High way Finance Data Collection

Our Nation's Highways: 2010

Figure 3-1. Registered Vehicle Growth Trend-Automobiles, Trucks, and Busses: 1970-2008

Data available in Excel format

In the past four decades, the number of registered vehicles in the country has been growing, and the number as compared to the number of licensed drivers has also been growing. Before 1975, the country had roughly 1.0 vehicle per licensed driver. Since then, the ownership of vehicles on a licensed driver basis has been increasing at an accelerating rate, reaching 1.2 at the end of 2008.

Data Source: US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Highway Policy Information, Highway Statistics.