| Unit | Transportation Planning Implications |
| Roadway LOS, traffic congestion delay. | Favors investments that benefit peak-period vehicle travel and automobile-dependent urban areas (where congestion is worst). |
| Peak-period vehicle-mile | Favors investments that benefit peak-period vehicle travel. |
| Lane-mile | Favors investments in areas with maximum public roads, such as rural areas. |
| Vehicle-mile | Favors investments in automobile-dependent areas. |
| Vehicle-trip | Favors investments in automobile-dependent urban areas. |
| Passenger-mile and ton-mile | Equal consideration to automobile, transit, ridesharing improvements. |
| Passenger-trip | Equal consideration to all transportation modes, including walking and cycling. |
| Per capita | Equal consideration to all access improvements, including mobility substitutes and land use management strategies. |
Comparing Measurement Units
The table above compares how various measurement units tend to affect transportation planning decisions.