US motor travel at record high in February: government

[NEW YORK] US motor travel surged to a record level in February, fueling optimism that gasoline demand will remain bullish as refiners brace for the busy summer driving season.

US motorists logged a record 232.2 billion miles on US roadways in February, the most ever for the month and up 5.6 per cent from a year earlier, the US Department of Transportation said.

The 5.6 per cent increase was the largest year-over-year bump since at least 1991, the data showed.

The United States has experienced a sustained surge in driving, fueled in large part by cheaper gas and low unemployment. The average US gas price was US$2.14 per gallon on Monday, down from US$2.52 a year ago, according to motorists' advocacy group AAA.

REUTERS