Table 1-37: U.S. Passenger-Miles

(Millions)

Excel | CSV

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

^a All operations other than those operating under 14 CFR 121 and 14 CFR 135.

^b In July 1997, FHWA published revised passenger-miles data for the highway modes for a number of years. The major change reflected the reassignment of some vehicles from the passenger car category to the other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle category. Passenger-miles for passenger car, motorcycle, and other 2-axle 4-tire vehicles were derived by multiplying vehicle-miles for these vehicles by average vehicle occupancy rates, provided by the Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (1977, 1983, and 1995) and the National Household Travel Survey (2001).

^c 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 Transportation Statistics by subtracting the most current motorcycle figures from the aggregate passenger car and motorcycle figures.

^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. Does not include contract commuter passengers.

^g Included in passenger car.

^h Included in other single-unit 2-axle 6-tire or more truck.

ⁱ Ferryboat included in other.

NOTES

Air carrier passenger-miles are computed by summing the products of the aircraft-miles flown on each interairport segment multiplied by the number of passengers carried on that segment. Highway passenger-miles from 1960 to 1994 are calculated by multiplying vehicle-miles of travel as cited by FHWA by the average number of occupants for each vehicle type. Average vehicle occupancy rates are based on various sources, such as the National Household Travel Survey, conducted by the Federal Highway Administration, and the Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey, conducted by the Bureau of the Census. Transit passenger-miles are the cumulative sum of the distances ridden by each passenger. Rail passenger-miles represent the movement of 1 passenger for 1 mile.

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

SOURCES

Air:

Air carrier, domestic, all services:

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).

1985-2005: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of Airline Information, Air Carrier Traffic Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual December issues), page 3, line1.

General aviation:

1960-2001: Eno Transportation Foundation, Inc., Transportation in America, 2002 (Washington, DC: 2002), pp. 45-46.

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.

1995-2005: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1, and Internet site http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/ohpi/hss/index.htm.

Motorcycle:

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

1985-2005: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1, and Internet site http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/ohpi/hss/index.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.

1995-2005: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1, and Internet site http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/ohpi/hss/index.htm.

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

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.

1995-2006: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1, and Internet site http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/ohpi/hss/index.htm

Transit:

Ferryboat:

1992: American Public Transit Association, personal communication, July 19, 2000.

1996-99: American Public Transit Association, personal communication, Aug. 13, 2001.

2000-06: Ibid., 2005 Public Transportation Fact Book (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table 54 and similar tables in earlier editions.

All other data:

1960-2006: American Public Transportation Association, Public Transportation Fact Book (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table 6 and similar tables in earlier editions.

Rail, Intercity / Amtrak:

1960-80: Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: Annual issues).

1985: Amtrak, Amtrak FY95 Annual Report Statistical Appendix (Washington, DC: 1996), p. 4.

1990-2002: Ibid., Amtrak Annual Report Statistical Appendix (Washington, DC: Annual issues).

2003-06: American Association of Railroads, Railroad Facts 2006 (Washington, DC: 2007), p. 77.