Vehicle Miles Traveled

The Appeal of In-Town Big Box

Emily Badger recounts the litany of gripes about Big Box stores, then proceeds to present the results of a recent study that shows why they may not be so bad after all.

February 12, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Behind the Decline in Driving

Driving is down in the U.S. and countries all over the world, according to a variety of studies. This piece from New Scientist looks into why the road is less traveled.

August 18, 2011 - New Scientist

Driving Up, But Down Per Capita

New data from the Federal Highway Administration shows that vehicle miles traveled are up to their highest level since 2007. But when population growth is factored in, those levels drop significantly.

March 9, 2011 - Brookings Institution

Adios Automobile!

TheCityFix looks at the future of the automobile in cities and the possibilities of moving people in to alternative modes in times when car ownership rates are still exploding.

December 9, 2010 - TheCityFix

The Looming Era of VMT

The gas tax is becoming an increasingly outdated and unsustainable idea. This piece from Miller McCune looks at the prospect of replacing it with a tax based on vehicle miles traveled.

October 16, 2010 - Miller-McCune

The Hidden Cost of Improved Fuel Efficiency

Increasing vehicle standards means decreasing gasoline usage--and tax revenues. A new report suggests that a wholesale rethinking of how we pay for transportation infrastructure may be in order.

October 7, 2010 - Miller-McCune

Americans Driving at 2005 Levels

Americans are driving fewer miles than they were a year ago, despite an improving economy. Some say the American demand for oil will be low throughout the rest of this year.

May 27, 2010 - USA Today

Reductions in Vehicle Miles Traveled a Slow, Difficult Process

Two representatives of a committee charged with implementing reductions in VMT to meet California's SB 375 goals discuss the challenges.

June 7, 2009 - The Planning Report

Guiding the Next Federal Transportation Spending Bill

Legislation is being introduced in Congress to guide the course of the next five years of federal transportation spending, focusing on reducing per capita vehicle miles traveled and decreasing truck freight shipping.

May 15, 2009 - The Washington Post

No Plans For Federal VMT Tax Switch

Amid talk by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood of converting the gas tax into a vehicle miles traveled tax, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stated that the plan "will not be the policy of the Obama administration."

February 22, 2009 - Newsday

Report Shows Driving Trends Have Been on Downward Path For Years

Though the recent decline in vehicle miles traveled has been commonly linked with this year's rise in gas prices, VMT has been on the way down for years, according to a new report from the Brookings Institution.

December 17, 2008 - The Brookings Institution

Transit Ridership is Still High

Despite falling gas prices, transit ridership is still up. The amount of Vehicle Miles Traveled is also down for the 11th month in a row.

December 9, 2008 - The Washington Post

Are transit ridership numbers more pomp than substance?

The American Public Transit Association reports that transit ridership climbed to 10.3 billion trips during the first quarter of 2008, the “highest number of trips taken in fifty years.” That represents a 3.3 percent increase overall over the previous year while vehicle miles traveled, a measure of demand for car travel, fell by 2.3 percent, they observe.

June 11, 2008 - Samuel Staley

Implications of Driving Less

A new report from the American Public Transportation Association hypothesizes that people who live in places shaped by transit tend to drive less thereby reducing their overall petroleum use and their carbon footprint.

March 16, 2008 - American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

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