Purpose
True Driving Cost is a free calculator and reference site that presents the cost of owning and operating a vehicle in the United States. The calculator estimates fuel cost for a selected vehicle using EPA fuel economy ratings, and it runs in the user's browser. Below the fuel estimate, a separate panel shows national averages for other ownership costs (depreciation, insurance, maintenance and others) from BLS and BEA data. Those are typical figures, not estimates for a specific vehicle, and the panel says so. The articles section presents data on topics such as fuel prices, auto loan rates, commuting, and vehicle ownership costs.
Sources
Figures on this site are drawn from U.S. government data releases, and each article identifies its source. The principal sources are:
- EPA (Environmental Protection Agency): fuel economy ratings and the Automotive Trends Report
- EIA (Energy Information Administration): gasoline, diesel, and electricity prices
- FHWA (Federal Highway Administration): vehicle-miles traveled, licensed drivers, and highway statistics
- Census Bureau: commuting patterns and population data
- BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics): consumer spending data and depreciation rates by vehicle age
- BEA (Bureau of Economic Analysis): new vehicle expenditure data
- NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration): recall data
- Federal Reserve: auto loan rates
- DOE/ORNL (Department of Energy / Oak Ridge National Laboratory): the Transportation Energy Data Book
Where a figure is calculated rather than published directly, the article states the calculation. The Methodology page describes formulas, assumptions, and limitations.
Scope and Limits
The site publishes estimates and averages for information. It does not provide quotes, financial, insurance, legal or purchasing advice, and actual costs vary with the vehicle, the driver and where and how it is used. Where the site shows insurance, depreciation and similar costs, it uses national averages and labels them as such. Every figure in the ownership-costs panel, with its source file and location, is listed on the Methodology page.
Independence
True Driving Cost is an independent site. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any government agency whose data it uses.
Corrections and Contact
Corrections, questions, and suggestions of additional data sources are welcome: Contact.