Contents >> Chapter 22 - Transport >> Transport equipment

TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT

REGISTERED MOTOR VEHICLES

There were 13.1 million motor vehicles (excluding motor cycles, tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers) registered at 31 March 2004 (table 22.25). This represents an increase of 3% since 31 March 2003. Approximately eight out of every ten vehicles are passenger vehicles. Table 22.26 shows registered motor vehicles by state or territory of registration. New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland are the states with the largest numbers of vehicles with 30%, 26% and 20% of the total vehicle fleet respectively.

22.25 REGISTERED MOTOR VEHICLES
Trucks
Passenger vehicles(a)
Light commercial vehicles
Rigid
Articulated
Non-freight
carrying
Buses
Total(b)
Motor cycles
Motor vehicle census years(c)
’000
’000
’000
’000
’000
’000
’000
’000
1996
9,022
1,602
341
58
16
59
11,097
304
1997
9,240
1,632
342
59
17
61
11,351
313
1998
9,561
1,686
347
62
18
64
11,738
329
1999
9,720
1,721
347
63
18
66
11,935
334
2001
9,870
1,770
338
63
18
68
12,126
351
2002
10,137
1,820
342
64
19
70
12,451
371
2003
10,404
1,880
349
64
19
70
12,786
377
2004
10,669
1,952
358
66
20
71
13,137
396
(a) Includes campervans.
(b) Excludes motor cycles, tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers.
(c) At 31 March for 2004, 2003, 2002 and 2001; at 31 October for all previous years shown.

Source: Motor Vehicle Census, 31 March 2004 (9309.0).
22.26 REGISTERED MOTOR VEHICLES - 31 March 2004
Trucks
Passenger vehicles(a)
Light
commercials
Rigid
Articulated
Non-freight
carrying
Buses
Total(b)
Motor cycles
’000
’000
’000
’000
’000
’000
’000
’000
New South Wales
3,258
552
108
15
4
20
3,957
106
Victoria
2,882
452
87
20
6
16
3,463
102
Queensland
1,994
464
75
14
4
15
2,567
89
South Australia
891
137
26
6
2
4
1,067
29
Western Australia
1,129
233
46
8
3
10
1,431
49
Tasmania
259
68
10
1
1
2
341
9
Northern Territory
69
26
3
1
-
3
103
3
Australian Capital Territory
186
19
2
-
-
1
209
7
Australia
10,669
1,952
358
66
20
71
13,137
396
(a) Includes campervans.
(b) Excludes motor cycles, tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers.

Source: Motor Vehicle Census, Australia, 31 March 2004 (9309.0).


The average age of the Australian motor vehicle fleet at 31 March 2004 was 10 years (table 22.27). Tasmania recorded the highest average age (12 years) while New South Wales and the Northern Territory recorded the lowest average age (9 years). Of the different vehicle types, campervans had the oldest average age (19 years), while motorcycles recorded the lowest (10 years).
22.27 ESTIMATED AVERAGE AGE OF THE VEHICLE FLEET(a) - 31 March 2004
State/territory of registration
Type of vehicle
NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.
NT
ACT
Aust.
Passenger vehicles
9.0
10.3
10.0
11.4
10.4
11.7
8.9
9.6
10.0
Campervans
17.0
19.8
16.3
20.5
21.2
20.2
20.5
19.8
18.9
Light commercial vehicles
10.2
11.9
11.0
12.1
11.9
13.2
9.9
10.2
11.2
Light rigid trucks
11.0
12.9
11.5
12.9
13.3
16.1
9.1
11.3
12.0
Heavy rigid trucks
14.1
17.6
15.1
17.8
18.2
17.3
13.3
11.5
16.1
Articulated trucks
10.6
11.8
11.4
11.4
13.4
10.5
12.5
8.4
11.6
Non-freight carrying trucks
12.6
15.0
11.4
14.9
16.8
16.9
13.1
12.0
14.2
Buses
10.3
10.8
10.5
11.8
10.1
14.7
8.1
10.6
10.6
Motor cycles
9.0
9.5
10.2
(b)8.5
12.0
10.5
8.2
9.0
9.8
Total
9.3
10.7
10.3
11.6
11.0
12.3
9.3
9.7
10.3
(a) Excludes plant and equipment, caravans and trailers.
(b) Year of manufacture is frequently not reported for SA motor cycles. In 2004 it was not reported for 20% of motor cycles registered in South Australia.

