Table 10.4  U.S. Personal Travel per Household, Driver, and Mode, 1969, 1977, 1983, 1990, and 1995

Characteristics     Year
of personal travel   Unit 1969 1977 1983 1990 1995
               
Persons per household   no. 3.16 2.83 2.69 2.56 2.63
Licensed drivers per household   no. 1.65 1.69 1.72 1.75 1.78
Vehicles per household   no. 1.16 1.59 1.68 1.77 1.78
Daily vehicle trips per household   no. 3.83 3.95 4.07 4.66 6.36
Daily vehicle miles per household   mi. 34.01 32.97 32.16 41.37 57.25
Average vehicle occupancy rate For all purposes persons per vehicle na 1.90 1.75 1.64 1.59
 
To/from work
persons per vehicle na 1.30 1.29 1.14 1.14
 
For family & personal business
persons per vehicle na 2.00 1.81 1.84 1.78
 
For shopping
persons per vehicle na 2.10 1.79 1.71 1.78
 
For social & recreation
persons per vehicle na 2.40 2.12 2.08 2.04
Average vehicle trip length For all purposes mi. 8.90 8.35 7.90 8.85 9.06
 
To/from work
mi. 9.40 9.02 8.55 10.97 11.80
 
For family & personal business
mi. 6.51 6.72 6.68 7.43 6.93
 
For shopping
mi. 4.36 4.99 5.28 5.10 5.64
 
For social & recreation
mi. 13.12 10.27 10.55 11.80 11.24
 
For vacation
mi. 160.00 77.90 113.90 114.90 na
Average distance to work By any mode mi. 9.40 9.20 8.54 10.65 11.63
 
By automobile
mi. 9.40 9.10 9.90 10.40 na
 
By truck
mi. 14.20 10.60 11.40 13.00 na
 
By bus
mi. 8.70 7.20 8.60 9.30 na
Average annual travel per driver By all drivers  1,000 mi. 8.69 10.01 10.54 13.13 13.48
 
By male drivers
1,000 mi. 11.35 13.40 13.96 16.54 16.55
 
By female drivers
1,000 mi. 5.41 5.94 6.38 9.53 10.14
Average annual personal travel per person By any mode  1,000 mi. 7.66 9.47 9.14 12.74 14.12
 
By private vehicle
1,000 mi. na 8.15 7.52 11.26 12.87
 
By public vehicle
1,000 mi. na 0.25 0.24 0.27 0.30
 
By other mode
1,000 mi. na 1.06 1.37 1.21 0.80

Sources:  Hu, P.A. and J.R. Young, Summary of Travel Trends 1995 Natonwide Personal Transportation Survey (Draft). Prepared for U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Center for Transportation Analysis, Oak Ridge, TN, 1999).

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 1990 NPTS Databook: Nationwide Personal Transportation Study, Vol. I (DOT, FHWA, Washington, DC, 1993).

--, 1990 NPTS Databook: Nationwide Personal Transportation Study, Vol. II (DOT, FHWA, Washington, DC, 1995).

Notes:  Household vehicles include automobiles, station wagons, and vanbuses/mini-buses, and, except for 1969, light pickups and other light trucks. Household vehicles are those that are owned, leased, rented, or company owned and left at home to be regularly used by household members. They also include vehicles used solely for business purposes or business-owned vehicles if left at home and used for the home-to-work trip (e.g., taxicabs and police cars). Average vehicle trip length for 1969 is for automobiles only. Family and personal business includes vehicle trips to shop, pickup or deposit passengers, shoe repair, haircuts, etc. Social/recreation includes vehicle trips to visit relatives and friends, go to a movie or play, attend or participate in a sporting event, etc. Private vehicle modes of travel include automobile, van, pick-up truck, and motorcycle. Public transportation includes bus, commuter rail, subway, elevated rail, streetcar, and trolley. Other includes airplane, Amtrak, taxi, school bus, moped, bicycle, and, except for 1969, walking.

Last Updated on Monday, January 3, 2000