Characteristics of 1977 Licensed Drivers and Their Travel: 1977 Nationwide Personal Transportation Study: Report 1

Asin, Ruth H. · 1980 · ROSA P / United States. Federal Highway Administration

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Summary

This report, derived from the 1977 Nationwide Personal Transportation Study (NPTS), analyzes the characteristics of licensed drivers and their travel patterns in the United States. The study was conducted to update data from 1969, providing comprehensive insights into travel behavior for highway planning and taxation purposes. The research focuses on three primary parameters: the geographic distribution of drivers by place of residence (inside/outside Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas and by population size), the demographic distribution of licensed drivers by age and sex, and travel distributions related to household income, vehicle ownership, and driver count. The data were collected by the Bureau of the Census under the sponsorship of the Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The study utilized a national probability sample of 24,466 households, drawn from the Current Population Survey, representing the civilian noninstitutional population. Interviews were conducted between April 1977 and March 1978. Respondents reported all trips taken during a designated 24-hour period and provided additional details for trips of 75 miles or more during the preceding 14 days. A unique feature of the methodology was the use of mapping during home interviews to estimate travel in urban and rural areas. The study estimated 127,525,000 licensed drivers nationwide, a figure slightly lower than state-reported license counts, likely due to definitional differences regarding valid licenses versus individuals identifying as licensed. The findings reveal that 80.8 percent of persons aged 16 and older held driver licenses in 1977. Males comprised 51.9 percent of licensed drivers, while females accounted for 48.1 percent. Although the proportion of female drivers increased by 11.9 percent since 1969, males continued to drive significantly more, averaging 13,563 miles annually compared to 5,943 miles for females. The national average annual mileage per driver rose to 10,006 miles in 1977, an increase of 1,324 miles from 1969, despite the 1973 oil embargo. Driving intensity varied by location, with drivers in less populated areas and those living outside central cities within SMSAs driving more miles than those in densely populated urban centers. Additionally, average miles driven per licensed driver increased proportionately with the number of vehicles in the household and with household income. The significance of this report lies in its detailed documentation of shifting travel behaviors and demographic trends in the late 1970s. It highlights the substantial increase in female participation in driving and the overall growth in vehicle miles traveled, which are critical factors for transportation infrastructure planning. The data provide a baseline for understanding how socioeconomic factors, such as income and household vehicle availability, influence travel patterns, offering valuable context for federal, state, and local officials involved in highway taxation and development.

Key finding

Average annual miles driven per licensed driver increased by 1,324 miles from 1969 to 1977, reaching 10,006 miles nationally, while the proportion of female licensed drivers rose significantly.

Methodology

survey

Sample size: 24466

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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• exposure measurement

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence
• Methodological Resource: dataset resource