The Clunker Brigade

Release Date: Wednesday, December 28th 2011

With the recession and rising gas prices combining to keep folks away from auto showrooms, is it any wonder that Washington metropolitan area residents are holding on to their vehicles longer rather than replace them? According to the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), the average age of vehicles in the region is increasing, accounting for a larger percentage of older vehicles in the regional fleet than ever. The proof is in the numbers: 7.84 years in 2005; 8.18 years in 2008; and 9.05 years in 2011. And while demand for sport utility vehicles (SUVs) has fallen, hybrids continue to increase their share of the fleet. The trend toward older vehicles, however, has negative air quality and greenhouse gas emissions implications.

TPB, the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the region, uses information from its “census” of the region’s vehicle fleet to conduct transportation-related air quality and greenhouse gas emissions forecasts. For more information about the regional fleet, composed of more than 3.8 million registered vehicles.