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

Automobile Profile

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Automobile Profile

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FINANCIAL

  1960 1970 1980 1990 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Personal auto expenditures, totala ($ millions) 39,886 73,390 209,563 (R) 380,092 (R) 445,146 (R) 465,166 (R) 497,891 (R) 523,128 (R) 532,547 (R) 576,729 (R) 632,052 (R) 636,127 623,569
New and used carsa,1 16,600 26,700 57,200 119,000 (R) 133,200 (R) 132,600 (R) 136,000 (R) 139,400 (R) 147,300 (R) 158,400 (R) 164,300 (R) 162,600 157,200
Tires, tubes, accessories, and parts1 2,500 6,100 17,900 29,900 (R) 36,000 (R) 37,800 (R) 40,300 (R) 41,900 (R) 43,900 (R) 47,000 (R) 49,000 (R) 49,100 49,700
Gasoline and oil1 12,000 21,900 86,700 (R) 111,200 (R) 116,200 (R) 120,200 (R) 130,400 (R) 134,400 (R) 122,400 (R) 137,900 (R) 175,700 (R) 173,100 165,800
Tolls1 300 700 1,100 2,300 (R) 3,400 (R) 3,700 (R) 4,000 (R) 4,400 (R) 4,400 (R) 4,800 (R) 5,100 (R) 5,300 5,600
Insurance premiums less claims paid1 2,000 3,800 9,400 (R) 23,500 (R) 32,800 (R) 34,500 (R) 36,700 (R) 37,800 (R) 40,400 (R) 43,200 (R) 43,000 (R) 44,600 46,500
Repair, greasing, washing, parking, storage, rental, and leasing1 5,500 12,300 34,000 84,900 (R) 112,500 (R) 125,500 (R) 138,700 (R) 152,900 (R) 161,100 (R) 172,600 (R) 183,500 (R) 189,100 187,100
Auto registration fees2 867 1,668 2,893 6,054 7,423 7,043 7,698 8,163 8,630 8,625 7,607 8,278 7,415
Driver's license fees2 119 222 370 638 823 823 893 865 917 904 745 849 954
Taxi expenditures ($ millions)1 600 1,200 1,900 2,600 (R) 2,800 (R) 3,000 (R) 3,200 (R) 3,300 (R) 3,500 (R) 3,300 (R) 3,100 (R) 3,200 3,300

INVENTORY

  1960 1970 1980 1990 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Number of vehicle registrations                          
Passenger car and motorcycle3 62,245,422 92,067,655 127,294,783 137,959,958 131,640,024 132,283,966 133,599,578 133,575,077 135,717,988 136,584,477 137,967,488 142,536,523 140,924,833
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle3 e 14,210,591 27,875,934 48,274,555 62,903,589 65,738,322 68,933,798 70,224,082 71,330,205 75,356,376 79,084,979 84,187,636 85,011,305
Motorcycle4 574,032 2,824,098 5,693,940 4,259,462 3,756,555 3,897,191 3,871,237 3,826,373 3,879,450 4,152,433 4,346,068 4,903,056 5,004,156
Motor vehicle licensed drivers5 87,252,563 111,542,787 145,295,036 167,015,250 175,403,465 176,628,482 179,539,340 182,709,204 184,860,969 187,170,420 190,625,023 191,275,719 194,295,633
Number of employees6                          
Taxicabs 120,700 106,400 52,500 32,400 30,800 30,700 30,500 30,600 31,200 31,600 31,900 31,800 30,800
Automotive dealers and service stations 1,267,200 1,617,400 1,688,500 2,063,100 2,116,200 2,189,600 2,266,700 2,310,800 2,332,300 2,368,100 2,409,600 2,424,800 2,432,200
Motor vehicles, parts, and supplies N N 434,300 456,000 471,400 492,100 502,800 513,000 516,600 523,700 516,800 502,100 498,000
Auto repair, services, and parking N N 570,900 913,700 968,300 1,020,100 1,080,000 1,119,600 1,145,200 1,196,400 1,234,200 1,257,200 1,263,200

