Categorization and Characterization of American Driving Conditions (Phase I)

1978Final Report October 1977 - July 1978PDFTech ReportDOT-TSC-NHTSA-78-41DOT-HS-803 537PB-289 962CEM Report No. 4230-617DOT-TSC-1419DrivingFuel consumptionHighway transportationMathematical modelsMotor vehiclesPassenger vehiclesStatistical analysisTemperatureTravelTravel timeTrip lengthTrip purposeTraffic surveysAutomobilesAutomobile drivingUnited StatesUnited States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationJoksch, Hans C.Reidy, Joseph C., Jr.Center for the Environment & ManJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATIONVolpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference CenterThe objectives of the study were: (1) to develop a multidimensional matrix as an analysis framework to classify travel of personal motor vehicles according to fuel consumption, (2) to identify and assess available information on travel and fuel consumption, and (3) to describe how to use specific information for quantifying the matrix. A review of the fuel economy literature revealed a large number of factors which influence fuel consumption. Only some of these factors were related to driving conditions. The factors categorizing driving conditions were selected according to their independence, their relationship to fuel consumption, and their interest for studying fuel economy policies. They are: trip purpose, trip length, time, geographic area, highway class and vehicle class and model year. Fuel consumption rates can be estimated from vehicle and trip characteristics including trip length, ambient temperature and average trip speed. Promising statistical methods for quantifying the matrix were identified; however, some aspects of estimating error cannot be addressed without an analysis of the actual data. A plan for implementing this methodology is presented. Illustrative examples of a scaled down matrix and its use are presented in appendices.93