General transport activity

Transport

General transport activity

This section provides data relating to the movements of goods and persons. Examples include distance travelled, tonnes of freight carried and numbers of passengers.

Road transport activity

Motor vehicles travelled a total distance of 180,782 million kilometres in the year ended 31 October 2000 at an average of 15,400 kilometres per vehicle on the road (table 23.1). Business use accounted for an estimated 34.4% of distance travelled, while the journey to and from work accounted for a further 22.1%. Private use made up the remaining 43.5%.

23.1 BUSINESS AND PRIVATE VEHICLE USE, By Type of Vehicle - Year ended 31 October 2000(a)

Business

Type of vehicle
Laden
Unladen
Total(b)
Total to and
from work
Private
Total

TOTAL KILOMETRES TRAVELLED (million)

Passenger vehicles
n.a.
n.a.
31,085
35,050
72,590
138,725

Motor cycles
n.a.
n.a.
131
449
587
1,167

Light commercial vehicles
12,704
4,833
17,537
4,318
5,281
27,136

Rigid trucks
4,406
1,834
6,240
94
81
6,415

Articulated trucks
3,887
1,436
5,323
*6
*2
5,331

Non-freight carrying trucks
n.a.
n.a.
252
**1
**1
254

Buses
n.a.
n.a.
1,664
19
70
1,754

Total
20,997
8,104
62,233
39,937
78,612
180,782

AVERAGE KILOMETRES TRAVELLED PER VEHICLE(c) ('000)

Passenger vehicles
n.a.
n.a.
10.2
7.1
8.5
14.7

Motor cycles
n.a.
n.a.
2.6
4.6
3.1
4.6

Light commercial vehicles
14.3
8.3
17.6
7.5
6.1
17.1

Rigid trucks
15.9
8.5
22.3
4.4
2.7
21.3

Articulated trucks
71.3
30.2
96.5
2.9
*1.3
94.4

Non-freight carrying trucks
n.a.
n.a.
13.9
*3.2
*1.8
13.8

Buses
n.a.
n.a.
34.2
4.3
9.4
32.6

Total
17.2
9.5
13.9
7.1
8.2
15.4

(a) Because of changes to methodology, caution should be used when comparing these data with data from the 1995 and earlier surveys presented in previous editions of Year Book Australia.
(b) Includes business travel of non-freight carrying vehicles.
(c) Calculated using total kilometres travelled divided by the average number of registered vehicles, for each type of vehicle, by type of use.

Source: Survey of Motor Vehicle Use, Australia (9208.0).

Table 23.2 shows the areas in which motor vehicles travelled. Only 5.4% of total distance travelled was interstate while 55.5% was within the capital city of the State or Territory in which the vehicle was registered.

23.2 AREA OF OPERATION - By Type of Vehicle - Year ended 31 October 2000(a)

Area of operation

Within State/Territory of registration

Type of vehicle

Capital city(b)
Provincial
urban
Other areas of
State or
Territory
Total
Interstate(c)
Australia

TOTAL KILOMETRES TRAVELLED (million)

Passenger vehicles
82,488
17,986
31,219
131,692
7,032
138,725

Motor cycles
536
212
318
1,066
*101
1,167

Light commercial vehicles
12,049
4,351
9,830
26,230
906
27,136

Rigid trucks
3,405
757
2,022
6,184
231
6,415

Articulated trucks
977
338
2,539
3,854
1,477
5,331

Non-freight carrying types
108
**74
*63
245
*9
254

Buses
820
268
589
1,678
76
1,754

Total
100,383
23,987
46,580
170,950
9,833
180,782

AVERAGE KILOMETRES TRAVELLED PER VEHICLE(d) ('000)

Passenger vehicles
11.6
6.7
9.8
14.0
6.8
14.7

Motor cycles
4.1
3.7
2.9
4.3
*3.5
4.6

Light commercial vehicles
15.4
10.2
13.1
16.7
5.0
17.1

Rigid trucks
22.4
11.6
14.4
20.7
8.8
21.3

Articulated trucks
29.9
19.3
64.1
70.5
79.2
94.4

Non-freight carrying types
16.1
*17.3
*7.5
13.7
*5.3
13.8

Buses
27.0
18.5
25.6
31.6
14.7
32.6

Total
12.2
7.3
10.9
14.7
7.6
15.4

(a) Because of changes to methodology caution must be taken when comparing these data with data from the 1995 and earlier surveys presented in previous editions of Year Book Australia.
(b) Relates to travel within the capital of the State/Territory where a vehicle is registered (i.e. Sydney for vehicles registered in New South Wales).
(c) Interstate travel relates to distance travelled in States/Territories other than the one in which the vehicle was registered (e.g. distance travelled by a New South Wales registered vehicle in Victoria). It is not classified by capital city/provincial urban/other area (i.e. distance travelled by a New South Wales registered vehicle in Melbourne is shown as interstate travel and not capital city travel).
(d) Calculated as total kilometres travelled divided by the number of vehicles travelling, for each type of vehicle, by area of operation.

