Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
Printable Version

Table 4-20: Energy Intensity of Passenger Modes (Btu per passenger-mile)

Excel | CSV

  1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Air, certificated carrier                                    
Domestic operations 8,633 10,118 10,185 7,746 5,727 5,047 4,932 4,671 4,564 4,558 4,444 4,382 4,183 4,166 4,123 4,049 3,942 3,940
International operations 9,199 10,292 10,986 8,465 4,339 5,103 4,546 4,609 4,258 4,099 4,145 4,173 4,108 4,168 4,278 4,123 4,009 4,126
Highwaya                                    
Passenger car 4,495 4,455 4,841 4,743 4,348 4,267 3,812 3,654 3,703 3,785 3,771 3,721 3,688 3,657 3,637 3,672 R 3,589 3,557
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle N N 6,810 6,571 5,709 4,971 4,451 4,277 4,256 4,275 4,345 4,538 4,541 4,564 4,569 4,612 R 4,509 4,467
Motorcycle b b 2,500 2,354 2,125 1,896 1,990 1,917 1,990 2,063 2,135 2,274 2,271 2,273 2,273 2,273 R 2,273 2,273
Transit motor bus N N N N 2,742 3,396 3,723 3,767 4,038 3,944 4,162 4,155 4,196 4,228 4,133 4,044 4,147 P3,698
Amtrak N N N 2,383 2,164 2,094 2,064 1,978 2,035 2,023 1,935 1,838 2,148 2,200 2,138 2,107 2,134 U

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

a For 1995 and subsequent years, highway passenger-miles were taken directly from Highway Statistics rather than derived from vehicle-miles and average occupancy, as is the case for 1960-1994.

b Included in passenger car.

NOTE

To calculate total Btu, multiply fuel consumed (see tables 4-21, 4-22, 4-24, 4-25) by 135,000 Btu/gallon for air carrier; 125,000 Btu/gallon for passenger car, other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle, and motorcycle; 138,700 Btu/gallon for transit motor bus and Amtrak diesel consumption; and 3,412 Btu/KwH for Amtrak electric consumption.

SOURCES

Air:

Certificated air carriers:

Passenger-miles:

Air Transport Association, Internet site http://www.air-transport.org/public/industry as of Aug. 30, 2002.

Fuel consumed:

U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of Airline Information, Internet site http://www.bts.gov/oai/fuel/fuelyearly.html as of Aug. 30, 2002.

Highway:

Passenger car:

1960-94: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-PL-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table VM-201A.

1995-2001: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.

Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle:

1970-94: Ibid., Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-PL-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table VM-201A.

1995-2001: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.

Motorcycle:

1970-85: Ibid., Highway Statistics Summary to 1985, FHWA-PL-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table VM-201A.

1990-2001: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.

Transit motor bus:

American Public Transportation Association, Public Transportation Fact Book (Washington, DC: February 2003), tables 6 and 33.

Amtrak:

Amtrak, State and Local Affairs Department, personal communication.