US Miles Driven flat at 3 Million Miles in the 21st century

Driving in the 21st century: Current trends, future needs

For over half a century, the transportation and urban planning fields have worked within a policy framework that assumes that demand for driving will always increase, both in the aggregate and at the individual level. However, the last decade has called that assumption into question.

For the first time in national history, aggregate driving levels have been relatively flat for a prolonged period, and per-capita driving has actually declined. This turnaround, though a positive trend in terms of environmental impact, creates a challenge with regard to how the country plans, designs, builds, and finances transportation in our cities and metropolitan areas. Considering these inflated projections, are we chasing an outdated model?

National Transportation Statistics | Bureau of Transportation Statistics