Source: Survey of Motor Vehicle Use, Australia (9208.0).

Rail transport activity

The Australian rail industry is very diverse, comprising rail operators (freight, passenger, tourist and heritage), manufacturers, suppliers, consultants, track access corporations, maintenance and construction contractors, logistics providers and a wide range of other companies covering all sectors of the industry.

Australia's railways are undergoing significant change as a result of the Commonwealth and State/Territory Governments' policy to increase competition. Consequently, there has been an increase in private rail activity, with a decline in government ownership and management of railways.

The following information as at 30 June 2001 on the ownership and management of individual State railways was supplied by Australasian Railways Association.

New South Wales: The Rail Infrastructure Corporation (RIC) manages rail infrastructure including maintenance and operator access to the network. The State government-owned enterprises are:

FreightCorp, the State's major rail freight operator which also operates in South Australia and between Sydney and Melbourne. The NSW Government has announced its intention to privatise FreightCorp; and

the State Rail Authority, operating urban, commuter and country rail passenger services, and interstate passenger trains to Melbourne and Brisbane.

A number of private operators also operate rail services.

Victoria: The Victorian Rail Track Corporation (VicTrack) is the State government statutory corporation which owns the public transport land in Victoria. This land is leased by VicTrack to various government and private operators. In February 1999 Victoria's rail freight operator V/Line Freight was sold to US regional rail operator Rail America, which trades as Freight Australia. In mid-1999 Victoria's rail passenger services were franchised to private operators:

UK based National Express Group - V/Line Passenger (under a 10�year franchise agreement);

M>Train (15 year agreement);

M>Tram (12�years);

French based Melbourne Transport Enterprises-Connex (15 years); and

locally based MetroLink, including the major construction company Transfield Yarra Trams (12 years).

Queensland: The primary rail system remains operated by government-owned business enterprises that have responsibility for their entire operations. There are also a number of private enterprises operating smaller railways, primarily for the transportation of products such as sugar cane.

South Australia: In November 1997 the Commonwealth sold the non-urban rail systems. Australian Southern Railroad operates the former SA�Freight. Great Southern Railway operates the long distance passenger trains, namely the Ghan, the Indian Pacific and the Overland. There are also some private operators.

Western Australia: In late 2000, the West Australian government owned Westrail was sold to a consortium comprising Australian Southern Railroad and Wesfarmers. The urban rail passenger operations and non-urban rail and bus passenger services remain government owned under the Western Australian Government Railways Commission. In north-west WA, private railways haul iron ore from mine to port on some of the world's longest, heaviest and most efficient trains.

Tasmania: In November 1997 the Commonwealth sold Tasrail to Australian Transport Network.

Commonwealth: National Rail Corporation Ltd (NRC) operates interstate rail freight services between Brisbane and Perth as well as intrastate services in NSW. It is jointly owned by the Commonwealth Government and the NSW and Victorian Governments, which have agreed to its privatisation. The Australian Rail Track Corporation owns the interstate standard gauge track in South Australia extending to Kalgoorlie in WA, and leases the interstate standard gauge track in Victoria from the State Government and VicTrack.

Domestic airline activity

Table 23.3 shows the hours flown and aircraft departures for the major domestic and regional airlines. Aircraft departures increased by 3.8% in 2000 compared to departures in 1999. The number of hours flown in 2000 increased by 4.8% from 1999.

23.3 DOMESTIC AIRLINE ACTIVITY- MAJOR AIRLINES, Hours Flown and Departures

	1996 '000	1997 '000	1998 '000	1999 '000	2000(a) '000

Domestic airlines(a)
Hours flown	454	440	440	442	463
Aircraft departures	254	242	239	240	249

(a) Includes Ansett Australia, Qantas Airways Ltd, Virgin Blue and the jet services of Impulse Airline. Source: Department of Transport and Regional Services.

In addition to scheduled services of domestic and regional airlines shown in table 23.3, a wide range of other activities is undertaken by the aviation industry, including business flying, aerial agriculture, charter, training and private flying (table 23.4). Charter operations and training have, in recent years, made up more than half of general aviation hours flown and approximately 40% of total domestic hours flown. Charter operations involve the use of aircraft in non-scheduled operations for the carriage of passengers and cargo for hire or reward. General aviation hours flown in 2000 were 13% lower across all activity types than hours flown in 1999. Fuel contamination problems which grounded some aircraft may have been a factor in the lower figures recorded.

