TRANSPORTATION ENERGY DATA BOOK: EDITION 22 - Center for ...

In 2000 there were 1.12 vehicles for every licensed driver in the U.S. Vehicle-miles per capita have nearly
reached 10,000 miles.
Table 11.2
Population and Vehicle Ratios, 1950–2000
Vehicles per Vehicle-miles Licensed drivers Vehicles per
Vehicles per
civilian employed
Year
capita
per capita per household licensed driver persons
1950 0.28 3,029 1.43 0.70 0.73
1955 0.34 3,656 1.56 0.75 0.90
1960 0.37 3,994 1.65 0.76 1.01
1965 0.42 4,587 1.72 0.83 1.15
1970 0.48 5,440 1.76 0.88 1.25
1975 0.56 6,162 1.82 0.92 1.40
1980 0.62 6,722 1.80 0.96 1.41
1985 0.66 7,460 1.81 1.00 1.47
1986 0.68 7,641 1.80 1.02 1.48
1987 0.69 7,929 1.81 1.03 1.49
1988 0.70 8,286 1.79 1.05 1.49
1989 0.71 8,494 1.78 1.06 1.50
1990 0.72 8,596 1.79 1.07 1.51
1991 0.72 8,614 1.79 1.07 1.54
1992 0.71 8,811 1.81 1.05 1.53
1993 0.72 8,908 1.80 1.08 1.55
1994 0.72 9,056 1.81 1.08 1.53
1995 0.74 9,219 1.78 1.10 1.55
1996 0.75 9,372 1.80 1.10 1.56
1997 0.75 9,566 1.81 1.10 1.55
1998 0.76 9,737 1.80 1.11 1.56
1999 0.77 9,870 1.80 1.12 1.57
2000 0.78 9,995 1.82 1.12 1.58
Average annual percentage change
1950–2000 2.1% 2.4% 0.5% 0.9% 1.6%
1990–2000 0.8% 1.5% 0.2% 0.5% 0.5%
Source:
Resident population, total households, and civilian employed persons - U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the
Census, Statistical Abstract of the United States–2001, 121st edition, Washington, DC, 2001, pp. 8, 49, 367, and
annual. (Additional resources: www.census.gov)
Vehicles in operation - The Polk Company. FURTHER REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED. (Additional resources:
www.polk.com)
Licensed drivers and vehicle-miles - U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway
Statistics 2000, Tables DL-20 and VM-1, and annual.
(Additional resources: www.fhwa.dot.gov)
TRANSPORTATION ENERGY DATA BOOK: EDITION 22—2002
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