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BTS Home > Publications > National Transportation Statistics > 2002

Automobile Profile

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FINANCIAL	1960	1970	1980	1990	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Personal auto expenditures, total^a ($ millions)	39,886	73,390	209,563	368,192	445,566	474,491	498,928	^R504,247	543,629	599,852	U
New and used cars^a,1	16,600	26,700	57,200	119,000	132,200	133,300	135,600	142,800	^R156,100	^R164,900	166,500
Tires, tubes, accessories, and parts¹	2,500	6,100	17,900	29,900	36,900	38,700	39,600	41,500	44,400	^R45,900	45,800
Gasoline and oil¹	12,000	21,900	86,700	107,300	113,300	124,200	128,100	114,800	^R129,300	^R164,400	162,100
Tolls¹	300	700	1,100	2,300	3,400	3,700	4,000	4,000	^R4,400	^R4,600	4,900
Insurance premiums less claims paid¹	2,000	3,800	9,400	18,100	29,700	31,800	36,300	38,000	36,800	^R30,700	32,100
Repair, greasing, washing, parking, storage, rental, and leasing¹	5,500	12,300	34,000	84,900	122,200	134,200	146,300	153,600	^R165,100	^R175,500	181,600
Auto registration fees	⁴867	⁴1,668	⁴2,893	⁴6,054	⁴7,043	¹⁰7,698	¹⁰8,163	¹⁰8,630	¹⁰8,625	¹⁰7,607	U
Driver's license fees	⁴119	⁴222	⁴370	⁴638	^R,10823	¹⁰893	¹⁰865	¹⁰917	¹⁰904	¹⁰745	U
Taxi expenditures ($ millions)¹	600	1,200	1,900	2,600	3,200	3,500	3,700	4,100	3,800	^R3,600	3,700

INVENTORY	1960	1970	1980	1990	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Number of vehicle registrations
Passenger car and motorcycle	⁵62,245,422	⁵92,067,655	⁵127,294,783	⁵137,959,958	⁹132,283,966	^R,9133,599,578	⁹133,575,077	⁹135,717,988	⁹136,584,477	⁹137,967,488	U
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle	⁵e	⁵14,210,591	⁵27,875,934	⁵48,274,555	⁹65,738,322	^R,968,933798	⁹70,224,082	⁹71,330,205	⁹75,356,376	⁹79,084,979	U
Motorcycle	⁶574,032	⁶2,824,098	⁶5,693,940	⁶4,259,462	⁹3,897,191	^R,93,871,237	⁹3,826,373	⁹3,879,450	⁹4,152,433	⁹4,346,068	U
Motor vehicle licensed drivers	⁷87,252,563	⁷111,542,787	⁷145,295,036	⁷167,015,250	⁷176,628,482	¹¹179,539,340	¹¹182,709,204	¹¹184,860,969	¹¹187,170,420	¹¹190,625,023	U
Number of employees
Taxicabs²	120,700	106,400	52,500	32,400	30,700	30,500	30,600	31,200	31,600	^R31,900	31,800
Automotive dealers and service stations²	1,267,200	1,617,400	1,688,500	2,063,100	2,189,600	2,266,700	2,310,800	2,332,300	2,368,100	^R2,409,600	2,424,800
Motor vehicles, parts, and supplies²	N	N	434,300	456,000	492,100	502,800	513,000	516,600	523,700	^R516,800	502,100
Auto repair, services, and parking²	N	N	570,900	913,700	1,020,100	1,080,000	1,119,600	1,145,200	1,196,400	^R1,234,200	1,257,200

