Glossary

Definitions of key terms and concepts used in the CAT Platform.

A

Aggregation Level

  • How data is grouped or categorized (e.g., by vehicle type, fuel type, road type)
  • Used in visualizations and reports to show breakdowns

C

CAT (Climate Action in Transportation)

  • The overall platform and organization providing emissions analysis tools

CO2e (Carbon Dioxide Equivalent)

  • A measure that expresses the impact of different greenhouse gases in terms of CO2
  • Used to compare emissions from different sources

County

  • A geographic area identified by a FIPS code
  • The primary geographic unit for emissions modeling in the platform

D

Data Hub

  • Tool for bulk downloading emissions data for multiple counties and years

Donut Chart

  • A circular chart (like a pie chart with a hole in the center)
  • Used in Reporter to show distributions and proportions

E

Emissions

  • Pollutants released into the atmosphere
  • Measured in various units depending on the pollutant

Emission Factors

  • Standard rates used to calculate emissions from activity data
  • Part of the MOVES model

F

FIPS Code

  • Federal Information Processing Standards code
  • A 5-digit number that uniquely identifies a county
  • Example: 36109 = Tompkins County, NY
  • Also called "geoid"

G

Geoid

  • Another term for FIPS code
  • The geographic identifier for a county
  • Always 5 digits (may have leading zeros)

Granddata / CAT Grand Database

  • The public database of published emissions data
  • Contains data from verified users who have published their orders
  • Accessible to all users

M

Metric

  • A type of measurement or data point
  • Common metrics: Emissions, VMT (Vehicle Miles Traveled), Vehicles

MOVES (Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator)

  • EPA's model for estimating emissions from on-road vehicles
  • The platform uses MOVES to calculate emissions from activity data

MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization)

  • Regional transportation planning organizations
  • Common users of the CAT Platform

O

Order

  • A request to run emissions modeling for a specific county and year
  • When you submit an order, the system runs MOVES and generates results
  • Takes 5-10 minutes to process

Orderdata

  • Data from your custom orders (as opposed to public granddata)
  • Your own modeling results

P

Pollutant

  • A substance released into the atmosphere
  • Common pollutants: CO2e, CO (carbon monoxide), NOx (nitrogen oxides), PM (particulate matter)

Publishing

  • Making your order results publicly available in the CAT Grand Database
  • Requires verification for the county
  • Permanent action (cannot be undone)

R

Regulatory Class

  • Vehicle classification for regulatory purposes
  • Examples: Light Duty Vehicles, Medium Duty Vehicles, Heavy Duty Vehicles

Road Type

  • Classification of roads
  • Categories: Rural/Urban, Restricted/Unrestricted Access

S

Scenario

  • A set of assumptions or conditions for analysis
  • In Calculator, you create scenarios by adjusting activity measures

Source Type

  • Vehicle type category
  • Examples: Motorcycles, Passenger Cars, Light Trucks, Heavy Trucks, Buses

Subscription

  • Your account tier (Free, Basic, Premium, Institutional)
  • Determines order limits and features available

V

Verification

  • Process to authorize publishing data for a specific county
  • Requires .gov or .edu email address
  • Must be approved by platform administrators

VMT (Vehicle Miles Traveled)

  • Total miles driven by all vehicles
  • A key activity measure in emissions modeling

Vehicle Type

  • Category of vehicle (cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, etc.)
  • Used to break down emissions and activity data

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