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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

Table 1-11: Number of U.S. Aircraft, Vehicles, Vessels, and Other Conveyances

Friday, April 22, 2016

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  1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Air                                                              
Air carriera 2,135 2,125 2,679 2,495 3,808 4,678 6,083 6,054 7,320 7,297 7,370 6,865 7,077 7,043 7,451 7,859 7,826 7,746 7,673 7,564 7,764 7,686 7,637 7,732 7,337 7,169 7,185 7,168 6,914 6,733 6,676
General aviationb (active fleet) 76,549 95,442 131,743 168,475 211,045 210,654 198,000 196,874 185,650 177,120 172,935 188,089 191,129 192,414 204,710 219,464 217,533 211,446 211,244 209,708 219,426 224,352 221,943 231,607 228,663 223,877 223,370 222,250 209,034 199,927 204,408
Highway, total (registered vehicles) 74,431,800 91,739,623 111,242,295 137,912,779 161,490,159 177,133,282 193,057,376 192,313,834 194,427,346 198,041,338 201,801,921 205,427,212 210,441,249 211,580,033 215,496,003 220,461,056 225,821,241 235,331,382 234,624,135 236,760,033 243,010,550 247,421,120 250,844,644 254,403,081 255,917,664 254,212,610 250,070,048 (R) 253,215,681 (R) 253,639,386 255,876,822 260,350,938
Light duty vehicle, short wheel basec N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N 196,491,176 196,762,927 193,979,654 190,202,782 183,522,635 183,171,882 184,497,490 187,554,928
Passenger carsc 61,671,390 75,257,588 89,243,557 106,705,934 121,600,843 127,885,193 133,700,496 128,299,601 126,581,148 127,327,189 127,883,469 128,386,775 129,728,341 129,748,704 131,838,538 132,432,044 133,621,420 137,633,467 135,920,677 135,669,897 136,430,651 136,568,083 135,399,945 N N N N N N N N
Motorcycle 574,032 1,381,956 2,824,098 4,964,070 5,693,940 5,444,404 4,259,462 4,177,365 4,065,118 3,977,856 3,756,555 3,897,191 3,871,599 3,826,373 3,879,450 4,152,433 4,346,068 4,903,056 5,004,156 5,370,035 5,767,934 6,227,146 6,678,958 7,138,476 7,752,926 7,929,724 8,009,503 8,437,502 8,454,939 8,404,687 8,417,718
Light duty vehicle, long wheel basec N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N 39,186,974 39,685,228 40,488,025 40,241,658 50,318,787 50,588,676 51,512,740 52,600,309
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehiclesc U U 14,210,591 20,418,250 27,875,934 37,213,863 48,274,555 53,033,443 57,091,143 59,993,706 62,903,589 65,738,322 69,133,913 70,224,082 71,330,205 75,356,376 79,084,979 84,187,636 85,011,305 87,186,663 91,845,327 95,336,839 99,124,775 N N N N N N N N
Truck, single-unit 2-axle 6-tire or morec,d,e U 13,999,285 3,681,405 4,231,622 4,373,784 4,593,071 4,486,981 4,480,815 4,369,842 4,407,850 4,906,385 5,023,670 5,266,029 5,293,358 5,734,925 5,762,864 5,926,030 5,703,501 5,650,619 5,848,523 6,161,028 6,395,240 6,649,337 8,116,672 8,288,046 8,356,097 8,217,189 7,819,055 8,190,286 8,126,007 8,328,759
Truck, combinationd,e 11,914,249 786,510 905,082 1,130,747 1,416,869 1,403,266 1,708,895 1,691,331 1,675,363 1,680,305 1,681,500 1,695,751 1,746,586 1,789,968 1,997,345 2,028,562 2,096,619 2,154,174 2,276,661 1,908,365 2,010,335 2,086,759 2,169,670 2,635,347 2,585,229 2,617,118 2,552,865 2,451,638 2,469,094 2,471,349 2,577,197
Bus 272,129 314,284 377,562 462,156 528,789 593,485 626,987 631,279 644,732 654,432 670,423 685,503 694,781 697,548 715,540 728,777 746,125 749,548 760,717 776,550 795,274 807,053 821,959 834,436 843,308 841,993 846,051 666,064 764,509 864,549 872,027
Transitf                                                              
Motor busg 49,600 49,600 49,700 50,822 59,411 64,258 58,714 60,377 63,080 64,850 68,123 67,107 53,339 54,946 55,661 57,352 58,578 60,256 60,719 61,659 61,318 62,284 64,025 63,359 63,151 63,343 63,108 61,127 61,245 66,823 62,449