PERFORMANCE	1960	1970	1980	1990	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Vehicle-miles (millions)
Passenger car and motorcycle, total^a	⁸587,012	⁸919,679	⁸1,121,810	^R,81,417,823	⁹1,448,091	^R,91,478,767	⁹1,512,637	⁹1,559,860	⁹1,579,684	^R,91,610,756	U
Rural highway, total	⁸313,623	⁸424,088	⁸450,659	⁸547,910	⁹527,932	^R,9540,021	⁹555,227	⁹579,258	⁹589,213	^R,9597,898	U
Rural interstate	N	⁸62,342	⁸89,488	⁸117,519	⁹115,991	^R,9120,324	⁹121,095	⁹128,447	⁹131,956	^R,9135,630	U
Rural other arterial	⁸233,452	⁸182,213	⁸180,857	⁸211,066	⁹212,063	^R,9217,574	⁹221,732	⁹230,435	⁹232,779	^R,9236,423	U
Other rural roads	⁸80,171	⁸179,533	⁸180,314	⁸219,325	⁹199,878	^R,9202,122	⁹212,400	⁹220,376	⁹224,478	^R,9225,845	U
Urban highway^b, total	⁸273,389	⁸495,591	⁸671,151	⁸869,912	⁹920,159	^R,9938,746	⁹957,410	⁹980,602	⁹990,471	^R,91,012858	U
Urban interstate	N	⁸69,369	⁸124,480	⁸184,783	⁹205,489	^R,9211,818	⁹215,525	⁹222,066	⁹225,822	^R,9232,202	U
Other urban	N	⁸426,222	⁸546,671	⁸685,129	⁹714,670	⁹726,928	⁹741,885	⁹758,536	⁹764,649	^R,9780,656	U
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle, total	⁸e	⁸123,286	⁸290,935	⁸574,571	⁹790,029	^R,9815,936	⁹850,739	⁹868,275	⁹901,022	^R,9923,059	U
Rural highway, total	⁸e	⁸73,591	⁸149,560	⁸227,831	⁹295,472	^R,9306,891	⁹327,316	⁹334,806	⁹351,658	^R,9360,355	U
Rural interstate	⁸e	⁸6,766	⁸19,952	⁸46,298	⁹63,329	⁹65,779	⁹69,030	⁹72,343	⁹76,190	^R,979,088	U
Rural other arterial	⁸e	⁸29,808	⁸56,137	⁸87,474	⁹118,305	^R,9122,211	⁹129,890	⁹132,043	⁹138,475	^R,9141,257	U
Other rural roads	⁸e	⁸37,017	⁸73,471	⁸94,059	⁹113,838	^R,9118,901	⁹128,396	⁹130,420	⁹136,993	^R,9140,010	U
Urban highway^c, total	⁸e	⁸49,695	⁸141,375	⁸346,739	⁹494,557	⁹509,045	⁹523,423	⁹533,469	⁹549,364	^R,9562,704	U
Urban interstate	⁸e	⁸6,252	⁸23,067	⁸71,500	⁹109,807	⁹112,908	⁹116,680	⁹121,700	⁹124,399	^R,9128,291	U
Other urban	⁸e	⁸43,443	⁸118,308	⁸275,239	⁹384,750	^R,9396,136	⁹406,743	⁹411,769	⁹424,965	^R,9434,413	U
Vehicle-miles, total (millions)	⁵587,012	⁵1,042,965	⁵1,412,745	⁵1,992,394	⁹2,238,120	^R,92,294,703	⁹2,363,376	⁹2,428,135	⁹2,480,706	^R,92,533,815	U
Passenger cars	^f,5587,012	^f,5919,679	^f,51,121,810	^f,51,417,823	⁹1,438,294	^R,91,468,854	⁹1,502,556	⁹1,549,577	⁹1,569,100	^R,91,600,287	U
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle	⁵e	⁵123,286	⁵290,935	⁵574,571	⁹790,029	^R,9815,936	⁹850,739	⁹868,275	⁹901,022	^R,9923,059	U
Motorcycle	⁵g	⁵g	⁵g	⁵g	⁹9,797	^R,99,913	⁹10,081	⁹10,283	⁹10,584	^R,910,469	U
Passenger-miles^c, total (millions)	⁵1,145,000	⁵1,979,787	⁵2,545,020	⁵3,037,244	⁹3,553,810	^R,93,643,719	⁹3,752,829	⁹3,855,696	⁹3,939,137	^R,94,023,637	U
Passenger cars	^a,f,51,145,000	^a,f,51,754,174	^a,f,52,024,246	^f,52,140,913	⁹2,286,887	^R,92,335,478	⁹2,389,065	⁹2,463,828	⁹2,494,870	^R,92,544,457	U
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle	⁵e	⁵225,613	⁵520,774	⁵896,331	⁹1,256,146	^R,91,297,337	⁹1,352,675	⁹1,380,557	⁹1,432,625	^R,91,467,664	U
Motorcycle	⁵g	⁵g	⁵g	⁵g	⁹10,777	^R,910,904	⁹11,089	⁹11,311	⁹11,642	^R,911,516	U
Average miles traveled per vehicle
Passenger car	^f,59,518	^f,59,989	^f,58,813	^f,510,277	⁹11,203	^R,911,323	⁹11,581	⁹11,754	⁹11,848	^R,911,976	U
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle	⁵e	⁵8,676	⁵10,437	⁵11,902	⁹12,018	^R,911,837	⁹12,115	⁹12,173	⁹11,957	^R,911,672	U
Motorcycle	⁵g	⁵ g	⁵g	⁵g	⁹2,514	^R,92,561	⁹2,635	⁹2,651	⁹2,549	^R,92,409	U
Fuel consumed (million gallons)
Passenger cars	^f,541,171	^f,567,879	^f,570,186	^f,569,759	⁹68,072	^R,968,897	⁹69,892	⁹71,695	⁹73,283	^R,973,065	U
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle	⁵e	⁵12,313	⁵23,796	⁵35,611	⁹45,605	^R,947,133	⁹49,388	⁹50,462	⁹52,859	^R,952,939	U
Motorcycle	⁵g	⁵g	⁵g	⁵g	⁹196	⁹198	⁹202	⁹206	⁹212	^R,9209	U
Average fuel consumption per vehicle (gallons)
Passenger cars	^f,5668	^f,5737	^f,5551	^f,5506	⁹530	^R,9531	⁹539	⁹544	⁹553	^R,9547	U
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle	⁵e	⁵866	⁵854	⁵738	⁹694	^R,9684	⁹703	⁹707	⁹701	^R,9669	U
Motorcycle	⁵g	⁵g	⁵g	⁵g	⁹50	⁹51	⁹53	⁹53	⁹51	⁹48	U
Average miles traveled per gallon of fuel consumed
Passenger cars	^f,514.3	^f,513.5	⁵16.0	⁵20.3	⁹21.1	^R,921.3	⁹21.5	⁹21.6	⁹21.4	^R,921.9	U
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle	⁵e	⁵10.0	⁵12.2	⁵16.1	⁹17.3	^R,917.3	⁹17.2	⁹17.2	⁹17.0	^R,917.4	U
Motorcycle	⁵g	⁵g	⁵g	⁵g	⁹50	⁹50	⁹50	⁹50	⁹50	⁹50	U

