Daily and Long-Distance Passenger Travel

According to the 2001 National Household Travel Survey, U.S. residents make, on average, about 4 one-way trips per person per day averaging 10 miles each and 9 roundtrip long-distance trips per person per year averaging about 520 miles each (box 4-A). This translates to annual travel per person of 14,500 miles on daily trips and 4,900 miles on long-distance trips¹ [1].

Shares by mode differ between long-distance and daily travel trips and miles traveled. In miles traveled, 89 percent of miles are made by personal vehicle on daily trips (figure 4-1), but only 56 percent by personal vehicle on long-distance trips (figure 4-2). Air transportation makes up 41 percent of long-distance travel miles. On a trip basis, nearly 90 percent of both daily and long-distance trips are accomplished by personal vehicle.2 Walking makes up most of the rest of daily trips, and air transportation makes up most of the rest of long-distance trips [1].

Source

1. U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics and USDOT, Federal Highway Administration, 2001 National Household Travel Survey Data, CD-ROM, February 2004.

¹ These cannot be added together to get a total number because of double counting of daily trips of 50 miles or more from home and differing trip definitions.

² Personal vehicles are cars, vans, sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, other trucks, recreational vehicles (not including watercraft), and motorcycles.