Light rail carsh 2,856 1,549 1,262 1,061 1,013 717 910 1,092 1,055 1,001 1,051 1,048 1,097 1,062 1,061 1,160 1,306 1,359 1,448 1,482 1,622 1,645 1,801 1,802 1,948 2,059 2,096 2,284 2,348 2,842 2,444
Heavy rail cars 9,010 9,115 9,338 9,608 9,641 9,326 10,567 10,478 10,391 10,282 10,282 10,166 10,243 10,228 10,296 10,362 10,311 10,718 10,849 10,754 10,858 11,110 11,052 11,222 11,377 11,461 11,510 14,942 10,469 10,380 10,551
Trolley bus 3,826 1,453 1,050 703 823 676 610 551 665 635 643 695 675 655 646 657 652 600 616 672 597 615 609 559 590 531 571 479 570 560 537
Commuter rail cars and locomotives U U U U 4,500 4,035 4,982 5,126 5,164 4,982 5,126 5,164 5,239 5,425 5,535 5,549 5,497 5,528 5,631 5,866 6,130 6,290 6,300 6,279 6,494 6,722 6,768 6,971 6,938 7,150 7,177
Demand responsive U U U U U 14,490 16,471 17,879 20,695 23,527 28,729 29,352 17,738 19,820 20,042 20,761 22,087 24,668 24,808 25,873 26,333 28,346 29,406 29,433 30,773 34,235 33,555 31,846 31,929 31,433 31,359
Otheri U U U U U 867 1,176 1,568 1,821 2,268 2,462 2,809 5,344 6,245 7,105 7,467 7,705 8,137 8,033 8,626 10,544 11,622 12,454 12,953 14,953 17,766 18,066 18,965 16,996 17,793 17,994
Rail                                                              
Class I, freight cars 1,658,292 1,478,005 1,423,921 1,359,459 1,168,114 867,070 658,902 633,489 605,189 587,033 590,930 583,486 570,865 568,493 575,604 579,140 560,154 499,860 477,751 467,063 473,773 474,839 475,415 460,172 450,297 416,180 397,730 380,699 380,641 373,838 371,642
Class I, locomotive 29,031 27,780 27,077 27,846 28,094 22,548 18,835 18,344 18,004 18,161 18,505 18,812 19,269 19,684 20,261 20,256 20,028 19,745 20,506 20,774 22,015 22,779 23,732 24,143 24,003 24,045 23,893 24,250 24,707 25,033 25,916
Nonclass I freight cars 32,104 37,164 29,787 29,407 102,161 111,086 103,527 97,492 90,064 88,513 86,120 84,724 87,364 116,108 121,659 126,762 132,448 125,470 130,590 124,580 120,169 120,195 120,688 120,463 109,487 108,233 101,755 95,972 92,742 88,122 N
Car companies and shippers freight cars 275,090 285,493 330,473 334,739 440,552 443,530 449,832 458,679 477,883 497,586 515,362 550,717 582,344 585,818 618,404 662,934 688,194 688,806 691,329 687,337 693,978 717,211 750,404 805,074 833,188 839,020 809,544 806,554 842,802 873,679 N
Amtrak, passenger train car U U U 1,913 2,128 1,854 1,863 1,786 1,796 1,853 1,852 1,722 1,730 1,728 1,962 1,992 1,894 2,084 2,896 1,623 1,211 1,186 1,191 1,164 1,177 1,214 1,274 1,301 2,090 1,447 1,419
Amtrak, locomotive U U U 355 419 291 318 316 336 360 338 313 299 332 345 329 378 401 372 442 276 258 319 270 278 274 282 287 485 418 428
Water                                                              
Nonself-propelled vesselsj,k 16,777 17,033 19,377 25,515 31,662 33,597 33,597 U 30,899 30,785 30,730 31,209 32,811 33,011 33,509 33,387 31,360 33,042 32,381 31,335 31,296 33,152 32,211 31,654 31,238 31,008 31,412 31,498 31,550 31,081 U
Self-propelled vesselsn,l 6,543 6,083 6,455 6,144 7,126 7,522 8,236 U 8,311 8,323 8,334 8,281 8,293 8,408 8,523 8,379 8,202 8,546 8,621 8,648 8,994 8,976 8,898 9,041 9,063 9,101 9,100 9,023 8,980 8,918 U
Oceangoing self-propelled vessels (1,000 gross tons and over)m 2,926 2,376 1,579 857 864 737 636 619 603 565 543 509 495 477 470 463 282 274 261 246 233 231 229 220 225 217 221 214 198 187 179
Recreational boatsn 2,450,484 4,138,140 5,128,345 7,303,286 8,577,857 9,589,483 10,996,253 11,068,440 11,132,386 11,282,736 11,429,585 11,734,710 11,877,938 12,312,982 12,565,930 12,738,271 12,782,143 12,876,346 12,854,054 12,794,616 12,781,476 12,942,414 12,746,126 12,875,568 12,692,892 12,721,541 12,438,926 12,173,935 12,101,936 12,013,496 11,804,002

