulator– NOT a Traffic demand modeling

z All dynamic aspects of the MOVES 

planned, calculated and entered as 
Example Project
Define the Project

Parking Lot Roadway Link

Basic Schematic of the Proj
Project Assumptionsz Only two links (inbound and outbound fro

exist.

z The two links and the off-network link are z The off-network link consists of parking, e

starts.

z Only heavy-duty combination long-haul di

present on the roadway

z Only nitrogen oxide emissions are includez Only one hour of operation is considered. 
Specific Project Data (paraz Parameter Name Parameterz Location County Washtenaw Coz Calendar Year 2009z Month Januaryz Weekday/Weekend Weekdayz Time 11:00 PM to 11z Temperature 28.5 Fz Humidity 69.5 %z Roadtype of links Rural Unrestric
Specific Project Data (link z Parameter Name Paramz Roadway Link Length 0.998 mz Link Traffic Volume - In 100 truz Link Traffic Volume - Out 10 trucz Link Average Speed - In 28.5 mz Link Average Speed – Out 28.5 m
Specific Project Data (Off-z Parameter Name Paramz Average Vehicle Population 200 vez Start Fraction 0.03z Extended Idle Fraction 0.90z Parked Vehicle Fraction 0.09
Specific Project Data (star

OpmodeID 

Code 

Operating Mode Description Ope

101 Soak Time < 6 minutes 102 6 minutes <= Soak Time < 30 minutes 103 30 minutes <= Soak Time < 60 minutes 104 60 minutes <= Soak Time < 90 minutes 105 90 minutes <= Soak Time < 120 minutes 106 120 minutes <= Soak Time < 360 minutes 107 360 minutes <= Soak Time < 720 minutes 108 720 minutes <= Soak Time 200 Extended Idle 
Spreadsheet Inputsz DriveScheduleSecondLinkz OffNetworkLinkz ZoneMonthHour (temperature)z LinkSourceTypeHourz SourcetypeAgeDistributionz FuelSupplyz Linkz OpModeDistribution
Creating a MOVES Ru











Click to enter data

Creating a Project Da
Enter Database Name

Click to Creat
Project Database Tabz Create a Project Level Database

– Project level database will contain all of th

by MOVES. During execution, MOVES dfrom Excel spreadsheets, but imports the level database.

– Server is usually ‘localhost’– Refresh button updates the list of databas– Create Database creates a new project le

z “Done” button

– This button merely closes the project leve


Runspec Tabsz Runspec tab 

– Echos a summary of the runspec

z Timez Geographyz Vehicle typesz Road typesz Pollutantsz Additional User Databases

– Be careful of Runspec changes after you 

Database
Operating Mode & 

Drive Schedule Data
Opmode & Driving SchedTwo Tabsz Operating Mode and Driving Sched

Interactions

– Operating mode distribution input is requi

z Start processz Extended idle processz Running process where no drive schedule 

– Drive Schedule Input is optional and used 

links and the ‘running’ process.
Operating Mode Di
Start with Create Templa
Project Level Templatesz Template button creates an Excel Wz First tab (starting from the left) in th

where the user supplied data are en‘active’ worksheet.

z Remaining tabs define the required 

assistance to the user.

z It is recommended that the user uti

function in the initial set-up of the pafter the project is established, ‘actmay be collapsed into a single wor
Operating Mode Distribution z Inputs must be supplied for each ...

– Source Type – Hour / Day Combination– Project Link– Pollutant Process Combination– Operating Mode

z Must sum to unity within a groupz Operating mode definitions vary by 

– 23 operating modes for running– 8 operating modes for start– 1 operating mode for extended idle– 16 operating modes for tire / brake proces
Enter Link 

Fra
Roadway Link
Off-Network Start Li
Browse and Import Data from Spre
Link Drive Schedule Rulez Link Drive Schedules is an optiona

roadway links only.

z MOVES converts drive schedule da

operating mode distributions

z Default data are not available z User supplies speed / time / percen

each second for each link

z If data for one roadway link is supp

for ALL roadway links must be sup

z Operating Mode Distribution data w

Link Drive Schedule data if both are 

Speed / Time Trace for Example 

S peed / Time Trace for Example Lin

05

101520253035

1 21 41 61 81 101 

Time (seconds)

Speed (mph) 
Browse and Import Data from Spre
Age Fractions 

for each Sou

30 MYs must 
Export Default Data First !

Browse and Import Previously Exported Data
Project Level Allows / Re

the Use of Default Fu
Export Default Data First !

Browse and Import Previously Exported Data
Change Default Temperature 

Data to Local Data

Link Inputsz LinkIDz CountyIDz ZoneIDz RoadTypeIDz Link Lengthz Link Volumez Link Average Speedz Link Description

z Each lin

entered

z ZoneID h

end

z Each lin

a MOVE

z Link Lenz Link Vol

volume 

z Link Ave

miles pe

z Link Des

executin


Source Type Distribution for 

Off-Network Tabz Source Typez Vehicle Population

– Average number of off-network vehicles

z Start Fraction

– Average fraction of the population which h

during the hour (may be greater than unity vehicle is started more than once per hou

z Extended Idle Fraction

– Only used for long-haul diesel trucks (0 – 

z Parked Vehicle Fraction

– Only used for Evaporative, and is currentl

Project GUI Buttonsz Export Default Data

– Fuel Supply and Meteorology tabs only

z Export Most Recent Execution Data

– Exports results from a previous MOVES r– MOVES Execution Data must exist– Exports to an Excel Spreadsheet– Might be useful for building additional proj

z Export Imported Data

– Exports data contained in the project leve

Excel Spreadsheet

– Useful for checking data / debugging

Project GUI Buttons (con’tz Clear Imported Data

– Wipes out data from the project level data

tab. 

– Allows the user to get rid of selected data 

database.

– Use this button if ...

z The inputs for a particular table have c

the old table before IMPORTING the n

z The inputs for the Runspec have chan

the project level tables before IMPORT
Database Tabz User Provides the Name of the Data

Window

z Provides a Log of the Project Level 

Activity

– Date– Time– Name of the Database Table
Empty Database Has No Data 

Tools tabz Generate Importer XML File

– Similar to a Runspec File (GUI inputs are 

text)

– XML file will contain a path/filename to the 

spreadsheet data files. Actual data is not XML file.

– Project Level Databases can be run using 

scripts

z Tools tab is not fully developed or 

Project Level Outputz Results are placed in the standard 

table.

z LinkID is added to each record if ro

selected in the MOVES output GUI.

z User can obtains both emission inv

results for the specified time and loand 
Issues / Suggestionsz Calculate both emission rate and inz Develop library of driving cycle ope

distributions 

z Provide seamless interface betwee

Project 

– Concept Model– Travel Demand Models 

z Add evaporative emission calculati