Vehicle miles traveled

Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is the total distance motor vehicles travel within a specified place and period. It is used to measure travel demand and roadway use.

Vehicle trip: A journey made by a motor vehicle between an origin and a destination. Trip counts can be combined with trip lengths to estimate VMT.
Traffic count: A measurement of vehicles passing a road location during a specified period. Counts multiplied by segment lengths yield a common estimate of roadway VMT.
Transportation planning: The process of shaping transportation systems, services, and investments over time. Planners use VMT to compare travel patterns and evaluate proposed policies.
Vehicle miles traveled per capita: Total vehicle miles traveled divided by the population of a defined area. Per-capita VMT adjusts the total for population size when comparing places or years.
Average daily traffic: The average number of vehicles passing a point on a road per day over a specified period. Traffic counts provide inputs for estimating distance traveled across road segments.
Vehicle odometer: An instrument that records the distance traveled by a vehicle. Odometer readings can estimate VMT from vehicle-level distance records.
Traffic congestion: A condition in which vehicle demand approaches or exceeds roadway capacity, slowing traffic. VMT helps indicate the scale of vehicle use contributing to congestion.
Passenger miles traveled: The total distance traveled by all passengers, counting each passenger's distance separately. Unlike VMT, this measure accounts for vehicle occupancy.
Traffic volume: The number of vehicles passing a point or section of road during a specified period. VMT extends traffic volume by accounting for the length of road traveled.
Vehicle registration: The official recording of a vehicle and its identifying details by a government authority. Registration records help define the vehicle population used in jurisdictional estimates.

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