Earth Equity News

U.S. Vehicle Fleet Shrank 2% Last Year. By Josh Voorhees, ClimateWire, January 6, 2010. "Americans scrapped 4 million more cars and trucks last year than they purchased, the first significant drop in the U.S. auto fleet in more than four decades, according to a new report. The United States scrapped 14 million vehicles last year while buying only 10 million new ones, dropping the nation's fleet from an all-time high of 250 million to 246 million, according to the Earth Policy Institute. Lester Brown, the author of the report, said the drop -- the first significant shrinkage the U.S. fleet has seen since record-keeping began in 1960 -- represents a 'cultural shift away from the car' and estimated the fleet size will continue to recede during the next decade. He estimated the fleet could shrink a total of 10% by 2020."