New data from Inrix shows that, in the USA, 33 states have seen a decline in vehicle miles travelled (VMT) as the easing of Covid-19 lockdowns is either paused or reversed in 22 of them.
Even among the remaining 28 states that are either still reopening or fully open there seems to be a knock-on effect, with the majority showing decreases in VMT, according to the data from last week (20-26 June).
Eleven of the states that are ‘open’ saw VMT reductions ranging from 0.2% in Nebraska to 5.5% in Kansas, while VMT in six states increased.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic in the UK, traffic of all categories is taking longer to return to the roads than other countries in Europe, according to Inrix data. Overall, the UK is four to five weeks behind countries such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain when it comes to traffic volumes.
Since Covid-19 and the related lockdowns have gone into effect, the Inrix Trip Trends tool has been used to provide timely and accurate assessments of the impact to VMT, which is often seen as one barometer of the economic health of a city, county, region, state or country.
Of the 17 states with VMT gains, 12 are currently ‘open’ or are ‘reopening,’ three are ‘paused’ and two are ‘reversing’
More detailed analysis from Inrix can be found its report compiling traffic analysis in Europe during the initial pandemic period (defined as the beginning of March to end of June) and in its regular blog updates
