Total vehicle miles of travel (VMT) in the U.S. have declined from 2007 to 2008. The latest data available, September 2008, shows a 4.4% decline in travel that varies by region. Comparing September 2007 to September 2008, the South Atlantic and South Gulf regions experienced VMT declines of more than 5%. Total U.S. cumulative VMT for 2008 (January-September) is 3.5% less than the same time period one year ago.

VMT by Region (in billons), September 2008
[Percentage Change Compared to Same Month Last Year]
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Supporting Information

VMT by Region, September 2008
RegionTotal Travel
(billions)
Percentage Change,
Sept. 2007 to
Sept. 2008
South-Atlanta48.2-5.7%
South-Gulf45.0-5.2%
North-East37.3-3.4%
North-Central53.4-4.0%
West49.0-3.6%
Total232.8-4.4%

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Traffic Volume Trends September 2008 (PDF 154 KB). Download Acrobat Reader.

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