Vehicle Miles Traveled

Two white Waymo robotaxis parked on street in San Francisco, California.

How Autonomous Cars Can Induce Sprawl and Sabotage Climate Goals

Robotaxis can lead to longer, more frequent trips and are projected to increase VMT by as much as 83 percent.

February 28, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Professional cleaners wearing medical masks and gloves cleaning desks in large empty office.

The Ripple Effects of Remote Work

The number of Americans who work from home rose sharply during the pandemic and remains high, posing important questions about the future of transportation and housing.

January 21, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Woman at desk with laptop and extra monitor with Zoom session open.

From 9-to-5 to Anytime: How Telecommuting Changes the Traffic Game

Not all cities have benefited equally from congestion relief brought on by shifting commuting patterns.

December 10, 2024 - Andreea Neculae

Busy subway station with people walking on platform and train stopped.

How Good Transit Benefits Communities Beyond its Users

Robust, efficient transit networks can have an outsized impact on vehicle miles traveled, even by non-transit users.

November 14, 2024 - State Smart Transportation Initiative

View of traffic on San Diego freeway.

Opinion: Why Linking Driving to GDP Misses the Point

The argument that car-centric development is good because it boosts national GDP ignores the massive costs of driving to everyday Americans.

November 13, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Marathon branded gas station with red, blue, and white color scheme in Providence, Rhode Islad.

Providence Could Ban New Gas Stations

The city could prohibit the construction of new fueling stations within city limits to discourage driving and pave the way for more renewable transportation infrastructure.

October 16, 2024 - The Washington Times

View of traffic on Golden Gate Bridge at sunset.

San Francisco ‘Best-Performing Metro’ for VMT, Traffic Reduction

The city saw a 13 percent drop in miles driven per capita in the last five years.

September 27, 2024 - GovTech

Traffic on a busy city street.

Report: Americans Are Driving More Than Ever

Average vehicle miles driven rose in almost every major metropolitan area between 2019 and 2024.

September 16, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

View of cars stuck in gridlocked traffic with traffic lights in background

Report: Americans Must Reduce Driving to Meet Climate Goals

A USDOT report calls for a set of strategies including but not limited to electrification of the transportation sector.

August 2, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

View of rush hour traffic on Brooklyn Bridge at golden hour.

FHWA: Driving on US Roads at All-Time High

The end of some remote work policies and lower gas prices led to a rise in driving last year.

February 12, 2024 - Spectrum News 1

Freeway in New York State with signs for New York City and Scranton.

Proposed New York Bill Would Align Transportation Projects With Driving Reduction Goals

If passed, the law would require all highway projects to show how they would reduce VMT or mitigate their impact.

February 9, 2024 - StreetsBlog NYC

E-Z Trip gas station in Bakersfield, California with orange awning over regular gas pumps and Tesla superchargers with white Teslas charging in foreground.

California Poised to Lose Up to $4 Billion in Gas Tax Revenue

States must find other ways to fund transportation projects as the transportation sector moves toward decarbonization.

January 3, 2024 - Cap Radio

View of rush hour traffic on Brooklyn Bridge at golden hour.

The Promise of Congestion Pricing

New York's long-awaited congestion pricing program could break open the controversial practice in the United States.

November 20, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

People, cars, bikes and buses traveling through a busy intersection on 5th Avenue and 23rd Street in New York City with shining sunlight background.

When it Comes to Vehicle Travel, Less is More

Motor vehicle travel provides many benefits, but also imposes large costs on users and communities. With better planning people can drive less, rely more on non-auto modes, enjoy more access, and be better off overall as a result.

October 25, 2023 - Todd Litman

Side-by-side images of a bike share station and a bus-only lane.

Vehicle Miles Traveled as a Metric for Sustainability

Motor vehicle travel benefits users but also imposes large economic, social, and environmental costs. With better planning, our needs can be met with less vehicle travel. A new ITE report describes why and how to optimize the amount we drive.

October 24, 2023 - Vehicle-Miles Traveled as a Metric for Sustainability

Traffic on the 405 interstate freeway through the Sepulveda Pass at Getty Center Drive in Los Angeles, California

Report: Bike Lanes Can't Make up for New Roads

If California wants to meet its climate goals, the state must stop funding its myriad road construction and expansion projects.

September 29, 2023 - Streetsblog California

View of Dallas city skyline with moderately busy freeway in foreground at twilight.

How to Reduce Excess Vehicle Travel

Some experts claim that remote work is the most effective way to reduce vehicle travel, but my research indicates that improving and encouraging walking, bicycling, and public transit can provide larger impacts and benefits.

September 8, 2023 - Todd Litman

Busy traffic on a road

Leveraging the Choice Not to Travel

The pandemic accelerated the growth of remote services and telecommuting. Now is the time for urban planners to leverage these new opportunities to reduce vehicle miles traveled.

August 28, 2023 - Steven Polzin

A cross section of a street, showing where car lanes and parking would be positioned relative to a bus only lane and sidewalks.

New Bus Only Lane Overcomes Opposition in San Francisco

Local business owners and the local elected official opposed the Geary transit-only lane project, but compromise and wide public support got the project across the finish line.

August 21, 2023 - The San Francisco Standard

Bike Parking

What Is Transportation Demand Management?

When a government creates incentives or disincentives to influence how and when you travel—that's transportation demand management.

July 19, 2023 - James Brasuell

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.