WASHINGTON: DOT SEES HEALTHY FUTURE FOR AUTOS

An overview of the Department of Transportation's study "National Transportation; Trends and Choices" is presented. The study traces the form and function of the U.S. transportation system (moving goods and people as an integrated whole) through the year 2000. Also, the possible effects of such factors as population movements and economic growth factors in the system are included. The following conclusions relate to the automobile industry. The automobile will continue to dominate passenger travel as well as most shopping trips unless there is a tremendous shift in present traditional values. Should public passenger carriers double their share of presenger traffic over the next 25 years, the automobile would still account for 80% of all trips. Passenger-miles and freight-ton-miles are forcasted for a 50% and 70% increase respectively over the next 15 years. This increase in demand can be met without increasing our energy consumption. Most of the motor vehicle fuel efficiency will be precipitated by the advances in vehicle and engine design and increasing social responsibility in the use of automobiles. Lastly, an increase is projected in the number of licensed drivers and vehicles owned (automobiles, light-duty trucks, vans and recreational vehicles).

• Corporate Authors:

  Chilton Company, Incorporated

  One Chilton Way
  Philadelphia, PA  United States  19089
• Authors:
  • Bolton, E L
• Publication Date: 1977-3-1

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 11
• Serial:
  • CHILTON'S AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES
  • Volume: 156
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: General Motors Corporation

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobile industry; Energy; Fuel consumption; Motor vehicles; Ownership; Policy; Public transit; Socioeconomic factors; Transportation planning
• Old TRIS Terms: Future policies
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; Research; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00149862
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-020 605
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1981 12:00AM