The Bureau of Transportation recently released the Pocket Guide to Transportation. The guide contains large quantities of statistics regarding America's transportation system and the nation's society and economy. Some useful information for the automotive repair industry includes: resident population, 265,284,000; median household income, $32,000; average household expenditures, $30,800; and average life expectancy, 76.1 years.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics compiled the statistics in the Pocket Guide to Transportation from multiple sources. The guide is divided into four sections: transportation system extent and use; transportation and the economy; transportation and safety; and transportation, energy and the environment.

The Pocket Guide states that there are more than 3,800,000 miles of interstate highways, National Highway System roads and other roads. These miles are being traveled by more than 2,000,000 motorized vehicles. Males are traveling an average of 44 miles per day while females travel an average of 35 miles per day. Persons between the age of 30-49 travel an average of 47 miles per day while persons over 75 travel an average of 17 miles per day.

The number of vehicles per household varied in 1995 with 19 percent of households having at least three vehicles, 40 percent having two vehicles, 32 percent having one vehicle and 8 percent having no vehicle. For those persons with vehicles, an average of four long-distance trips (at least 100 miles) is taken per year. Married couples without children go a bit more, averaging 5.2 long-distance trips per year. Reasons for long-distance trips varied from going to visit friends to business. Visiting friends ranked highest among individuals 45 to 54, while business ranked lowest among 18 to 24 year olds, and 65 and over.

If you are interested in this type of statistical information, a Pocket Guide to Transportation can be downloaded from the Internet at http://www.dot.gov within the Bureau of Transportation section, or call Denise Caspersen, ASA Research at (800) 272-7467, ext. 236.

Stat Corner is written by Denise Caspersen, ASA's research management specialist. She can be reached at (800) 272-7467, ext. 236.

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