Drivers hit road in May

Motorists logged 2.2 percent more miles on US roads and highways in May compared with the same month last year, according to government data released Monday, keeping 2017 mileage on track to break last year’s record.

Motorists have traveled 1.3 trillion miles on US roads and highways this year through May, a 1.7 percent increase over the same stretch last year, according to the Department of Transportation.

The sustained strength in driving volumes is at odds with US Energy Information Administration data that show US demand for gasoline has fallen modestly year-over-year.

Some analysts have pointed to better fuel efficiency as an explanation, while others say the gasoline demand numbers are estimates and subject to revision upward.