PERFORMANCE

  1960 1970 1980 1990 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Vehicle-miles (millions)7                          
Passenger car and motorcycle, totala 587,012 919,679 1,121,810 1,417,823 1,416,329 1,448,091 1,478,767 1,512,637 1,559,860 1,579,684 1,610,756 (R) 1,637,971 1,668,193
Rural highway, total 313,623 424,088 450,659 547,910 518,421 527,932 540,021 555,227 579,258 589,213 597,898 (R) 609,060 613,861
Rural interstate N 62,342 89,488 117,519 114,002 115,991 120,324 121,095 128,447 131,956 135,630 (R) 137,087 139,707
Rural other arterial 233,452 182,213 180,857 211,066 207,540 212,063 217,574 221,732 230,435 232,779 236,423 (R) 237,986 239,562
Other rural roads 80,171 179,533 180,314 219,325 196,879 199,878 202,122 212,400 220,376 224,478 225,845 (R) 233,987 234,592
Urban highway, totalb 273,389 495,591 671,151 869,912 897,909 920,159 938,746 957,410 980,602 990,471 1,012,858 (R) 1,028,911 1,054,332
Urban interstate N 69,369 124,480 184,783 199,588 205,489 211,818 215,525 222,066 225,822 232,202 (R) 238,529 244,837
Other urban N 426,222 546,671 685,129 698,321 714,670 726,928 741,885 758,536 764,649 780,656 (R) 790,382 809,495
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle, total e 123,286 290,935 574,571 764,634 790,029 815,936 850,739 868,275 901,022 923,059 (R) 943,207 966,184
Rural highway, total e 73,591 149,560 227,831 285,325 295,472 306,891 327,316 334,806 351,658 360,355 (R) 374,736 384,498
Rural interstate e 6,766 19,952 46,298 60,849 63,329 65,779 69,030 72,343 76,190 79,088 (R) 82,356 84,936
Rural other arterial e 29,808 56,137 87,474 113,595 118,305 122,211 129,890 132,043 138,475 141,257 (R) 146,525 150,715
Other rural roads e 37,017 73,471 94,059 110,881 113,838 118,901 128,396 130,420 136,993 140,010 (R) 145,855 148,847
Urban highway, totalc e 49,695 141,375 346,739 479,308 494,557 509,045 523,423 533,469 549,364 562,704 (R) 568,471 581,686
Urban interstate e 6,252 23,067 71,500 105,317 109,807 112,908 116,680 121,700 124,399 128,291 (R) 127,989 129,986
Other urban e 43,443 118,308 275,239 373,991 384,750 396,136 406,743 411,769 424,965 434,413 (R) 440,482 451,700
Vehicle-miles, total (millions)3 587,012 1,042,965 1,412,745 1,992,394 2,180,963 2,238,120 2,294,703 2,363,376 2,428,135 2,480,706 2,533,815 (R) 2,581,178 2,634,377
Passenger carsf (f) 587,012 (f) 919,679 (f) 1,121,810 (f) 1,417,823 (f) 1,416,329 1,438,294 1,468,854 1,502,556 1,549,577 1,569,100 1,600,287 (R) 1,628,332 1,658,640
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle e 123,286 290,935 574,571 764,634 790,029 815,936 850,739 868,275 901,022 923,059 (R) 943,207 966,184
Motorcycle g g g g (E) 10,240 9,797 9,913 10,081 10,283 10,584 10,469 (R) 9,639 9,553
Passenger-miles, total (millions)c, 3 1,145,000 1,979,787 2,545,020 3,037,244 3,612,100 3,553,810 3,643,719 3,752,829 3,855,696 3,939,137 4,023,637 (R) 4,247,094 4,335,470
Passenger cars (a,f) 1,145,000 (a.f) 1,754,174 (a,f) 2,024,246 (f) 2,140,913 (f) 2,600,050 2,286,887 2,335,478 2,389,065 2,463,828 2,494,870 2,544,457 (R) 2,556,481 2,604,065
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle e 225,613 520,774 896,331 1,012,050 1,256,146 1,297,337 1,352,675 1,380,557 1,432,625 1,467,664 (R) 1,678,853 1,719,750
Motorcycle g g g g (E) 11,264 10,777 10,904 11,089 11,311 11,642 11,516 (R) 11,760 11,655
Average miles traveled per vehicle3                          
Passenger car (f) 9,518 (f) 9,989 (f) 8,813 (f) 10,277 (f) 10,759 11,203 11,323 11,581 11,754 11,848 11,976 (R) 11,831 12,203
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle e 8,676 10,437 11,902 12,156 12,018 11,837 12,115 12,173 11,957 11,672 (R) 11,204 11,365
Motorcycle g g g g (E) 2,726 2,514 2,561 2,635 2,651 2,549 2,409 (R) 1,966 1,909
Fuel consumed (million gallons)3                          
Passenger cars (f) 41,171 (f) 67,879 (f) 70,186 (f) 69,759 (f) 68,079 68,072 68,897 69,892 71,695 73,283 73,065 (R) 73,559 74,949
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle e 12,313 23,796 35,611 44,112 45,605 47,133 49,388 50,462 52,859 52,939 (R) 53,522 54,841
Motorcycle g g g g (E) 205 196 198 202 206 212 209 (R) 193 191
Average fuel consumption per vehicle (gallons)3                          
Passenger cars (f) 668 (f) 737 (f) 551 (f) 506 (f) 517 530 531 539 544 553 547 (R) 534 551
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle e 866 854 738 701 694 684 703 707 701 669 (R) 636 645
Motorcycle g g g g 55 50 51 53 53 51 48 (R) 39 38
Average miles traveled per gallon of fuel consumed3                          
Passenger cars (f) 14 (f) 14 (f) 16.0 (f) 20.3 (f) 21 21.1 21.3 21.5 21.6 21.4 21.9 22.1 22.1
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle e 10.0 12.2 16.1 17.3 17.3 17.3 17.2 17.2 17.0 17.4 17.6 17.6
Motorcycle g g g g (E) 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50

