Bob CollinsA couple of headlines in the last couple of days seem to be in conflict.
Consider these stories:
Americans and their cars: A love affair on fumes?
After rising almost continuously since World War II, driving by American households has declined nearly 10 percent since 2004, a drop whose start before the Great Recession suggests economics may not be the only cause.
“There’s something more fundamental going on,” says Michael Sivak, a researcher at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
The average American household now owns fewer than two cars, returning to the levels of the early 1990s.
All of a sudden, everyone’s buying new cars
Car makers have reported their May sales figures, and the news is surprisingly good. Sales are at a seven year high.
Even high-end dealers are celebrating.
