Chart of the Day: US Fuel Consumption 1999-2018

Via the Federal Highway Administration Twitter account, today’s chart shows US fuel consumption continues to increase year over year. This represents the seventh straight year of increase.

Fuel Consumption

Specific information about commercial and personal use by state, including Minnesota, is available at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2018/mf21.cfm.

About Julie Kosbab

Julie Kosbab is an online marketing consultant and active transportation advocate living in Anoka County, Minnesota. She was one of Minnesota's only League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructors when certified in 2005, and is no longer lonely in that calling. A past member of the National Bicycle Tour Directors Association, she has 2 children and a garage full of bicycles. Find her on Twitter as @betweenstations, or read her (seldom updated) blog at Ride Boldly!

6 thoughts on “Chart of the Day: US Fuel Consumption 1999-2018

    1. Liam Glover

      I think the true reason is just “more vehicles”. Not focusing on this is a misstep in my mind. We need to stop incentivizing vehicle sales/production. Shift the production capacity to trains/alternative transport methods.

      Also, although Trucks and SUVs keep getting bigger, these Trucks, SUVs and Cars are much more efficient than in the past. Comparing a 1999 Chevrolet Lumina with a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox FWD shows that the 2018 car consumes over 1 gallon less of fuel per 100 miles. In general, the total motor vehicle fleet is more efficient than it was 20 years ago.

      The yearly registration cost for my 2001 Subaru should probably not be 10% of my wife’s 2014 Ford that uses 1.7 gallons less of fuel per 100 miles. Right now, the economics favor me driving the Subaru to the ground instead of taking Public Transit for my trips.

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