(millions)

Embedded Dataset Excel:

Dataset Excel:

Notes:

In July 1997, the FHWA published revised vehicle-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. This category was calculated prior to rounding. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Transit data from 1996 and after are not comparable to the data for earlier years or to the data published in previous editions of the report due to different data sources used.

Description:

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

^a All operations other than those operating under 14 CFR 121 and 14 CFR 135. Data for 1996 are estimated using new information on nonrespondents and are not comparable to earlier years. Mileage in source is multiplied by 1.151 to convert to nautical-miles for 1985-1997.

^b Data from 2007 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 1-35 is not comparable to those before the 2019 edition.

^c 1960–65, Motorcycle data are included in Light duty vehicle, short wheel base, and Light duty vehicle, long wheel base data are included in Truck, single-unit 2-axle 6-tire or more.

^d Motor bus, Commuter bus and Demand response figures are also included in the Bus figure for Highway.

^e Prior to 1985, excludes Demand response and most rural and smaller systems funded via Sections 18 and 16(b)2, Federal Transit Act. The series is not continuous between 1980 and 1985. Transit rail modes are measured in car-miles. Car-miles measure individual vehicle-miles in a train. A 10-car train traveling 1 mile would equal 1 train-mile and 10 car-miles.

^f Beginning in 2011, Light rail includes Light Rail, Street Car Rail, and Hybrid Rail.

^g Ferry boat included with Other under Transit for 1980 and 1985.

^h Other includes Aerial Tramway, Alaska Railroad, Bus Rapid Transit, Cable Car, Commuter Bus, Demand Response - Taxi, Inclined Plane, Monorail/Automated Guideway, Publico and Vanpool.

ⁱ National Passenger Railroad Corporation (Amtrak) began operations in 1971.

^j Although both Train-miles and Car-miles are shown for rail, only Train-miles are included in the total. A Train-mile is the movement of a train, which can consist of multiple vehicles (cars), the distance of 1 mile. This differs from a vehicle-mile, which is the movement of 1 vehicle the distance of 1 mile. A 10-vehicle train traveling 1 mile would be measured as 1 train-mile and 10 vehicle-miles. Caution should be used when comparing train-miles with vehicle miles.

Source:

Air:

Air carrier:

1960: Civil Aeronautics Board, Handbook of Airline Statistics 1969 (Washington, DC: 1970), part III, table 2.

1965-70: Civil Aeronautics Board, Handbook of Airline Statistics 1973 (Washington, DC: 1974), part III, table 2.

1975-2023: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T1: U.S. Air Carrier Traffic and Capacity Summary by Service Class, Revenue Aircraft Miles Flown by Carrier Group (1-6) and Carrier Region (D for domestic) for all services (Z for all services), available at https://www.transtats.bts.gov/homepage.asp as of Jul. 6, 2024.

General aviation:

1960-65: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA Statistical Handbook of Aviation 1972 (Washington, DC: 1973), table 9.10.

1970-75: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA Statistical Handbook of Aviation 1976 (Washington, DC: 1976), table 8-5.

1980: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board estimate, personal communication, Dec. 7, 1998.

1985-92: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, General Aviation Activity and Avionics Survey (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), table 3.3.

1993-97: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, General Aviation and Air Taxi Activity and Avionics Survey (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), table 3.3.  

Highway:

1960-94: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, table VM-201A, available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm as of Jan 6, 2020. 

1995-2022: 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 Jul. 6, 2024.

Transit:

1960-95: American Public Transportation Association, Public Transportation Fact Book (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), tables 6, 51, and similar tables in earlier editions.

1996-2009: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, National Transit Database, Transit Operating Stats.

2010-22: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, National Transit Database (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), Annual Database Service, available at https://www.transit.dot.gov/ntd/ntd-data as of Nov. 2, 2023.

Rail:

Class I rail freight train- and car-miles:

Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), p. 36 and 37.

Intercity/Amtrak train-miles:

1960-70: Association of American Railroads, Yearbook of Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: 1975), p. 39.

1975-2001: Amtrak, Amtrak Annual Report, Statistical Appendix (Washington, DC: Annual Issues).

2002-22: Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), p. 73.

Intercity/Amtrak car-miles:

1960-75: Association of American Railroads, Yearbook of Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: 1975), p. 40.

1980-2000: Amtrak, Amtrak Corporate Reporting, Route Profitability System, personal communication, 2001.

2001-22: Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), p. 73.