BTS | Table 1-29: U.S. Vehicle-Miles

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BTS Home > Publications > National Transportation Statistics > 2001

Table 1-29: U.S. Vehicle-Miles

(Millions)

Excel | CSV

	1960	1965	1970	1975	1980	1985	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Air
Air carrier, large certificated, domestic, all services	858	1,134	2,068	1,948	2,523	3,046	3,963	3,854	3,995	4,157	4,380	4,629	4,811	4,911	5,035	5,332	5,646
General aviation^a	1,769	2,562	3,207	4,238	5,204	4,673	4,548	4,400	3,465	3,253	3,358	3,795	3,524	3,877	N	N	N
Highway
Passenger car^b,c	587,012	722,696	916,700	1,033,950	1,111,596	1,246,798	1,408,266	1,358,185	1,371,569	1,374,709	1,406,089	^R1,438,294	1,469,854	1,502,556	1,549,577	1,569,100	1,601,914
Motorcycle^b	^h	^h	2,979	5,629	10,214	9,086	9,557	9,178	9,557	9,906	10,240	9,797	9,920	10,081	10,283	10,584	10,479
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle^c	^h	^h	123,286	200,700	290,935	390,961	574,571	649,394	706,863	745,750	764,634	790,029	816,540	850,739	868,275	901,022	924,018
Truck
Single-unit 2-axle 6-tire or more truck	98,551	128,769	27,081	34,606	39,813	45,441	51,901	52,898	53,874	56,772	61,284	62,705	64,072	66,893	68,021	70,304	70,583
Combination truck	28,854	31,665	35,134	46,724	68,678	78,063	94,341	96,645	99,510	103,116	108,932	115,451	118,899	124,584	128,359	132,384	135,208
Bus	4,346	4,681	4,544	6,055	6,059	4,478	5,726	5,750	5,778	6,125	6,409	6,420	6,563	6,842	7,007	7,662	7,601
Total highway^c	718,763	887,811	1,109,724	1,327,664	1,527,295	1,774,827	2,144,362	2,172,050	2,247,151	2,296,378	2,357,588	^R2,422,696	2,485,848	2,561,695	2,631,522	2,691,056	2,749,803
Transit
Motor bus^d	1,576	1,528	1,409	1,526	1,677	1,863	2,130	2,167	2,178	2,210	2,162	2,184	2,221	2,245	^R2,175	^P2,276	U
Light rail	75	42	34	24	18	17	24	28	29	28	34	35	38	41	^R44	^P49	U
Heavy rail	391	395	407	423	385	451	537	527	525	522	532	537	543	558	566	^P578	U
Trolley bus	101	43	33	15	13	16	14	14	14	13	14	14	14	14	14	^P14	U
Commuter rail	N	N	N	173	179	183	213	215	219	224	231	238	242	251	^R260	^P266	U
Demand responsive^d	N	N	N	N	N	247	306	335	364	406	464	507	548	585	^R671	^P718	U
Ferry boat	N	N	N	N	^I	^I	2	2	2	3	2	3	2	^R3	^R3	^P3	U
Other	N	N	N	15	15	15	^R16	^R19	^R24	^R30	^R29	^R34	^R43	^R50	^R63	^P69	U
Total transit^e	2,143	2,008	1,883	2,176	2,287	2,791	3,242	3,306	3,355	3,435	3,468	3,550	3,650	3,746	^R3,794	^P3,972	U
Rail
Class I freight, train-miles	404	421	427	403	428	347	380	375	390	405	441	458	469	475	475	490	504
Class I freight, car-miles	28,170	29,336	29,890	27,656	29,277	24,920	26,159	25,628	26,128	26,883	28,485	30,383	31,715	31,660	32,657	33,851	34,590
Intercity/Amtrak^f, train-miles	209	172	93	30	30	30	33	34	34	35	34	32	30	32	33	34	35
Intercity/Amtrak^f, car-miles	2,208	1,775	690	253	235	251	301	313	307	303	304	292	276	288	312	342	368
Total train-miles^g	613	593	520	433	458	377	413	409	424	440	475	490	499	507	508	524	539

KEY: N = data do not exist; P = preliminary; R = revised.

^a All operations other than those operating under 14 CFR 121 and 14 CFR 135. Data for 1996 are estimated using new information on nonrespondents and are not comparable to earlier years. Mileage in source is multiplied by 1.151 to convert to nautical-miles for 1985-1997.

