ohim/tvtw/09jantvt Travel Trends (January 2009) - January 2009

Travel Trends (January 2009)

Based on preliminary reports from the State Highway Agencies, travel during January 2009 on all roads and streets in the nation changed by -3.1 percent (-7.0 billion vehicle miles) resulting in estimated travel for the month at 222.4** billion vehicle-miles.

This total includes 73.0 billion vehicle-miles on rural roads and 149.5 billion vehicle-miles on urban roads and streets.

Cumulative Travel changed by -3.1 percent (-7.0 billion vehicle miles).

The larger changes to rural and urban travel are primarily because of the expansion in urban boundaries reflected in the 2000 census. Travel estimates for 2004 and beyond will also reflect this adjustment.

Travel for the current month, the cumulative yearly total, as well as the moving 12-month total on all roads and streets is shown below. Similar totals for each year since 1984 are also included.

Travel in Millions of Vehicle Miles All Roads and Streets
Year	January	Year to Date	Moving 12-Month
1984	122,529	122,529	1,652,201
1985	124,122	124,122	1,718,362
1986	132,998	132,998	1,783,639
1987	139,918	139,918	1,845,160
1988	148,879	148,879	1,933,289
1989	159,750	159,750	2,036,457
1990	163,600	163,600	2,110,889
1991	157,889	157,889	2,141,790
1992	167,652	167,652	2,181,977
1993	171,680	171,680	2,251,180
1994	169,314	169,314	2,294,338
1995	193,838	193,838	2,382,111
1996	183,465	183,465	2,412,403
1997	190,126	190,126	2,488,862
1998	196,870	196,870	2,567,117
1999	193,581	193,581	2,622,074
2000	203,442	203,442	2,689,319
2001	209,680	209,680	2,753,163
2002	215,200	215,200	2,801,069
2003	218,502	218,502	2,858,564
2004	222,454	222,454	2,893,627
2005	224,094	224,094	2,965,808
2006	233,329	233,329	2,998,630
2007	233,716	233,716	3,014,722
2008	229,473	229,473	3,025,548
2009	222,447	222,447	2,916,180

Traffic Volume Trends is a monthly report based on hourly traffic count data. These data, collected at approximately 4,000 continuous traffic counting locations nationwide, are used to determine the percent change in traffic for the current month compared to the same month in the previous year. This percent change is applied to the travel for the same month of the previous year to obtain an estimate of travel for the current month. Because of the limited sample sizes, caution should be used with theses estimates. The highway Performance Monitoring System provides more accurate information on an anual basis.

** System entries may not add up to the give "All Systems" total due to rounding on pages 2 to 8.

January 2009 Traffic Volume Trends

Travel Trends (January 2009)