DOT: Vehicle Miles Traveled in May Rose 2.2% vs. Year Ago

    

   OAKHURST, N.J. (DTN) -- The most recent data from the Federal Highway 
Administration showed Americans drove 5.9 billion or 2.2% more miles in May 
than they did during the corresponding month in 2016.

   The FHA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation, reported 
that based on preliminary reports from the State Highways Agencies, U.S. 
drivers traveled an estimated 281.2 billion miles during the month profiled.

   This total includes 85.6 billion vehicle-miles on rural roads and 195.6 
billion vehicle-miles on urban roads and streets. 

   The seasonally adjusted vehicle miles traveled for May is 267.2 billion 
miles, a decline of 1.0 billion miles or 0.4% from the prior month but 4.3 
billion miles or 1.6% higher than in May 2016.

   Cumulative travel for the first five months of the year is 1,300.1 billion 
vehicle miles, 21.2 billion vehicle miles or 1.7% higher than the same period 
in 2016.

   In the U.S. North-East region, total miles traveled during May rose 1.5% 
versus the same month in 2016 to 39.4 billion miles. In the South-Atlantic, VMT 
totaled 60.6 billion miles, 2.4% higher than May 2016 levels, while VMT in the 
West jumped 3.2% from the same month a year ago to 62.0 billion miles.

   The North-Central region reported a gain of 1.5% in VMT versus May 2016 to 
62.4 billion miles, while the South-Gulf region reported VMT rose 2.0% from the 
corresponding month a year ago to 56.8 billion miles. 

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