University uncovers personal expenditure of American on transportation comparison

Total transportation expenditures in 2016 corresponded to 15.8% of all personal expenditures, down from 18.9% in 1989. Meanwhile, analogous trends were present for the lowest and highest quintiles of income, according to a new report by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute. The report is based on data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey and performed by the Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labour Statistics.
October 3, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Total transportation expenditures in 2016 corresponded to 15.8% of all personal expenditures, down from 18.9% in 1989. Meanwhile, analogous trends were present for the lowest and highest quintiles of income, according to a new report by the 5594 University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute.

The report is based on data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey and performed by the Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labour Statistics. It compared expenditures for all households as well as those at two extremes of income in 1989 and 2016.

Other findings include a higher relative expenditure for gasoline and motor oil for the lowest quintile of income than for the highest quintile of income. Secondly, transportation accounted for the second largest budget category in both 2016 and 1989. Meanwhile, transportation expenditures relative to the expenditures for housing and food decreased. In addition, transportation expenditures for the lowest quintile of income were lower than food expenditures in both years, contrasting transportation expenditures for the highest quintile of income were higher than food expenditures in both years. Finally, transportation expenditure adjusted for inflation decreased by 11.3% from 1989 to 2016.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • San Diego: Let there be (street)light
    March 30, 2020
    The influence of intelligent streetlights is spreading. David Crawford finds that San Diego’s deployment – and attendant legislation – may offer a blueprint for other cities going forward
    Read More
  • Consumer interest builds for 'gateway' automated vehicle technologies, says study
    April 29, 2016
    Trust in automation technology is very much age dependent, as younger consumers have a notably higher level of confidence in the technology than their older counterparts, according to the J.D. Power 2016 US Tech Choice Study, which says trust in automation technology is a critical step toward the future of automated vehicles. The study was conducted in February through March 2016 and is based on an online survey of more than 7,900 consumers who purchased/leased a new vehicle in the past five years.
    Read More
  • Motorists prefer 'no self-driving capability’, says survey
    May 24, 2016
    The latest report by Brandon Schoettle and Michael Sivak, Sustainable Worldwide Transportation at the University of Michigan, builds on their recent series of eight reports addressing public opinion, human factors, and safety-related issues concerning self-driving vehicles. An identical survey to that used in 2015 was administered. The survey was developed to examine motorists’ preferences among levels of vehicle automation, including preferences for interacting with and overall concern about riding in s
    Read More
  • Pioneering new passenger information systems
    February 3, 2012
    Chicago pioneers new passenger information initiatives. By David Crawford
    Read More

Highlighted Content