Driving Is Dropping In The U.S.

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Driving Is Dropping In The U.S.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - 03:38 PM

WNYC
By Jim O'Grady




America's "driving boom" is over. So says a study by U.S. Public Interest Group, which found that after six decades of steady increases in drivership, the trend has reversed.

The study says the turning point came in 2004, when miles driven per capita dropped for the first time since the end of World War II. It's been dropping ever since. Total miles driven by Americans has been declining since 2007. (See chart above.)

As Baby Boomers retire from the ranks of commuters, they're being replaced by 16 to 34 year-olds, who drive about 25 percent less than they did in 2001 –a greater decline in driving than any other age group. Another study found that the percentage of young people with a driver's license has been dropping since the early 1980's.

That's partly because traffic congestion has been slowing commutes since the early 90s. And it's because young people are more likely to use mass transit and live in walkable neighborhoods. ....................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/transportation-nation/2013/may/14/driving-declining-us/