Review of 2003 Survey of Motor Vehicles Use Estimates
The purpose of this paper is to provide users with the results of an investigation into the impact of stratification changes that took place between the conduct of the 2003 and 2004 Surveys of Motor Vehicle Use (SMVU).
In releasing the 2004 SMVU estimates, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) identified that the stratification change, introduced as part of the 2004 sample design, may have caused some concerns with the coherence of the 2003 estimates. As a result, the ABS decided not to publish the 2003 estimates in the 2004 publication and indicated to users that an investigation would occur and advise of the outcome at a later date.
Following a comprehensive review of the survey's methodology, new stratums were introduced for the 2004 survey to improve the quality of the survey outputs. The main difference between the stratification used in 2004 and that used in 2003 was that more emphasis was placed on age of vehicle in 2004. Area of operation was dropped as a stratification variable for all vehicle types.
To investigate concerns regarding coherence, the ABS compiled new estimates from the 2003 reference year survey data using the stratification groups applied to the 2004 reference year.
A comparison of the two sets of estimates was undertaken. The differences were small and did not indicate any systemic quality concern with the 2003 stratification and estimation process. For example, the original estimate for total kilometres travelled for all vehicles was 201,497 million and the estimate following post-stratification was 200,076 million, a difference of 0.7%. For this reason, the ABS does not consider it necessary to re-release the 2003 SMVU estimates. The official 2003 estimates are those contained in the publication Survey of Motor Vehicle Use, Australia, 2003 (cat. no. 9208.0).
For the information of users, the following summary tables present the 2003 post-stratified estimates.
Table 1: Summary of Motor Vehicle Use, Type of Vehicle
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003(a) | 2004 |
Total kilometres travelled (million)
|
Passenger vehicles | 141 519 | 143 925 | 144 676 | 150 505 | 147 728 |
Motor cycles | 1 135 | 1 448 | 1 681 | 1 371 | 1 478 |
Light commercial vehicles | 27 829 | 30 728 | 31 349 | 32 670 | 34 007 |
Rigid trucks | 6 536 | 6 627 | 7 080 | 7 730 | 7 639 |
Articulated trucks | 5 578 | 5 321 | 5 425 | 5 716 | 6 013 |
Non-freight carrying trucks | ^220 | ^267 | 224 | 202 | 221 |
Buses | 1 776 | 1 835 | 1 775 | 1 882 | 1 968 |
Total | 184 593 | 190 152 | 192 209 | 200 076 | 199 055 |
Number of vehicles(b) (number)
|
Passenger vehicles | 9 711 320 | 9 861 807 | 10 194 637 | 10 393 312 | 10 654 328 |
Motor cycles | 337 793 | 349 465 | 367 258 | 378 631 | 392 648 |
Light commercial vehicles | 1 696 631 | 1 719 654 | 1 810 071 | 1 896 498 | 1 940 180 |
Rigid trucks | 346 628 | 332 102 | 341 651 | 346 380 | 358 704 |
Articulated trucks | 61 117 | 61 502 | 61 519 | 62 888 | 66 197 |
Non-freight carrying trucks | 18 714 | 18 980 | 17 504 | 17 837 | 17 616 |
Buses | 55 805 | 55 078 | 56 754 | 59 819 | 61 728 |
Total | 12 228 008 | 12 398 588 | 12 849 393 | 13 155 365 | 13 491 401 |
Average kilometres travelled(c) ('000)
|
Passenger vehicles | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.2 | 14.5 | 13.9 |
Motor cycles | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 3.6 | 3.8 |
Light commercial vehicles | 16.4 | 17.9 | 17.3 | 17.2 | 17.5 |
Rigid trucks | 18.9 | 20.0 | 20.7 | 22.3 | 21.3 |
Articulated trucks | 91.3 | 86.5 | 88.2 | 90.9 | 90.8 |
Non-freight carrying trucks | ^11.8 | 14.1 | 12.8 | 11.3 | 12.5 |
Buses | 31.8 | 33.3 | 31.3 | 31.5 | 31.9 |
