Planners and environmentalists have applauded the seven-year decline in America's auto ownership levels with understandable enthusiasm. But around the world, automobile production has never been higher.
"Two weeks ago, transportation researcher Michael Sivak brought us the news that there are fewer cars per person in the U.S. now than there were a few years ago – and that the number isn’t expected to rise again," writes Tanya Snyder. "But globally, the trend is in the opposite direction, and it’s alarming. The world is producing more cars than ever."
"The troubling new reality," she explains, "is that while the United States and other developed countries are beginning to lay off the gas, other countries are accelerating wildly. Though the U.S. still has by far the largest fleet of passenger cars, auto sales in China overtook the U.S. in 2011. In 2010, the number of cars in the world hit one billion."
"The number of cars per person in the U.S. has been declining since 2006. But in other countries, the trend is ever upward."
FULL STORY: Car Ownership May Be Down in the U.S., But It’s Soaring Globally
Peak Motorization: Measuring Rates of Auto Ownership and Distances Driven
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Car ownership is far from "a thing of the past," as Uber's CEO plans on making it, but a new survey shows that a substantial number of people who have tried transportation network companies are forgoing the purchase of a car.
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
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Massachusetts Budget Helps Close MBTA Budget Gap
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont