One source of data that I frequently cite is National Transportation Statistics, which is compiled and regularly updated by the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Table 1-40 in particular shows passenger-miles in the United States broken down by mode, with annual data going back as far as 1960 for at least some of the modes.
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The table shows four general categories: air, highway, transit, and rail. Note that almost all of the modes listed under “transit” are also listed under either “highway” or “rail,” so the total is less than the sum of all of the categories. I also don’t count the passenger-miles shown for heavy trucks, as these represent drivers and truck drivers are no more “passengers” than airline pilots or Amtrak engineers. Continue reading
