Moving People

The U.S. transportation system makes personal mobility possible. Every day people use the transportation system to get to and from work, school, and shopping and for recreational, social, and personal purposes.

Vehicle-Miles Traveled

Notes:
U.S. air carrier, domestic measured in revenue aircraft-miles. Light-duty vehicle includes passenger cars, light trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicles. Passenger rail measured in passenger car-miles. Light rail was revised beginning in 2011 and includes light rail, street car rail, and hybrid rail.

Source:
As cited in U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, National Transportation Statistics, table 1-35, available at https://www.bts.gov/nts.

Highway Travel

Notes:
Data for 2007 and later years may not be comparable to previous years due to changes in methodology.

Sources:
U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics, available at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm/ .

Passenger-Miles Traveled

Notes:
Light-duty vehicle includes passenger cars, light trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicles. Amtrak is measured in revenue passenger-miles. Light rail was revised beginning in 2011 and includes light rail, street car rail, and hybrid rail.

Sources:
As cited in U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, National Transportation Statistics, table 1-40, available at https://www.bts.gov/nts.

Transit Ridership

Notes:
Includes bus, commuter rail, demand response, heavy rail, light rail, trolley bus, ferry boat, aerial tramway, automated guideway, cable car, inclined plane, monorail, and other.

Sources:
American Public Transportation Association, Public Transportation Fact Book, Appendix, available at http://www.apta.com/Pages/default.aspx/ .

Daily Passenger Travel

Notes:
The 2017 NHTS includes a different methodology compared to previous years such as an address-based sample including more urban and cell phone only households.  The usual mode is defined as the means of transportation usually used to go to work in the week prior to the travel day. Public transit includes local bus, commuter bus, commuter train, subway, trolley, and streetcar.  Other includes travel modes not specifically cited, such as motorcycle, taxi, bike, truck, and other.

Sources:
U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 2017 National Household Travel Survey, available at https://nhts.ornl.gov/.

Commute Mode Share

Notes:
Percents may not add to 100 due to rounding. The American Community Survey asks for the mode usually used by the respondent to get to work. For more than one mode of transportation, respondents select the mode use for most of the distance traveled. Other includes walk, bike, motorcycle, taxi, and other means.

Source:
As cited in U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, National Transportation Statistics, table 1-41, available at http://www.bts.gov/.

Amtrak Ridership

Sources:
U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, available at http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/officeofsafety/default.aspx/ .

Top 10 Amtrak Stations

Note:
Includes passenger boardings and alightings.

Sources:
Amtrak, National Fact Sheet and State Fact Sheet, available at https://www.amtrak.com/home.html .

U.S. Air Carrier Passenger Traffic

Notes:
Includes passenger enplanements on scheduled services only (domestic and international flights).

Sources:
U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of Airline Information, T-100 Market data, available at www.bts.gov.

Top 10 U.S. Airports

Note:
Includes passenger enplanements on U.S. carrier scheduled domestic and international service and foreign carrier scheduled international service to and from the United States.

Sources:
U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, National Transportation Statistics, table 1-44, available at www.bts.gov.

Top 10 World Airports

Key: LHR = London Heathrow Airport; PVG = Shanghai Pudong Airport; CDG = Charles de Gaulle Airport

Notes: 
Preliminary data for passengers enplaned, deplaned, and passengers in transit.

Source:
Airports Council International, available at www.aci.aero/.

Top 20 U.S. Gateways for Nonstop International Air Travel

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of Airline Information, T-100 International Segment Data, special calculation, September 2023.

Incoming Land Border Person Crossings

Notes:
Excludes drivers and passengers in commercial trucks.

Sources:
U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Border Crossing Entry Data, retrieved from https://www.bts.gov/content/border-crossingentry-data/ .

Top 5 Land Ports of Entry

Notes: 
Excludes drivers and passengers in commercial trucks.

Sources: 
U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Border Crossing Entry Data, retrieved from https://www.bts.gov/content/border-crossingentry-data/ .