The Meter

Play with the numbers that move parking. Two games, a fleet simulator and a live dashboard built on federal transportation data, every figure dated to its release.

PARKONOMICS DATA DESK · LIVE

Parking runs on numbers. Play with them.

Two games, a fleet simulator and a live dashboard, all built on the U.S. DOT’s National Transportation Statistics. Every figure is dated to the release it came from.

Miles driven on U.S. roads since you opened this page
0
vehicle miles, and counting

That is 0.0 round trips to the Moon.

Pace: 3.29 trillion highway vehicle miles in 2024, spread evenly across the year. BTS NTS Table 1-35, released Sep 25, 2026.
Today’s Meter Reading

One question. Real federal data.

Correct so far: 0 of 0
Which year was higher?
VS
The instruments

Pick one. Most take under three minutes.

The story behind the number

Every number here has an argument attached.

The Meter gives you the data. Parkonomics writers tell you what it means for the people who build, finance and run parking.

White Paper · 2026 Edition

Plugging In Wisely

The full research case for EV charging in parking facilities, with a citable DOI and a free PDF.

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Reference

The Parkonomics Glossary

PARCS, curb pricing, Level 4 autonomy. The words behind the numbers, defined in plain English.

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Research, bylines and panels

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Every number, dated

Where the data comes from

The Meter runs on the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ National Transportation Statistics. Federal tables update on different schedules, so each instrument shows the data year and the BTS release it uses. Checked Oct 1, 2026.

TableMeasuresData throughReleased
1-35Highway vehicle miles2024Sep 25, 2026
1-11Vehicles registered2024Jul 27, 2026
3-17Cost to own a car2025Apr 28, 2026
1-19Plug-in sales2025Mar 26, 2026
1-6bCharging locations2025Mar 26, 2026
1-69Commuter delay2024Nov 26, 2025
1-41How people commute2024Sep 26, 2025
1-26Average vehicle age2025Aug 26, 2025
1-17aNew vehicle sales2024Jun 26, 2025
1-17bSales by automation level2021May 26, 2023
Questions

Good to know

Where does The Meter’s data come from?

From National Transportation Statistics, published by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Each instrument names the tables it uses.

How current are the numbers?

Each figure carries its data year and the date BTS released it. When BTS publishes a revision, we update the instruments and the dates together.

Why do some figures lag by a year or more?

Federal statistics take time to collect and verify. Sales by automation level, for example, currently run through 2021. We show the lag instead of hiding it.

Can I cite or share these numbers?

Yes. Cite the BTS table and release date shown, and link to the instrument. Both games end with a score card you can share on LinkedIn.

New instruments land here first. Get the next one.

Follow Parkonomics on LinkedIn for new games, fresh BTS releases and the analysis behind them. Or send this page to the colleague who always thinks they know the numbers.