SAFETY 8

  1960 1970 1980 1990 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Number of occupants and nonoccupant fatalities                          
Passenger car N N 27,449 24,092 21,997 22,423 22,505 22,199 21,194 20,862 20,699 (R) 20,320 20,416
Motorcycle 790 2,280 5,144 3,244 2,320 2,227 2,161 2,116 2,294 2,483 2,897 (R) 3,197 3,244
Bicycled 490 760 965 859 802 833 765 814 760 754 693 (R) 732 662
Pedestriand 7,210 8,950 8,070 6,482 5,489 5,584 5,449 5,321 5,228 4,939 4,763 (R) 4,901 4,808
Occupant fatality rates                          
Per 100 million vehicle-miles                          
Passenger car 4.7 3.8 2.5 1.7 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3
Motorcycle N 76.5 50.4 33.9 22.7 22.7 21.8 21.0 22.3 23.5 27.7 (R) 33.2 34.0
Per 10,000 registered vehicles                          
Passenger car 5.1 3.9 2.6 2.0 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6
Motorcycle 13.8 8.1 9.0 7.6 6.2 5.7 5.6 5.5 5.9 6.0 6.7 6.5 6.5
Vehicle involvement rate (fatal crashes)                          
Per 100 million vehicle-miles                          
Passenger car N 5.6 3.5 2.4 2.1 2.1 2.0 2.0 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.7 1.7
Motorcycle N 22.9 50.9 34.3 22.8 23.1 21.9 21.4 22.7 23.9 28.4 (R) 33.9 35.0
Per 10,000 registered vehicles                          
Passenger car N 5.6 3.7 2.8 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.1 2.1
Motorcycle N 8.2 9.1 7.7 6.2 5.8 5.6 5.6 6.0 6.1 6.8 (R) 6.7 6.7

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

NOTES

a Figures obtained by addition / subtraction and may not appear directly in data source.

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

c In 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.

d Involvement only with motor vehicle.

e Included in single-unit 2-axle 6-tire or more truck category.

f Includes motorcycle data.

g Included in passenger cars.

SOURCES

Unless otherwise noted, refer to chapter tables for sources.

1 U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Income and Product Accounts Tables, table 2.5.5 available at http://www.bea.doc.gov/bea/dn/nipaweb/AllTables.asp as of April 2004.

2 1960-95: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table MV-202.

1996-2002: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table MV-2 (revised tables used when applicable).

3 1960-94: Ibid., Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table VM-201A, table revised in June 1999.

1995-2002: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1 (revised tables used when applicable).

4 1960-94: Ibid., Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-PL-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table MV-201.

1995-2002: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1 (revised tables used when applicable).

5 1960-95: Ibid., Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-Pl-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table DL-201.

1996-2002: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table DL-22 (revised tables used when applicable).

6 1960-2002: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Database, Internet site http://www.bls.gov/data/sa.htm as of April 2004; codes "414120 Taxicabs," "605500 Automotive Dealers and Service Stations," "525010 Motor Vehicle Parts, and Supplies" and "807500 Auto Repair, Services, and Parking."

7 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-201.

1995-2002: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1 (revised tables used when applicable).

8 1960-2002: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Traffic Safety Facts 2002, DOT HS 809 484, (Washington, DC: January 2004), tables 3, 4, 7, and 10.