Thursday, October 22, 2009

Americans Get Their Driving Mojo Back Over the Summer; Largest 3-Month Increase Since 2004

The chart above shows the percent change in U.S. traffic volume through August (from the same month in the previous year), in a report released today by the Federal Highway Administration (data and report here). After falling for 17 consecutive months starting in November 2007, traffic volume has increased in 4 out of the last 5 months. The 0.7% August increase follows increases of 2.2% in July and 1.9% in June, and is the first time since late 2006 of 3 consecutive monthly increases in traffic volume, and the largest 3-month increase since early 2004 (see shaded areas in chart above).

The chart below displays traffic volume as a moving 12-month total, showing a similar pattern to the percentage monthly increase above. After falling for 16 straight months going back to December 2007, the moving 12-month total has now increased 3 months in a row, and in 4 out of the last 5 months, and marks the largest 3-month increase in traffic volume (12-month total) since the spring of 2006, more than three years ago.


MP: The rebound in traffic volume over the summer of 2009 is another sign that the recession probably ended in June.

3 Comments:

At 10/22/2009 1:00 PM, Anonymous Rand said...

Is the recession over or is the price of gasoline just lower?

It would be interesting to correlate the price of gasoline with the amount of driving done.

 
At 10/22/2009 1:18 PM, Blogger Free2Choose said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 10/22/2009 3:05 PM, Blogger juandos said...

"After falling for 17 consecutive months starting in November 2007, traffic volume has increased in 4 out of the last 5 months"...

Well in the St. Louis, Mo area that might come to a screeching halt due to the very recent gasoline price hikes over the last couple of weeks...

 

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