It's often hard to find data to show what we know to be true: Americans are driving less during the recession.
But there is some information rolling in from the leased-vehicle sector. Leased vehicles are being turned in with fewer and fewer miles on them, according to data from LeaseTrader.com
Many vehicle leases restrict drivers to a certain number of miles. Often that's 10,000 or 12,000 miles per year.
"People are driving fewer miles on their car leases today compared with just a few years ago, when the average American was thirsty for driving,"LeaseTrader.com said in a news release last week.
Those vehicles that come in with fewer miles than their lease allows are called "underdriven," the company said, and a third of the company's vehicles fall into that category.
"The same way we're seeing more people consolidate into fewer homes, we're seeing more people downsize and share fewer vehicles in the driveway," said Sergio Stiberman, LeaseTrader.com CEO.
As people drive less, we're also getting a few more bike-friendly amenities pop up around town.
This includes the University of Arizona's bike-valet service, which started last week. Students and employees can park their bicycles in front of the Nugent Building in a central campus location, and return to pick up their vehicles later without worrying about a bike lock or looking for a space.
The program costs 50 cents per park, collected through a prepaid $10 punch card, and it's available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
More information is available at parking.arizona.edu/ bikevalet online.
New bicycle lanes have opened up downtown, too.
Toole Avenue sports the new lanes between Stone and Sixth avenues. Toole was repaved from Stone to past Fifth Avenue to make for a smoother ride on four wheels or two through federal stimulus funding, said Michael Graham, Tucson transportation spokesman.
There wasn't space to add bike lanes the whole way, but the city has received compliments from bicyclists for the quarter-mile of bike lanes it was able to add, Graham said.
Other downtown roads repaved last week include West Alameda Street from North Stone Avenue to North Church Avenue, and West Congress Street from the Santa Cruz River to Grande Avenue.
This story posted by LeaseTrader.com, the automotive service company that lets people transfer out of their Car Leases early. If you're looking to swap a lease or transfer out of your car lease, please visit www.leasetrader.com