Total | 15.1 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 15.2 | 14.8 |
Total fuel consumption (million litres)
|
Passenger vehicles | 16 838 | 16 436 | 16 401 | 17 195 | 16 937 |
Motor cycles | 70 | 83 | 100 | 83 | ^92 |
Light commercial vehicles | 3 723 | 4 186 | 4 145 | 4 271 | 4 471 |
Rigid trucks | 1 795 | 1 855 | 2 041 | 2 183 | 2 123 |
Articulated trucks | 2 904 | 2 824 | 2 922 | 3 091 | 3 305 |
Non-freight carrying trucks | ^57 | 67 | 58 | 52 | 53 |
Buses | 466 | 498 | 497 | 517 | 524 |
Total | 25 853 | 25 948 | 26 164 | 27 391 | 27 505 |
Average rate of fuel consumption(d) (litres per 100 kilometres)
|
Passenger vehicles | 11.9 | 11.4 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 11.5 |
Motor cycles | 6.1 | 5.7 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.3 |
Light commercial vehicles | 13.4 | 13.6 | 13.2 | 13.1 | 13.1 |
Rigid trucks | 27.5 | 28.0 | 28.8 | 28.2 | 27.8 |
Articulated trucks | 52.1 | 53.1 | 53.9 | 54.1 | 55.0 |
Non-freight carrying trucks | 25.9 | 25.0 | 26.0 | 25.7 | 24.0 |
Buses | 26.2 | 27.1 | 28.0 | 27.5 | 26.6 |
Total | 14.0 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.7 | 13.8 |
|
^ Estimate has a relative standard error of 10% to less than 25% and should be used with caution.
(a) Post-stratified estimates. For official estimates refer to Survey of Motor Vehicle Use October 2003 Cat no. 9208.0.
(b) The average number of vehicles registered for the 12 months. Includes registered vehicles that did not travel during the reference period.
(c) Calculated using average number of registered vehicles. Includes registered vehicles that did not travel during the reference period.
(d) Calculated using the total fuel consumption divided by the total kilometres travelled.
Table 2: Summary of Freight Vehicle Use, Type of Vehicle
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003(a) | 2004 |
Total laden business kilometres travelled (million)
|
Light commercial vehicles | 13 120 | 13 889 | 14 054 | 15 326 | 15 844 |
Rigid trucks | 4 537 | 4 690 | 4 830 | 5 387 | 5 322 |
Articulated trucks | 4 071 | 3 933 | 4 012 | 4 298 | 4 367 |
Total freight vehicles | 21 728 | 22 512 | 22 896 | 25 011 | 25 533 |
Average laden business kilometres travelled(b) ('000)
|
Light commercial vehicles | 14.7 | 15.3 | 14.0 | 14.8 | 14.4 |
Rigid trucks | 16.1 | 16.3 | 16.2 | 17.5 | 16.8 |
Articulated trucks | 72.8 | 69.6 | 70.4 | 74.5 | 71.4 |
Total freight vehicles | 17.7 | 18.0 | 16.8 | 17.9 | 17.2 |
Total tonne-kilometres travelled (million)
|
Light commercial vehicles | 5 695 | 5 649 | 5 624 | 6 701 | 6 634 |
Rigid trucks | 25 168 | 24 881 | 28 337 | 30 572 | 29 752 |
Articulated trucks | 103 515 | 101 892 | 106 977 | 112 423 | 121 282 |
Total freight vehicles | 134 378 | 132 422 | 140 938 | 149 695 | 157 668 |
Average tonne-kilometres travelled(c) (million)
|
Light commercial vehicles | 6.4 | 6.2 | 5.6 | 6.5 | 6.0 |
Rigid trucks | 89.1 | 86.5 | 95.1 | 99.5 | 93.7 |
Articulated trucks | 1 852.0 | 1 804.4 | 1 876.3 | 1 947.7 | 1 983.3 |
Total freight vehicles | 109.3 | 105.8 | 103.5 | 107.0 | 106.4 |
Total tonnes carried (million)
|
Light commercial vehicles | 103 | 103 | 115 | 122 | 120 |
Rigid trucks | 711 | 683 | 802 | 712 | 807 |
Articulated trucks | 655 | 697 | 747 | 714 | 769 |
Total freight vehicles | 1 469 | 1 482 | 1 664 | 1 548 | 1 696 |
|
Average load carried per trip(d) (kilograms) |
|
Light commercial vehicles | 377 | 326 | 353 | 399 | 362 |
Rigid trucks | 5 854 | 5 632 | 6 130 | 5 835 | 6 068 |
Articulated trucks | 22 615 | 23 639 | 23 749 | 24 497 | 23 921 |
Total freight vehicles | 3 471 | 3 180 | 3 404 | 4 566 | 3 421 |
|
(a) Post-stratified estimates. For official estimates refer to Survey of Motor Vehicle Use October 2003 Cat no. 9208.0.
