GLOSSARY

Articulated trucks

Motor vehicles constructed primarily for load carrying, consisting of a prime mover having no significant load carrying area, but with a turntable device which can be linked to one or more trailers.

Attrition rate

The estimated proportion of motor vehicles taken off the register since the previous MVC. The attrition rate is also referred to as the motor vehicle retirement or scrappage rate. The number of registration lapses is calculated by adding the total registrations at the earlier MVC to the number of new motor vehicle sales between the MVCs, and subtracting the total registrations at the later MVC. The attrition rate measures the number of registration lapses as a percentage of the total potential vehicle fleet, where the potential vehicle fleet is the number of registrations at the first MVC date plus the number of new motor vehicle sales between the two MVCs. To calculate the annualised attrition rate as a percentage apply the following formula:



where T₁ is the number of registrations at the first time point, N₁ is the number of new sales between the first and second time points, T₂ is the number of registrations at the second time point and M is the number of months between the two time points.

Average age of vehicle

The estimated average age of registered motor vehicles in Australia. The age of a vehicle is defined as the number of years since it was first manufactured. The formulae below allow for the census being conducted in different months. Although the Motor Vehicle Census has been taken on different dates, it has always been taken on the last day of the month. These formulae also assume that vehicles are manufactured at a constant rate over the year, or one month period for the current year.

For vehicles manufactured in the current year:

Vehicle age = snapshot month/24

For vehicles manufactured in previous years:

Vehicle age = snapshot year - Year of manufacture + (snapshot month - 6)/12

The average age is then calculated as the sum of all vehicle ages divided by the total number of vehicles. Vehicles that have an unknown year of manufacture are excluded from calculations of average age.

Average annual growth rate

A measure of the percentage change in a variable between one time period and another at an annual rate. This measure allows for the compounding of an increase or decrease over time. Thus an annual percentage increase of 10.0% results in a figure increasing by 21.0% over two years. The formula for calculating annual percentage change is :



where T1 is the value of the data item at the first time point, T2 is the value at the second time point, and M is the number of months between the two time points. The change to snapshot date must be taken into consideration when comparing data before and after the 2011 Motor Vehicle Census (March 31 snapshot date before 2011; January 31 snapshot date for 2011 onwards).

Buses

Motor vehicles constructed for the carriage of passengers. This category includes all motor vehicles with 10 or more seats, including the driver's seat.

Campervans

Self-propelled motor vehicles containing an area primarily used for accommodation. This includes motor homes and powered caravans.

Estimated Resident Population (ERP)

The official measure of the population of Australia is based on the concept of residence. It refers to all people, regardless of nationality or citizenship, who usually live in Australia, with the exception of foreign diplomatic personnel and their families. It includes usual residents who are overseas for less than 12 months. It excludes overseas visitors who are in Australia less than 12 months.

Fuel

The type of fuel is as reported to the registering authority and includes leaded petrol, unleaded petrol, diesel, LPG/other gases, dual fuel and other (which includes electric).

Gross Combination Mass (GCM)

Tare weight (i.e. unladen weight) of the motor vehicle and attached trailers, plus its maximum carrying and towing capacity. GCM is the weight measurement used for vehicles such as articulated trucks used for towing trailers.

Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM)

Tare weight (i.e. unladen weight) of the motor vehicle, plus its maximum carrying capacity excluding trailers.

Heavy rigid trucks

Rigid trucks of GVM greater than 4.5 tonnes.

Light commercial vehicles

Vehicles primarily constructed for the carriage of goods, and which are less than or equal to 3.5 tonnes GVM. This includes utilities, panel vans, cab-chassis and forward-control load carrying vehicles (whether four-wheel drive or not).

Light rigid trucks

Rigid trucks of GVM greater than 3.5 tonnes and less than or equal to 4.5 tonnes.

Make

The manufacturer of the motor vehicle (e.g. Ford, Holden, Mitsubishi, Toyota).

Motor cycles

Two and three wheeled motor vehicles constructed primarily for the carriage of one or two persons. This category includes two and three wheeled mopeds, scooters, motor tricycles and motor cycles with sidecars.

Non-freight carrying vehicles

Specialist motor vehicles or motor vehicles fitted with special purpose equipment, and having little or no load carrying capacity (e.g. ambulances, cherry pickers, fire trucks and tow trucks).

Passenger vehicles

Motor vehicles constructed primarily for the carriage of persons and containing up to nine seats (including the driver's seat). This category includes cars, station wagons, four-wheel drive passenger vehicles and forward-control passenger vehicles. Campervans are excluded.

Rigid trucks

Motor vehicles of GVM greater than 3.5 tonnes, constructed with a load carrying area. This includes trucks with a tow bar, draw bar or other non-articulated coupling on the rear of the vehicle.

Rigid trucks are divided into two categories:

• Light rigid trucks of GVM greater than 3.5 tonnes and less than or equal to 4.5 tonnes
• Heavy rigid trucks of GVM greater than 4.5 tonnes.

State/territory

The state or territory of the motor registry at which a vehicle is registered.