The Labor Day holiday marks the end of the peak driving season in the United States and provides an opportunity to review year-to-date gasoline consumption. U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) current data indicate gasoline consumption in the first half of 
The Labor Day holiday marks the end of the peak driving season in the United States and provides an opportunity to review year-to-date gasoline consumption. U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) current data indicate gasoline consumption in the first half of 2012 was 0.3 percent lower than in the comparable 2011 period. Economic growth, gasoline prices, and vehicle fleet efficiency are key determinants of gasoline use. So far in 2012, year-over-year economic growth that would generally lead to increased gasoline consumption has been more than offset by increases in retail gasoline prices and higher fuel efficiency of the in-use vehicle fleet.
Prior to February 2012, the United States had consumed less gasoline year-over-year for 13 out of 15 months since November 2010 (Figure 1). In 2011, U.S. gasoline consumption decreased on average almost 240,000 barrels per day (bbl/d), a 2.7-percent reduction from its 2010 level. Consumption continued to weaken, but at a slowing rate, into the first quarter of this year, declining by about 110,000 bbl/d (1.3 percent) from the comparable year-earlier level.
In February 2012, however, almost 20,000 bbl/d more gasoline was consumed than in February 2011, the first year-over-year increase in 11 months. While gasoline consumption through June was slightly lower year-over-year, consumption in the second quarter increased by almost 60,000 bbl/d compared with 2011.
Real GDP for the first six months of 2012 is estimated to be 2.3 percent higher than for the same period in 2011. According to EIA's Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) mode