Freight Facts and Figures 2009

Tables 5-9 and 5-9M. Combination Truck Fuel Consumption and Travel: 1980-2007

In contrast to single-unit trucks, miles per gallon by combination trucks (based on total travel and fuel consumption) decreased about 4 percent over the past 27 years. During the same period, vehicle miles traveled more than doubled, resulting in a doubling of gallons of fuel consumed.

Table 5-9 (standard units)

Table in Excel format | Historical data

	1980	1990	2000	2006	2007
Number registered (thousands)	1,417	1,709	2,097	2,170	2,221
Vehicle miles traveled (millions)	68,678	94,341	135,020	(R) 142,169	145,008
Fuel consumed (million gallons)	13,037	16,133	25,666	(R) 28,107	28,515
Average miles traveled per vehicle	48,472	55,206	64,399	(R) 65,526	65,290
Average miles traveled per gallon	5.3	5.8	5.3	5.1	5.1
Average fuel consumed per vehicle (gallons)	9,201	9,441	12,241	(R) 12,954	12,839

Key: R = revised.

Source:

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: annual issues), table VM-1 and similar tables in earlier editions, available at www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2007/ as of April 1, 2009.

Table 5-9M (metric units)

Table in Excel format | Historical data

	1980	1990	2000	2006	2007
Number registered (thousands)	1,417	1,709	2,097	2,170	2,221
Vehicle kilometers traveled (millions)	110,527	151,827	217,294	(R) 228,788	233,357
Fuel consumed (million liters)	49,350	61,070	97,155	(R) 106,384	107,929
Average kilometers traveled per vehicle	78,008	88,845	103,640	(R) 105,449	105,069
Average kilometers traveled per liter	2.2	2.5	2.2	2.2	2.2
Average fuel consumed per vehicle (liters)	34,831	35,737	46,339	(R) 49,032	48,595

Key: R = revised.

Notes:

1 kilometer = 0.6214 miles; 1 liter = 0.2642 gallons.

Source:

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