Americans will drive 125 billion fewer miles in the coming year, according to Quality Planning, a company that validates policyholder information for auto insurers.
In a survey released today (see link below), Quality Planning found that while discretionary driving will decrease, it likely will not result in lower insurance premiums. But will using less oil mean a drop in gas prices?
Here’s how the company figures it:
Assuming gas prices remain at current levels, the firm projects a mileage decrease of 4 to 5 percent over the next 12 months. With approximately 250 million passenger cars on the road, this equates to roughly 125 billion fewer miles driven, or 500 miles per year per driver. At an average of 20 miles per gallon, this will result in a reduction in gasoline consumption of 6 billion gallons, equivalent to 307 million barrels of crude oil (a barrel of crude oil yields approximately 19.5 gallons of gasoline).
To read the survey, click this PDF:
quality-planning-driving-survey
Is it a signal of more to come?
Azerbaijan Airlines has canceled one of three 787-8 aircraft the airline has on order with Boeing. It’s the first 787 order cancellation Boeing has received. The program is about two years behind schedule from supply chain delays and parts shortages. First flight is now slated for late 2008.
Azerbaijan Airlines still has two 787s on order. Boeing and Azerbaijan Airlines announced Thursday that the airline is buying two 737-900ER aircraft and two 767-300ER aircraft valued at $449 million. In the announcement, it said that one of the 767s is a substitute for the canceled 787.
Americans seem to be overwhelmingly dissatisfied with the U.S. health care system. Some 82 percent of Americans think it should be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt, according to a new survey released today by The Commonwealth Fund.
Some other key points the survey found:
- Nine out of 10 Americans think the two leading presidential candidates should propose health care reform plans that improve quality and affordability and decrease the number of uninsured people.
- Nearly half — 47 percent — of Americans say they experienced poorly coordinated medical care in the past two years, such as poor communication regarding lab test results, a lack of information shared between doctors or nurses as well as between primary care doctors and specialists.
So what has the best shot at improving these (not surprising) problems? A universal health plan? The medical home concept? Consumer-directed health plans with greater transparency?