U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Created On: 8/30/2017
May 2017 Reporting Period
Based on State-reported data (43 entries) and estimated data where States did not report, gasoline consumption for January - May 2017 changed by 0.2 percent compared to the same period in 2016. (1)
The gasoline volume shown in this report is a cumulative tabulation of gross volume reported by wholesale distributors to State motor fuel tax agencies. It includes highway use, non-highway use, and losses. There is a lag of up to six weeks between the wholesale transactions reported and retail sales to consumers. Travel trends are reported monthly in Traffic Volume Trends based on actual traffic counts at permanent traffic recorders operated by the State highway agencies and reflect highway use of fuel. The vehicle-miles reported includes all vehicles, regardless of fuel type. While data in both reports reflect changes in trends, large monthly changes can be caused by exceptional weather conditions, variations in timing of holidays, or processing delays.
Based on State-reported data (43 entries) and estimated data where States did not report, gasoline consumption for January - May 2017 changed by 0.2 percent compared to the same period in 2016. (1)
Traditionally, State fuel tax rates could only be changed with legislation, but 10 States now have variable rate motor fuel taxes. These taxes are adjusted at specified intervals annually, semi-annually, or quarterly--usually on the table, MF-121T. Adjustments to variable tax rates are announced by State tax agencies shortly before the effective date of the change.
(1) This percentage change is a comparison for those States for which data are available for the report month. However, the percentage change on the national mapis a comparison of cumulative data for all States--reported and estimated--for which both 2016 and 2017 data are available.