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Source: The Telegraph, Nashua, N.迷你倉最平H.Oct. 23--Whether because of efficiency, the recession or a sweeping change in habits, New Hampshire keeps on burning less gas.Since 2007, the gallons of gasoline used for transportation in New Hampshire has fallen 5 percent, to 774 million gallons in 2012, according to data just released by the U.S. Department of Transportation. State data, including sales of diesel, which makes up roughly 15 percent of sales, shows a similar pattern.The decline isn't slowing as the recession eases: Gasoline sales fell six-tenths of a percent between 2011 and 2012, translating into about 5 million fewer gallons burned; and total fuel sales fell very slightly through mid-2013, according to the state's more up-to-date figures.Does this mean we're driving less or just that we're driving more efficiently? After all, average vehicle fuel mileage is climbing because of federal requirements and the recession led some people to switch from gas-guzzlers to smaller vehicles.It's hard to know for certain. The closest hard data for New Hampshire is the number of vehicles that pay tolls on the turnpike system each year: It peaked in 2007 at 115 million "transactions," fell a little in 2008 and dropped sharply in 2009. Since 2010, it has been stagnant at around 108 million per year.The federal Department of Transportation estimates total mileage driven on all U.S. roads. Their estimate peaked in November 2007 at about 3.04 trillion miles over the previous 12 months and fell sharply when the recession hit. Since 2010, the federal DOT estimate has hovered at 2.96 trillion miles over the previous year (known as the "12-month moving average"), a roughly 3 percent decline from the peak.And what about fuel use? According to the federal government, in 2012, the United States consumed about 134 billion gallons of gasoline, roughly 6 percent less than the record high of 142 billion gallons consumed in 2007. In other words, gasoline usage nationally is falling somewhat faster than estimated miles driven, just as it has fallen in New Hampshire even as the number of vehicles paying turnpike tolls stabilized. That's a hint of increased automotive efficiency rather than more people sitting at home.There's no sign of any change soon."With the increase of hybrids, and as different types of (alternativ迷你倉-fuel) vehicles emerge into the market place and the fuel standards go up ... we estimate that (fuel use) is going to go down about a percent a year," said Scott Bryer, chief of the Road Toll Bureau of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation -- "toll" in this case referring to taxes paid on gasoline and diesel, not the tolls paid via E-ZPass and quarters handed over at all those Merrimack off ramps.From a public policy point of view, this decline is bad news because America pays for most of its roadwork through fuel taxes.If we buy less gas and diesel then there's less money to pay for work.The state Department of Transportation has sounded an alarm about this: It told the legislature this summer that it has only enough money to repave 300 miles of state roads in each of the next two years, less than its goal of 500 miles, or 10 percent of the state highway system.Governments throughout the country are trying to figure out what to do, since raising fuel taxes is politically difficult.The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, normally an opponent of taxes, wants the federal gas tax hiked for the first time since 1993.An Oregon town is going to try an experiment in which volunteers are taxed based on the miles they drive rather than the fuel they consume. Since this requires putting "black boxes" in each car so the government can determine how far it has traveled, it would be a tough sell.There are also hints that all this fuel and road-mileage decline might be signs of long-term shifts in driving habits among Americans.In 2010, only about 28 percent of 16-year-olds had their driver's license, compared with about 46 percent in 1983, according to an analysis of data from the Federal Highway Administration and the Census Bureau compiled by University of Michigan researchers.However, the lack of transportation alternatives in most of New Hampshire makes it less likely that people will abandon individual cars any time soon, as compared to habits in urbanized areas.Incidentally, there are 1,158 gas stations in New Hampshire.___David Brooks can be reached at 594-6531 or dbrooks@nashua telegraph.com. Also, follow Brooks on Twitter (@GraniteGeek).Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Telegraph (Nashua, N.H.) Visit The Telegraph (Nashua, N.H.) at .nashuatelegraph.com Distributed by MCT Information Services儲存