(b) Calculated using the total laden business kilometres travelled divided by the number of vehicles that travelled laden business kilometres.
(c) Calculated using the total tonne-kilometres travelled divided by the number of vehicles that travelled tonne-kilometres.
(d) Calculated using the total load carried divided by the total number of laden trips.
Table 3: Summary of Motor Vehicle Use, State/Territory of Registration
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003(a) | 2004 |
Total kilometres travelled (million)
|
New South Wales | 51 088 | 58 553 | 60 792 | 61 876 | 58 875 |
Victoria | 54 500 | 50 817 | 51 459 | 55 314 | 52 583 |
Queensland | 36 746 | 38 538 | 36 690 | 37 944 | 41 643 |
South Australia | 13 153 | 15 085 | 14 855 | 14 858 | 15 241 |
Western Australia | 19 875 | 18 610 | 19 160 | 20 882 | 21 324 |
Tasmania | 4 376 | 3 979 | 4 433 | 4 574 | 4 561 |
Northern Territory | 1 627 | 1 522 | 1 712 | 1 560 | 1 594 |
Australian Capital Territory | 3 228 | 3 048 | 3 108 | 3 067 | 3 234 |
Australia | 184 593 | 190 152 | 192 209 | 200 076 | 199 055 |
Number of vehicles(b) (number)
|
New South Wales | 3 663 210 | 3 745 732 | 3 859 620 | 3 942 136 | 4 059 983 |
Victoria | 3 232 708 | 3 235 515 | 3 442 573 | 3 515 441 | 3 538 822 |
Queensland | 2 340 267 | 2 365 530 | 2 459 307 | 2 530 630 | 2 665 200 |
South Australia | 1 021 386 | 1 051 115 | 1 051 720 | 1 072 877 | 1 082 691 |
Western Australia | 1 340 533 | 1 365 714 | 1 392 316 | 1 446 038 | 1 471 497 |
Tasmania | 332 110 | 329 963 | 334 259 | 334 882 | 350 976 |
Northern Territory | 102 846 | 101 159 | 103 155 | 103 524 | 106 651 |
Australian Capital Territory | 194 948 | 203 859 | 206 444 | 209 838 | 215 581 |
Australia | 12 228 008 | 12 398 588 | 12 849 393 | 13 155 365 | 13 491 401 |
Average kilometres travelled(c) ('000)
|
New South Wales | 13.9 | 15.6 | 15.8 | 15.7 | 14.5 |
Victoria | 16.9 | 15.7 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 14.9 |
Queensland | 15.7 | 16.3 | 14.9 | 15.0 | 15.6 |
South Australia | 12.9 | 14.4 | 14.1 | 13.8 | 14.1 |
Western Australia | 14.8 | 13.6 | 13.8 | 14.4 | 14.5 |
Tasmania | 13.2 | 12.1 | 13.3 | 13.7 | 13.0 |
Northern Territory | 15.8 | 15.0 | 16.6 | 15.1 | 14.9 |
Australian Capital Territory | 16.6 | 15.0 | 15.1 | 14.6 | 15.0 |
Australia | 15.1 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 15.2 | 14.8 |
|
(a) Post-stratified estimates. For official estimates refer to Survey of Motor Vehicle Use October 2003 Cat no. 9208.0.
(b) The average number of vehicles registered for the 12 months. Includes registered vehicles that did not travel during the reference period.
(c) Calculated using the total kilometres travelled divided by the average number of registered vehicles. Includes registered vehicles that did not travel during the reference period.