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Explaining the Evolution of Passenger Vehicle Miles Traveled in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Leard, Benjamin

    (Resources for the Future)

  • Linn, Joshua

    (Resources for the Future)

  • Munnings, Clayton

    (Resources for the Future)

Abstract

After growing steadily for several decades, passenger vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the United States unexpectedly leveled off in the 2000s. The growth rate of VMT has since rebounded, and determining the factors that explain these developments has implications for future US oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. We show that changes in the demographic and economic characteristics of households in the United States, rather than changes in driving habits, explain most of the recent dynamics. These results suggest that over the next decade, VMT in the United States will continue to grow roughly at historical rates, causing substantially higher oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions than if persistent changes in household driving habits explained the recent changes in VMT.

Suggested Citation

  • Leard, Benjamin & Linn, Joshua & Munnings, Clayton, 2016. "Explaining the Evolution of Passenger Vehicle Miles Traveled in the United States," RFF Working Paper Series dp-16-38, Resources for the Future.
    • Handle: RePEc:rff:dpaper:dp-16-38
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    File URL: http://www.rff.org/RFF/documents/RFF-DP-16-38.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicholas Rivers, Randall Wigle, 2018. "An evaluation of policy options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector: The cost-effectiveness of regulations versus emissions pricing," LCERPA Working Papers 0107, Laurier Centre for Economic Research and Policy Analysis, revised 01 Jan 2018.
    2. A. Wren Montgomery & Kimberly S. Wolske & Thomas P. Lyon, 2021. "The Millennial ‘Meh’: Correlated Groups as Collective Agents in the Automobile Field," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(3), pages 673-717, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • Q4 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics
    • L62 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Automobiles; Other Transportation Equipment; Related Parts and Equipment

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