WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) – Travel on U.S. roads rose 4.1% in January to 240.6 billion miles, the U.S. Transportation Department said Wednesday.

The travel — up 9.5 billion miles over the same month in 2021 — reflects more Americans traveling for leisure, returning to offices and rising deliveries, experts said. U.S. driving rose 11.2% for all of 2021, to 3.23 trillion vehicle miles, up from 2020’s 2.9 trillion, the lowest yearly total since 2003.

The January driving statistics reflect the period before a recent spike in oil prices sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

(Reporting by David Shepardson)