KEY: N = data do not exist; U = data are unavailable; R = revised.

a Air carrier aircraft are those carrying passengers or cargo for hire under 14 CFR 121 and 14 CFR 135. Beginning in 1990, the number of aircraft is the monthly average of the number of aircraft reported in use for the last three months of the year. Prior to 1990, it was the number of aircraft reported in use during December of a given year.

b 1991-94 data revised to reflect changes in adjustment for nonresponse bias with 1996 telephone survey factors; 1995-97 data may not be comparable to 1994 and earlier years due to changes in methodology. Includes air taxi aircraft. Beginning in 2004, commuter activity is excluded from all estimates. Commuter activity was included in the air taxi use category in 2003 and prior.

c 1960-2006 data are for Passenger Cars and Other 2-axle, 4-tire vehicles, respectively. Data for 1960-2006 are not comparable to data for 2007-13.

d In 1960, this category includes all Trucks and Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicles.

e 1965: Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle data included in all Trucks.

f Prior to 1984, excludes most rural and smaller systems funded via Sections 18 and 16(b)(2), Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964, as amended. Also prior to 1984, includes total vehicles owned and leased.

g Beginning in 2011, Motor bus includes Bus, Bus Rapid Transit, and Commuter Bus.

h Beginning in 2011, Light rail cars includes Light Rail, Street Car Rail, and Hybrid Rail.

i Other includes Alaska railroad, automated guideway transit, cable car, ferry boat, inclined plane, monorail, and vanpool.

j Nonself-propelled vessels include dry-cargo barges, tank barges, and railroad-car floats.

k Data for Jan. 1, 1991-June 30, 1991 included in 1990 figure.

l Self-propelled vessels include dry-cargo and/or passenger, offshore supply vessels, railroad-car ferries, tankers, and towboats.

m 1960-2006 data includes private and government owned vessels of 1,000 gross tons and over. Beginning in 2007, data are reported only for privately-owned vessels of 1,000 gross tons and over. Calendar Year 2009 includes privately owned vessels of 10,000 deadweight tons and above not including the Great Lakes vessels. All the data are year-end data.

n Recreational vessels that are required to be numbered in accordance with Chapter 123 of Title 46 U.S.C.

NOTES

Data for 2007-14 were calculated using a new methodology developed by FHWA. Data for these years are based on new categories and are not comparable to previous years. The new category Light duty vehicle, short wheel base replaces the old category Passenger car and includes passenger cars, light trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles with a wheelbase (WB) equal to or less than 121 inches. The new category Light duty vehicle, long wheel base replaces Other 2-axle, 4-tire vehicle and includes large passenger cars, vans, pickup trucks, and sport/utility vehicles with wheelbases (WB) larger than 121 inches. This edition of 1-11 is not comparable to previous editions.

Transit Motor bus figure is also included as part of bus in the Highway category.

Bus and Demand response/Paratransit in these tables refer to a mode of service, not to a specific vehicle type. Demand responsive service, defined as roadway service directly from an origin to a destination determined by the rider and not following a fixed-route, is usually provided by vans, small buses and in a limited number of cases by large buses. Bus service is a variety of roadway services that share the characteristic of being entirely or partially fixed routes. Bus service includes local service, express service, subscription service, diversionary route service, loop service, and other types. Although Bus service is normally provided by buses, it can be provided by smaller vehicles that may be considered large vans.

