Conservatively Speaking
State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) represents parts of four counties: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, and Walworth. Her Senate District 28 includes New Berlin, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, Muskego, Waterford, Big Bend and parts of Greenfield, East Troy, and Mukwonago. Senator Lazich has been in the Legislature for more than a decade. She considers herself a tireless crusader for lower taxes, reduced spending and smaller government.
The government knows how much you’re driving
By Mary Lazich
Wednesday, Sep 17 2008, 09:27 PM
This isn’t exactly a news bulletin.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) reports, “Since last November, Americans have driven 53.2 billion miles less than they did over the same period a year earlier – topping the 1970s' total decline of 49.3 billion miles. Americans drove 4.7 percent less, or 12.2 billion miles fewer, in June 2008 than June 2007. The decline is most evident in rural travel, which has fallen by 4 percent – compared to the 1.2 percent decline in urban miles traveled – since the trend began last November.”
Here is the news release from the FHA.
The reasons for the decline are obvious and indisputable: high gasoline prices and a sluggish economy. But how does the federal government know the decline between November 2007 and June 2008 is 53.2 billion miles? How does the federal government arrive at the figure?
The answer is a matter of modern technology and mathematics. States have installed special sensors on our roadways that can determine the amount and size of cars. The data is sent to the feds every month and they do the math.
Read about it in Slate.
