U.S. transportation-fuel demand remains below pre-pandemic averages five years after the COVID-19 national emergency was declared, according to data sourced to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Petroleum Supply Monthly and Short-Term Energy Outlook Data Browser, with additional indicators from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
The EIA tracks demand as “product supplied.” Increased fuel efficiency across vehicle and aircraft fleets has offset higher travel activity, and petroleum-based distillate fuel oil has been partially replaced by biomass-based distillates.
Finished motor gasoline demand fell to 5.9 million barrels per day (b/d) in April 2020—the first full month after the March 13 emergency declaration—the lowest since January 1974. By April 2025, gasoline demand averaged 8.9 million b/d, 52% higher than April 2020 but below the April 2019 average of 9.4 million b/d. On an annual basis, gasoline demand averaged 9.3 million b/d in 2016–2019, dropped to 8.0 million b/d in 2020, and averaged 8.9 million b/d in both 2023 and 2024. Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reached an all-time high in 2024 at 9.0 billion miles per day, above the 2016–2019 average of 8.8 billion VMT per day, yet increased fuel efficiency and electrification resulted in lower gasoline consumption despite more driving.
Petroleum distillate fuel oil demand was 3.8 million b/d in May 2025, 10% (0.3 million b/d) more than in May 2020, when demand reached its post-declaration low. Because distillates are used largely in shipping goods and other economic activity, consumption fell less than gasoline and jet fuel. In 2024, petroleum distillate demand averaged 3.8 million b/d, below the 4.1 million b/d recorded in 2019, primarily due to substitution with biofuels.
Renewable diesel gained share because of clean-fuel programs that incentivize biofuels: combined renewable diesel and biodiesel consumption rose from 110,000 b/d in 2019 to 310,000 b/d in 2024. Including biodiesel and renewable diesel, total distillate demand in 2024 was closest to pre-pandemic levels, at only 1% below 2019.
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is a statistical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating energy information for policy, markets, and the public.
Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) is a statistical agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation that compiles and publishes data on U.S. transportation activity, performance, and logistics.