^b U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), provides data separately for passenger car and motorcycle in its annual Highway Statistics series. However, the 1995 summary report provides updated data for passenger car and motorcycle combined. Passenger car figures in this table were computed by U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transporation Statistics by subtracting the most current motorcycle figures from the aggregate passenger car and motorcycle figures.

^c In July 1997, the FHWA published revised vehicle-miles data for the highway modes for many years. The major change reflected the reassignment of some vehicles from the passenger car category to the other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle category.

^d Motor bus and demand responsive figures are also included in the bus figure for highway.

^e Prior to 1985, excludes demand responsive and most rural and smaller systems funded via Sections 18 and 16(b)2, Federal Transit Act. The series is not continuous between 1980 and 1985. Transit rail modes are measured in car-miles. Car-miles measure individual vehicle-miles in a train. A 10-car train traveling 1 mile would equal 1 train-mile and 10 car-miles.

^f Amtrak began operations in 1971.

^g Although both train-miles and car-miles are shown for rail, only train-miles are included in the total. A train-mile is the movement of a train, which can consist of multiple vehicles (cars), the distance of 1 mile. This differs from a vehicle-mile, which is the movement of 1 vehicle the distance of 1 mile. A 10-vehicle train traveling 1 mile would be measured as 1 train-mile and 10 vehicle-miles. Caution should be used when comparing train-miles with vehicle miles.

^h 1960–65, motorcycle data are included in passenger car, and other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle data included in single-unit 2-axle 6-tire or more truck.

ⁱ Ferry boat included with other.

SOURCES:

Air:

Air carrier:

1960: Civil Aeronautics Board, Handbook of Airline Statistics 1969 (Washington, DC: 1970), part III, table 2.

1965-70: Ibid., Handbook of Airline Statistics 1973 (Washington, DC: 1974), part III, table 2.

1975-80: Ibid., Air Carrier Traffic Statistics (Washington, DC: 1976, 1981), p. 4 (December 1976) and p. 2 (December 1981).

1985-2000: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of Airline Information, Air Carrier Traffic Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual December issues), p. 2, line 27 plus line 50.

General aviation:

1960-65: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA Statistical Handbook of Aviation 1972 (Washington, DC: 1973), table 9.10.

1970-75: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA Statistical Handbook of Aviation 1976 (Washington, DC: 1976), table 8-5.

1980: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board estimate, personal communication, Dec. 7, 1998.

1985-92: Ibid., General Aviation Activity and Avionics Survey (Washington, DC: Annual issues,) table 3.3.

1993-97: Ibid., General Aviation and Air Taxi Activity and Avionics Survey (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table 3.3.

Highway:

Passenger car and motorcycle:

1960-94: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics Summary to 1995 , Internet site http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/summary95/index.html, as of July 28, 2000, table VM-201A.

1995-2000: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1, and Internet site www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/ohimstat.htm.

Motorcycle:

1970-80: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics, Summary to 1985 (Washington, DC: 1986), table VM-201A.

1985-2000: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1, and Internet site www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/ohimstat.htm.

Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle:

1970-94: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, Internet site http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/summary95/index.html, as of July 28, 2000, table VM-201A.

1995-2000: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1, and Internet site www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/ohimstat.htm.

Single-unit 2-axle 6-tires or more truck, combination truck, and bus:

1995-2000: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1, and Internet site www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/ohimstat.htm.

Transit:

1960-99: American Public Transit Association, Public Transportation Fact Book (Washington, DC: 2001), table 42, 84, and similar tables in earlier editions.

Rail:

Class I rail freight train- and car-miles:

1960-2000: Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts, 2000 (Washington, DC: 2001), p. 33 (train-miles) and p. 34 (car-miles).

Intercity/Amtrak train-miles:

1960-70: Association of American Railroads, Yearbook of Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: 1975), p. 39.

1975-2000: Amtrak, Amtrak Annual Report, Statistical Appendix (Washington, DC: Annual issues).

Intercity/Amtrak car-miles:

1960-75: Association of American Railroads, Yearbook of Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: 1975), p. 40.

1980-2000: Amtrak, Amtrak Corporate Reporting, Route Profitability System, personal communication, 2001.