SAFETY	1960	1970	1980	1990	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Number of occupants and nonoccupant fatalities
Passenger car³	N	N	27,449	24,092	22,423	22,505	22,199	21,194	20,862	^R20,699	20,233
Motorcycle³	790	2,280	5,144	3,244	2,227	2,161	2,116	2,294	2,483	^R2,897	3,181
Bicycle^d,3	490	760	965	859	833	765	814	760	754	^R693	728
Pedestrian^d,3	7,210	8,950	8,070	6,482	5,584	5,449	5,321	5,228	4,939	^R4,763	4,882
Occupant fatality rates
Per 100 million vehicle-miles
Passenger car³	4.7	3.8	2.5	1.7	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.4	1.3	1.3	U
Motorcycle³	N	76.5	50.4	33.9	22.7	21.8	21.0	22.3	23.5	^R27.7	U
Per 10,000 registered vehicles
Passenger car³	5.1	3.9	2.6	^R2.0	1.8	1.8	1.8	1.7	1.6	1.6	U
Motorcycle³	13.8	8.1	9.0	7.6	5.7	5.6	5.5	5.9	6.0	^R6.7	U
Vehicle involvement rate (fatal crashes)
Per 100 million vehicle-miles
Passenger car³	N	5.6	3.5	2.4	2.1	2.0	2.0	1.9	1.8	^R1.8	U
Motorcycle³	N	22.9	50.9	34.3	23.1	21.9	21.4	22.7	^R23.9	^R28.4	U
Per 10,000 registered vehicles
Passenger car³	N	5.6	3.7	2.8	2.5	2.5	2.4	2.3	2.2	2.2	2.1
Motorcycle³	N	8.2	9.1	7.7	5.8	5.6	5.6	6.0	6.1	6.8	6.6

KEY: E = estimate; N = data do not exist; R = revised; U = data are not available.

NOTES

^aFigures obtained by addition / subtraction and may not appear directly in data source.

^bUrban consists of travel on all roads and streets in urban places of 5,000 or greater population.

^cIn July 1997, the USDOT, Federal Highway Administration published revised passenger-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.

^dInvolvement only with motor vehicle.

^eIncluded in single-unit 2-axle 6-tire or more truck category.

^fIncludes motorcycle data.

^gIncluded in passenger cars.

SOURCES

Unless otherwise noted, refer to chapter tables for sources.

¹U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Income and Product Accounts Tables, table 2.4 available at http://www.bea.doc.gov/bea/dn/nipaweb/alltables.asp http://www.bea.doc.gov/bea/dn/nipaweb/AllTables.asp as of January 2003.

²U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Database, Internet site http://www.bls.gov/data/sa.htm as of January 2003; codes “414120 Taxicabs,” “605500 Automotive Dealers and Service Stations,” “525010 Motor Vehicle Parts, and Supplies” and “807500 Auto Repair, Services, and Parking."

³U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Traffic Safety Facts 2001, DOT HS 809 484, (Washington, DC: December 2002), tables 3, 4, 7, and 10.

⁴U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table MV-202.

⁵Ibid., Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-97-009 Washington, DC: July 1997), table VM–201A, table revised in June 1999.

⁶Ibid., Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-PL-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table MV-201.

⁷ Ibid., Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-Pl-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table DL-201.

⁸Ibid., Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-PL-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table VM-201.

⁹Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1 (revised tables used when applicable).

¹⁰Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table MV-2 (revised tables used when applicable).

¹¹Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table DL-22 (revised tables used when applicable).