Longer commutes mean more opportunities for consumers to be exposed to outdoor advertising. According to the 2001 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), Americans are spending more time traveling everyday and traveling farther with each trip. On average, drivers spent more than 81 minutes daily behind the wheel in 2001, compared to 73 minutes in 1995. The number of daily trips per person remained about the same as in 1995, but the average distance of daily trips increased.

The preliminary data from the NHTS shows that the average length of a vehicle trip went from 9.1 miles in 1995 to 9.8 miles in 2001. The longest vehicle trips were to visit friends and family (16 miles), followed by trips to work (12 miles), and trips for medical and dental purposes (11 miles). The chart shown below presents an estimate of daily time spent with media.