U.S. Motorists On The Road Again In Record Numbers
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After a bit of a hiccup due to strong winter storms, U.S. drivers are climbing behind the wheel once again enjoying low gasoline prices and new vehicles that are more fuel efficient than ever, according to new studies.
January figures were down significantly causing many observers to wonder if it was the beginning of a trend or simply the impact of rough winter weather. Now they have their answer.
Motorists set a new record for February logging 232.2 billion miles, which was up 5.6 percent compared with year-ago figures, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Americans, in part, are hitting the road because gas prices, despite a recent resurgence, are still lower than year ago on average. AAA said the average prices of a gallon of gas was $2.15 compared with $2.52 at this time last year.
U.S. drivers drove more than ever last year, clocking a record 3.148 trillion miles behind the wheel, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
The jump in the number of miles Americans are driving comes at a time of increased economic activity, particularly in the auto industry, which sold a record 17.5 million vehicles last year, a 5.7 percent increase over 2014. And while many observers had expected the numbers to flatten out this year, demand has maintained a torrid pace.
Perhaps just as important as the number of vehicles is the fact that they’re more fuel efficient than ever. According to the Consumer Federation of America, 56 percent of new vehicles match or exceed expected targets for fuel economy.
Despite the return to "affordable" gas, consumers have long memories when it comes to gas prices, including the brief period of time when it topped $4 a gallon for parts of the country. So even though large SUVs and crossovers are currently all the rage, if the mileage ratings were not showing significant improvements, they may not be so popular.
CFA’s national consumer survey in March 2016 conducted by ORC International, found that consumers still place great value on fuel efficiency and fuel economy standards, regardless of today’s relatively low gas prices.
January figures were down significantly causing many observers to wonder if it was the beginning of a trend or simply the impact of rough winter weather. Now they have their answer.
Motorists set a new record for February logging 232.2 billion miles, which was up 5.6 percent compared with year-ago figures, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Americans, in part, are hitting the road because gas prices, despite a recent resurgence, are still lower than year ago on average. AAA said the average prices of a gallon of gas was $2.15 compared with $2.52 at this time last year.
U.S. drivers drove more than ever last year, clocking a record 3.148 trillion miles behind the wheel, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
The jump in the number of miles Americans are driving comes at a time of increased economic activity, particularly in the auto industry, which sold a record 17.5 million vehicles last year, a 5.7 percent increase over 2014. And while many observers had expected the numbers to flatten out this year, demand has maintained a torrid pace.
Perhaps just as important as the number of vehicles is the fact that they’re more fuel efficient than ever. According to the Consumer Federation of America, 56 percent of new vehicles match or exceed expected targets for fuel economy.
Despite the return to "affordable" gas, consumers have long memories when it comes to gas prices, including the brief period of time when it topped $4 a gallon for parts of the country. So even though large SUVs and crossovers are currently all the rage, if the mileage ratings were not showing significant improvements, they may not be so popular.
CFA’s national consumer survey in March 2016 conducted by ORC International, found that consumers still place great value on fuel efficiency and fuel economy standards, regardless of today’s relatively low gas prices.
