Road travel in the United States continued a four-year upward trend in miles driven, according to the latest traffic volume report released by the Department of Transportation (DOT).
The department’s Federal Highway Administration released the report December 5.
Travel on all roads and streets changed by 2.9 percent, or 7.5 billion vehicle miles, for September as compared with September 2015, per the report. Travel for the month is estimated to have been 265.5 billion vehicle miles.
The September numbers represent the fourth year in a row that miles traveled in September has increased. In 2012, September miles totaled 238.9 billion miles.
Seasonally adjusted vehicle miles traveled for September 2016 totaled 268.7 billion miles, a 2.4 percent (6.3 billion vehicle miles) increase over September 2015, FHWA said. That number also represents a 0.4 percent increase (1.1 billion vehicle miles) compared with August 2016.
Cumulative travel for 2016 went up 3 percent, or 70 billion vehicle miles.
Change in traffic as compared to same month last year:
| Region | Total Miles Traveled (billions) | Percentage Change |
| North-East | 38.9 | 1.7 |
| South-Atlantic | 55.2 | 3.3 |
| North-Central | 60.9 | 1.6 |
| South-Gulf | 52.3 | 2.0 |
| West | 68.3 | 5.5 |
