U.S. DOT releases monthly transportation indicators

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released its monthly Transportation Indicators report detailing critical transportation information impacting the U.S. and, it follows, the North American economy.

Among the findings were indications that employment in motor vehicle and equipment manufacturing was down 4 percent from December 2000 to January 2001, that that period represented the largest decrease in 10 years in spending by consumers and producers on transportation equipment ,and that medium/heavy truck sales were down 19 percent in January 2001 from the same time last year. (Car sales were down nearly 5 percent for the same time period).

World crude oil prices were up almost nine percent for the week of Feb. 9, 2001 from the previous week , contributing to the cost of jet fuel for scheduled service by large air carriers, which reached 90 cents per gallon in December 2000, nearly 50 percent above December 1999.

Trade with Mexico, over the last year, continued on a positive increase, with trade by truck up 12 percent, by rail up 73 percent and by pipeline up 42 percent . Transportation energy use rose less than one percent from October 1999 to October 2000, while energy use per dollar GDP declined over 2 percent.