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According to various sources, the US accounts for about 44% of the world’s gasoline consumption and consumed about 510 billion litres (138 billion US gal/115 billion imp gal) of gasoline in 2006, of which 5.6% was mid-grade and 9.5% was premium grade. U.S. gasoline demand is projected to average 9.12 million barrels per day in 2011. Americans are expected to travel 8.27 billion miles per day in 2011. This equates to an average of 33 miles per vehicle per day. The markup on gasoline in 2010 was 16.3 cents/gallon, or 5.6 percent, and the federal excise tax on gasoline is 18.4 cents per gallon and 24.4 cents per gallon for diesel fuel. In January 2011, motor gasoline taxes averaged 48.1 cents per gallon and diesel fuel taxes averaged 53.1 cents per gallon. Factoring in all gasoline sales in 2009 transactions — whether the customer paid by cash, check or by either debit or credit card — credit and debit card fees averaged 4.7 cents per gallon.
Despite high demand in the country and despite rising fuel costs, gasoline prices were low in the United States when compared with most other Western countries. Finished motor gasoline amounts to 44% of the total US consumption of petroleum products. According to national figures from the US Department of Energy, in March 2007 52% of the cost of gasoline went to pay for crude oil, 24% for refining, 15% to taxes, and 9% for distribution and marketing. These had changed to 72.7% for crude oil, 10% for refining, 11% to taxes, and 6% for distribution and marketing.
In 2008, a report by Cambridge Energy Research Associates stated that 2007 had been the year of peak gasoline usage in the United States, and that record energy prices would cause an "enduring shift" in energy consumption practices. According to the report, in April gas consumption had been lower than a year before for the sixth straight month, suggesting 2008 would be the first year US gasoline usage declined in 17 years. The total miles driven in the US began declining in 2006.