Automotive & Transportation · FF-018
U.S. Vehicles, Driving & Automotive Workforce
Explore the scale of the U.S. vehicle fleet, how far Americans drive, and the workforce that maintains cars, trucks, and other mobile equipment.
Interactive comparison
Vehicle fleet at a glance
Switch between the vehicle fleet, repair workforce, pay, and highway travel.
Vehicle fleet & use
Nearly 298 million registered vehicles traveled 3.29 trillion miles in 2024
FHWA notes that state registration practices differ, so registration totals are best used as a national system measure rather than a census of unique vehicles.
Travel trend
Driving increased 1.5% from 2023 to 2024
Automotive service workforce
More than 1.7 million people work in vehicle and mobile-equipment repair occupations
| Occupation | Employment | Mean hourly | Mean annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive service technicians & mechanics | 704,640 | $27.13 | $56,420 | $24.34 |
| Bus & truck mechanics / diesel specialists | 289,960 | $30.92 | $64,320 | $29.70 |
| Heavy vehicle/mobile equipment technicians | 235,820 | $32.43 | $67,450 | $30.70 |
| Automotive body repairers | 149,310 | $28.70 | $59,690 | $26.39 |
| Tire repairers & changers | 108,410 | $19.31 | $40,170 | $18.13 |
| Small engine mechanics | 72,790 | $25.49 | $53,010 | $23.90 |
What the data shows
A very large vehicle fleet creates persistent operating, fuel, maintenance and repair demand
Light-duty vehicles account for most U.S. road travel, while commercial and heavy vehicles travel far more miles per vehicle. FHWA reports combination trucks averaged 55,276 miles per registered vehicle in 2024, roughly five times the all-vehicle average.
The service workforce reflects that diversity: automotive technicians are the largest repair occupation, but diesel and heavy-equipment technicians earn higher average wages.
Methodology & sources
About these figures
Vehicle registrations and vehicle-miles traveled come from FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, principally Table VM-1. Workforce and wage figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program for May 2025. The two datasets describe different parts of the transportation system and are not combined into a single statistical series.
Highway source: FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-1 · Workforce source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
CalculateMeasure refresh: Aug. 22, 2026 · Review cadence: Annual, with source-triggered review when FHWA Highway Statistics or BLS OEWS publishes a newer annual release.
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