US Drivers Logging Fewer Miles

The Federal Highway Administration issues a monthly estimate on the number of miles driven in the US. For the month of November 2011, US drivers logged 240.9 billion millions. That’s 2.1 billion miles less than the total in November 2010.

For the 12-month period to November 2011, miles driven fell by -1.4%, or 38.3 billion fewer miles driven. For the rolling 12-month periods, US drivers have been driving less in each of the last 48 months. That’s really a huge change in US driving habits. Over the past 30 years, the only other long stretch of decline came in the 1980s, and it only lasted 12 months.

High prices, a weak economy, and, most important, a change in drivers’ habits are likely responsible for the steady decline.