Work Truck Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Gasoline Use Falls to Lowest Level in 30 Years

The average gasoline consumption by Americans is at its lowest level in at least 30 years, according to a report from the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute.

by Staff
March 25, 2015
Gasoline Use Falls to Lowest Level in 30 Years

Photo via iStockPhoto.com.

2 min to read


Photo via iStockPhoto.com.

The average gasoline consumption by Americans is at its lowest level in at least 30 years, according to a report from the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute.

Ad Loading...

The report found that gallons of gasoline consumed per person, driver, vehicle and household have fallen a combined 14 percent to a level not seen since 1984.

Ad Loading...

"Despite population growth of 8 percent, the absolute amount of fuel consumed by light-duty vehicles decreased by 11 percent during the period 2004 — the year of maximum consumption — through 2013," said Michael Sivak, a research professor at UMTRI and director of the Sustainable Worldwide Transportation research consortium.

Sivak says the amount of fuel consumed per driver has dropped 16 percent since 2004 and the amount of fuel consumed per vehicle has dropped 14 percent since 2003.

The report also analyzed changes in the number of vehicles and distance driven per driver and vehicle and found both measures are at their lowest since the 1990s. Some contributing factors for the decline are increased use of public transportation, increased telecommuting, and urbanization of the population, according to Sivak.

"The reductions in the fuel-consumption rates reflect, in part, the added contribution of the improvements in vehicle fuel economy," Sivak said. "Overall, the combined evidence from this and the previous studies indicates that—per person, per driver and per household—we now have fewer light-duty vehicles, we drive each of them less and we consume less fuel than in the past. There is no evidence in the 2013 data that the peaks in the rates that we experienced about 10 years ago were temporary."

Originally posted on Automotive Fleet

More Fuel

Infographic titled “Average Diesel Fuel Prices: July 2026” featuring a fuel nozzle, a line chart of rising on-highway diesel prices, and a regional bar chart showing price changes across U.S. regions with directional arrows.
Fuelby Wayne ParhamJuly 29, 2026

July Diesel Trends Update

The average price of a gallon of diesel increased again this week, and the EIA reported a new national average of $5.31 at the start of the week.

Read More →
Six WEX and Standard Fleet team members pose together in front of a WEX-branded backdrop, commemorating a business partnership or collaboration between the two companies.
Operationsby News/Media ReleaseJuly 29, 2026

WEX Brings Standard Fleet's Connected Vehicle Platform to Fleet Customers

This week’s product launch with Standard Fleet’s connected vehicle platform reflects WEX Venture Capital's strategy of turning startup innovation into customer solutions. Standard Fleet is now available to WEX fleet customers.

Read More →
Teletrac Navman Energy Hub dashboard showing fuel spending, transaction anomalies, and EV charging activity across home, depot, and public charging locations.
Fuelby News/Media ReleaseJuly 28, 2026

Teletrac Navman Adds Mixed-Energy Fleet Tools to TN360

The new Energy Hub combines fuel transactions, EV charging data, vehicle range, and energy costs in one dashboard for fleets operating multiple vehicle and energy types.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Driver uses a smartphone inside a commercial vehicle to access a digital WEX fleet fuel card in Apple Wallet, illustrating mobile fuel payment and fleet card management technology.
Fuelby News/Media ReleaseJuly 15, 2026

WEX DriverDash adds CITGO, Expands Nationwide Access for Fleets

The DriverDash mobile payment app, by WEX, has been integrated into the CITGO merchant network, which means WEX has expanded its U.S. station footprint with the addition of approximately 4,000 CITGO locations.

Read More →
YouTube thumbnail featuring Lauren Fletcher of Work Truck on the left and Sarah Booth of WEX on the right. Large text in the center reads "Mixed Energy Fleet Tips" with "Energy" highlighted in bright green against a dark blue background. Work Truck and TruckChat logos appear at the top, with speaker name labels at the bottom.
Fuelby Lauren FletcherJuly 7, 2026

Mixed Energy Fleet Tips for Balancing EVs, Gas and Diesel Vehicles

Mixed energy fleets are becoming the new normal. Learn how fleet managers are balancing EVs, gas and diesel vehicles while controlling costs and planning for the future.

Read More →
Infographic titled “Average Diesel Fuel Prices: June 2026” featuring a fuel nozzle, a line chart of rising on-highway diesel prices, and a regional bar chart showing price changes across U.S. regions with directional arrows.
Fuelby Wayne ParhamJune 30, 2026

June Diesel Trends Update

The national average price of a gallon of diesel has dropped again, this week by more than 16 cents. All five regions reported lower average prices, ranging from almost 13 cents to more than 28 cents cheaper than a week ago.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Screenshot of the RoadFlex Partner Developer API in Postman displaying the List Transactions endpoint, including request details, Bearer token authentication, and a successful JSON response with sample fuel card transaction data.
Fuelby News/Media ReleaseJune 29, 2026

RoadFlex Launches RoadFlex Direct Open API Platform

RoadFlex Direct connects fuel cards, controls, and data to the telematics and fleet management systems fleets already run, from Geotab and Samsara to Fleetio and RTA, with no separate dashboard or double data entry.

Read More →
View from inside a work truck cab showing a driver’s hands on the steering wheel while traveling through an urban area. The image includes the headline “It All Starts in the Truck Cab” and illustrates how driver behavior influences fuel consumption, operating costs, and fleet performance.
FuelJune 22, 2026

The Key to Fuel Efficiency Sits in the Cab

Learn how driver behavior, telematics, coaching, and fuel data can help fleets improve fuel efficiency, lower costs, and reduce emissions.

Read More →
Infographic from RoadFlex showing the transition from a paper fuel receipt to a digital fuel transaction record, highlighting automated tax-exemption tracking, vehicle matching, department coding, audit trail completion, and audit-ready compliance for public fleet fuel purchases.
Fuelby News/Media ReleaseJune 15, 2026

RoadFlex Brings Fuel Tax Compliance & Audit-Ready Reporting to Government Fleets

RoadFlex now offers its capabilities to help public-sector and public works fleets streamline fuel tax exemptions, reclamation, reconciliation, and audit-ready reporting.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Close-up of fuel pump selection buttons for diesel and gasoline grades at a fueling station, representing digital fuel payment and fleet fueling technology.
Fuelby Lauren FletcherJune 11, 2026

Fillip Fleet Expands Into U.S. Market With Digital Fuel Card Platform

Fillip Fleet expands into the U.S., bringing digital fuel cards, fleet expense controls, and contactless payments to fleets across North America.

Read More →