U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Vehicle Technologies Program
Fact #403: December 19, 2005
Travel Changes Due to Rising Cost of Gasoline
In an October survey, people were asked about changes in their travel behavior due to the rising cost of gasoline. Thirty-five percent of respondents said they had decided to buy a more fuel efficient car, while 44% said they had eliminated some non-commute trips entirely. Two-thirds of the respondents indicated that they had combined several stops into one trip.
Question: Has the rising cost of gasoline caused you to change your commuting and non-commuting trips by any of the following means?
Supporting Information
Question: Has the rising cost of gasoline caused you to change your commuting and non-commuting trips by any of the following means?
| Combined several stops into one trip |
76% |
| Eliminated some non-commute trips entirely |
44% |
| Decided to buy a more fuel efficient car |
35% |
| Started bicycling/walking more often |
25% |
| Looked for home closer to work |
21% |
| Started carpooling or vanpooling more often |
20% |
| Started using the bus or train more often |
11% |
| Did not make any changes in non-commute travel |
13% |
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Source: Harris Interactive, Transportation Survey Results, telephone survey conducted Sept. 30 – Oct. 6, 2005, N=1000.
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