USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

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

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

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 R3,942 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 3,578 U
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 4,495 U
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 2,273 U
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 P4,147 U
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.

NOTES

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.

1995-2000: 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.

1995-2000: 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.

1990-2000: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.

Transit motor bus:

American Public Transportation Association, Public Transportation Fact Book (Washington, DC: February 2002), tables 30 and 65.

Amtrak:

Amtrak, State and Local Affairs Department, personal communication.