For more detail on oceangoing vessels, see table 1-23.

Transit data for 1996 and later years are obtained from the National Transit Database and cannot be compared with data for earlier years.

Association of American Railroad changed the equipment reporting style from Railroad Facts 2015 edition, Nonclass I freight cars and Car companies and shippers freight cars data will no longer be provided by AAR.

SOURCES

Air:

Air carrier:

1960-65: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA Statistical Handbook of Aviation, 1970 (Washington, DC: 1970), table 5.3.

1970-75: Ibid., 1979 edition (Washington, DC: 1979), table 5.1.

1980-85: Ibid., Calendar Year 1986 (Washington, DC: 1986), table 5.1.

1990-94: Ibid., Calendar Year 1997 (Washington, DC: unpublished), table 5.1, personal communication, Mar. 19, 1999.

1995-2014: Department of Transportation, Federal aviation administration, FAA Aerospace Forecasts, tables 21, 22, and 27, available at https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation/aerospace_forecasts/ as of Mar. 10, 2016.

General aviation:

1960-65: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA Statistical Handbook of Aviation, 1969 (Washington, DC: 1969), table 9.10.

1970-75: Ibid., Calendar Year 1976 (Washington, DC: 1976), table 8-6.

1980: Ibid., General Aviation Activity Survey, Calendar Year 1980 (Washington, DC: 1981), table 1-3.

1985: Ibid., Calendar Year 1985 (Washington, DC: 1987), table 2-9.

1990-2014: Ibid., General Aviation and Air Taxi Activity Survey (Annual Issues), table 1.2, available at http://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/ as of Mar. 2, 2016.

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 MV-201.

1995-2006: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), table VM-1, available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm as of Nov. 14, 2011.

Light duty vehicle, short wheel base:

2007-14: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), table VM-1, available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm as of Mar. 2, 2016.

Motorcycle:

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

1995-2014: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), table VM-1, available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm as of Mar. 2, 2016.

Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicles:

1970-94: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-PL-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table VM-201A.

1995-2006: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), table VM-1, available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm as of Nov. 14, 2011.

Light duty vehicle, long wheel base:

2007-14: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), table VM-1, available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm as of Mar. 2, 2016.

Single-unit and combination trucks, and buses:

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.

1995-2014: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), table VM-1, available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm as of Mar. 2, 2016.

Transit:

1960-1995: American Public Transit Association, Public Transportation Fact Book, Appendix A: Historical Tables (Washington, DC), table 17 available at: http://www.apta.com/RESOURCES/STATISTICS/Pages/transitstats.aspx as of May 3, 2010.

1996-2014: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, National Transit Database, Annual Data Tables, table 19 (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), available at http://www.ntdprogram.gov/ntdprogram/data.htm as of Mar. 2, 2016.

Rail (all categories, except Amtrak):

1960-2013: Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), pp. 51 and 54 and similar pages in earlier editions.

Class I, freight cars:

2014: Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), pp. 69.

Class I, locomotive

2014: Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), pp. 51..

Amtrak:

Passenger train-cars and locomotives:

1975-80: Amtrak, State and Local Affairs Department, personal communication.

1985-2000: Ibid., Amtrak Annual Report, Statistical Appendix (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), p. 47.

2001-14: Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), p. 77 and similar pages in earlier editions.

Water transportation:

Nonself-propelled vessels and self-propelled vessels:

1960-2013: U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, Waterborne Transportation Lines of The United States, Volume 1, National Summaries (New Orleans, LA : Annual Issues), tables 1, available at http://www.navigationdatacenter.us/veslchar/veslchar.htm as of Aug. 18, 2015.

Oceangoing self-propelled vessels:

1960-2000: U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration, Merchant Fleets of the World (Washington, DC: Annual issues), and unpublished revisions.

2001-14: U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration, United States Flag Privately-Owned Merchant Fleet Summary, available at http://www.marad.dot.gov/resources/data-statistics/#fleet-stats as of Mar. 2, 2016.

Recreational boats:

1960-2014: U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Coast Guard, Boating Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), table 36 and table 35 in earlier editions, available at http://uscgboating.org/library/accident-statistics/2013ReportRevised.pdf as of Mar. 2, 2016.