Source: Motor Vehicle Census, 31 March 2004 (9309.0).


The number of motor vehicles registered per person has increased from 606 vehicles per 1,000 persons in 1995 to 675 per 1,000 persons in 2004 (table 22.28). Western Australia had the most registered vehicles per person in 2004, at 749 per 1,000 persons, being 11% above the Australian average.
22.28 MOTOR VEHICLES(a)(b) ON REGISTER PER 1,000 OF POPULATION
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2001
2002
2003
2004
New South Wales
545
556
546
581
572
568
578
590
605
Victoria
637
669
661
682
695
690
701
709
718
Queensland
614
624
605
645
659
651
663
676
687
South Australia
653
667
661
693
686
694
699
705
715
Western Australia
679
694
682
725
724
722
731
737
749
Tasmania
676
686
688
684
699
700
708
711
727
Northern Territory
520
529
508
538
533
516
520
529
532
Australian Capital Territory
604
613
637
627
630
634
643
659
666
Australia
606
614
630
612
646
642
652
662
675
(a) Excludes tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers.
(b) At 31 March for 2004, 2003, 2002 and 2001; at 31 October for all previous years shown.

Source: Motor Vehicle Census, 31 March 2004 (9309.0).


SHIPPING FLEET

The Australian merchant trading fleet has decreased in size, from 82 ships in 1994 to 74 ships in 2003 (table 22.29). Deadweight tonnes has fallen from 3.3 million tonnes in 1996 to 2.6 million tonnes in 2003, while gross tonnage fell from 2.3 million tonnes to 1.6 million tonnes over the same period.
22.29 AUSTRALIAN TRADING FLEET - 30 JUNE(a)
Units
1996
1997
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Ships
no.
82
76
77
77
81
77
74
Deadweight(b)
tonnes
3,303,294
3,164,568
2,505,369
2,283,336
2,323,983
2,028,637
2,135,982
Gross tonnage(c)
tonnes
2,267,719
2,238,141
1,864,976
1,729,770
1,764,298
1,587,743
1,628,203
(a) Data for 1998 was not collected.
(b) Weight that a vessel can carry, including cargo, bunkers, water and stores.
(c) Measure of the internal capacity of a ship (in tonnes) that is available within the hull and enclosed spaces for cargo, stores, passenger and crew.

Source: Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics.


AIRCRAFT FLEET

There were 12,273 aircraft in the Australian Civil Aircraft Register at 31 December 2004 (table 22.30). This included 9,621 aeroplanes and 1,196 helicopters. Between 1996 and 2004, the number of aeroplanes has increased by 933, helicopters by 512, gliders by 121, and balloons by 88.
22.30 REGISTERED AIRCRAFT(a) - 31 December
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Aeroplanes
Single engine
6,738
6,890
7,024
7,196
7,280
7,350
7,403
7,543
7,679
Multi engine
1,950
1,950
1,918
1,930
1,971
1,969
1,932
1,927
1,942
Total
8,688
8,840
8,942
9,126
9,251
9,319
9,335
9,470
9,621
Helicopters
684
717
751
851
926
967
1,034
1,123
1,196
Gliders(b)
985
1,062
1,069
1,068
1,071
1,082
1,082
1,102
1,106
Balloons
262
282
296
309
322
334
337
339
350
Total
10,619
10,901
11,058
11,354
11,570
11,702
11,788
12,034
12,273
(a) Includes amateur built aircraft.
(b) Includes powered and non-powered gliders.

Source: Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Aircraft Register.



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