US driving reaches eight month decline

WASHINGTON (Aug. 13, 2008) - Since last November, Americans have

decreased their driving by 53.2 billion miles over the same period the

previous year, according to data from the U.S. Department of

Transportation (DOT).

The report also showed that in June alone, Americans drove 12.2 billion

fewer miles than in June 2007. Rural travel has been hit hardest,

falling by 4 percent in the last eight months, compared to a

1.2-percent drop in urban miles traveled.

Less travel miles means less revenue for the federal Highway Trust

Fund, which relies on taxes generated from gasoline and diesel fuel

sales, DOT said. During the first quarter of 2008, motorists used about

400 million fewer gallons of gas, or 1.3 percent less than in the same

period in 2007. Americans also used 318 million fewer gallons of diesel

fuel.

“We can't afford to continue pinning our transportation network's

future to the gas tax,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said

in a DOT statement. “Advances in higher fuel efficiency vehicles and

alternative fuels are making the gas tax an even less sustainable

support for funding roads, bridges and transit systems.”

In July, Ms. Peters unveiled DOT's transportation reform plan, which

gives lawmakers a number of options for overhauling the nation's

funding strategy on transportation related projects.