Americans drove 12.2 billion fewer miles in June than the same month last year, according to the Federal Highway Administration. The 4.7% decline was the biggest monthly driving drop in a downward trend that began in November.
Here’s the breakdown:
– Overall, Americans drove 53.2 billion fewer miles November through June than they did over the same eight-month period a year earlier.
– That’s a larger decline than the 49.3 billion fewer miles driven by Americans over the entire decade of the 1970s, a period marked by oil embargoes and gas lines.
– Four out of ten people said they have used public transportation, walked or ridden a bicycle more frequently since gas prices have risen.
– Gas consumption was down, too. 400 million fewer gallons of gasoline and 318 million fewer gallons of diesel were consumed in the first quarter of 2008 than in the same period in 2007.