U.S. Driving Declines; Oil Consumption at Five-Year Low

Americans drove 12.2 billion miles fewer in June than the same month a year ago, a 4.7% decline, the U.S. Department of Transportation said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, U.S. oil demand is at a five-year low, according to report issued Wednesday by the American Petroleum Institute.

API said that total petroleum deliveries fell in the first seven months of this year by 3.6% from a year ago, while gasoline deliveries declined more than 2%.

The June driving decline was most evident in rural travel, which has fallen by 4%, compared to the 1.2% decline in urban miles, since the trend began last November.

Since November, Americans have driven 53.2 billion miles less than they did over the comparable period a year earlier, DOT said.