23.4 GENERAL AVIATION ACTIVITY, Hours Flown

	1996 '000	1997 '000	1998 '000	1999 '000	2000(a) '000

Charter	483	487	498	508	487
Agricultural	126	137	148	135	117
Flying training	450	455	484	454	355
Other aerial work	293	315	319	314	274
Private/business	447	446	430	432	369
Total	1,799	1,839	1,878	1,842	1,602

(a) 2000 figures are preliminary. Source: Bureau of Air Safety Investigation.

International air transport activity

As table 23.5 shows, the number of flights into and out of Australia in 2000 both increased by 10.4% over 1999 levels. Other airlines (i.e. overseas operators) represented 66.5% of all scheduled international airline traffic. In 2000 these airlines increased their incoming flights by 12.5% and their outgoing flights by 12.6%, and were the primary contributors to the overall increase in flights. Qantas also contributed to the total growth in flights, with a 8.5% increase in flights into and out of the country, flights to and from Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, UK and USA recording increases. In contrast, the number of Ansett flights fell across all services except to and from Hong Kong.

23.5 SCHEDULED INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE TRAFFIC TO AND FROM AUSTRALIA(a) - Year ended December
	Flights(b)(c)

Type of traffic	1999	2000

TRAFFIC TO AUSTRALIA

Qantas Airways Limited	12,675	13,751
Ansett Australia	1,640	1,450
Other airlines	27,219	30,633
All airlines	41,534	45,834

TRAFFIC FROM AUSTRALIA

Qantas Airways Limited	12,733	13,817
Ansett Australia	1,646	1,454
Other airlines	26,713	30,083
All airlines	41,092	45,354

(a) Australia and Norfolk Island. (b) Includes Qantas flights using aircraft leased from other airlines and vice versa. (c) The difference between to and from numbers arises because some outward flights are operated as non-scheduled, and so are not counted in the table.
Source: Department of Transport and Regional Services.


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	Copyright � Commonwealth of Australia, 2001

23.1 BUSINESS AND PRIVATE VEHICLE USE, By Type of Vehicle - Year ended 31 October 2000(a)
	Business


Type of vehicle	Laden	Unladen	Total(b)	Total to and from work	Private	Total

TOTAL KILOMETRES TRAVELLED (million)

Passenger vehicles	n.a.	n.a.	31,085	35,050	72,590	138,725
Motor cycles	n.a.	n.a.	131	449	587	1,167
Light commercial vehicles	12,704	4,833	17,537	4,318	5,281	27,136
Rigid trucks	4,406	1,834	6,240	94	81	6,415
Articulated trucks	3,887	1,436	5,323	*6	*2	5,331
Non-freight carrying trucks	n.a.	n.a.	252	**1	**1	254
Buses	n.a.	n.a.	1,664	19	70	1,754
Total	20,997	8,104	62,233	39,937	78,612	180,782

AVERAGE KILOMETRES TRAVELLED PER VEHICLE(c) ('000)

Passenger vehicles	n.a.	n.a.	10.2	7.1	8.5	14.7
Motor cycles	n.a.	n.a.	2.6	4.6	3.1	4.6
Light commercial vehicles	14.3	8.3	17.6	7.5	6.1	17.1
Rigid trucks	15.9	8.5	22.3	4.4	2.7	21.3
Articulated trucks	71.3	30.2	96.5	2.9	*1.3	94.4
Non-freight carrying trucks	n.a.	n.a.	13.9	*3.2	*1.8	13.8
Buses	n.a.	n.a.	34.2	4.3	9.4	32.6
Total	17.2	9.5	13.9	7.1	8.2	15.4

(a) Because of changes to methodology, caution should be used when comparing these data with data from the 1995 and earlier surveys presented in previous editions of Year Book Australia. (b) Includes business travel of non-freight carrying vehicles. (c) Calculated using total kilometres travelled divided by the average number of registered vehicles, for each type of vehicle, by type of use.
Source: Survey of Motor Vehicle Use, Australia (9208.0).

23.2 AREA OF OPERATION - By Type of Vehicle - Year ended 31 October 2000(a)
	Area of operation

	Within State/Territory of registration

Type of vehicle	Capital city(b)	Provincial urban	Other areas of State or Territory	Total	Interstate(c)	Australia

TOTAL KILOMETRES TRAVELLED (million)

Passenger vehicles	82,488	17,986	31,219	131,692	7,032	138,725
Motor cycles	536	212	318	1,066	*101	1,167
Light commercial vehicles	12,049	4,351	9,830	26,230	906	27,136
Rigid trucks	3,405	757	2,022	6,184	231	6,415
Articulated trucks	977	338	2,539	3,854	1,477	5,331
Non-freight carrying types	108	**74	*63	245	*9	254
Buses	820	268	589	1,678	76	1,754
Total	100,383	23,987	46,580	170,950	9,833	180,782

AVERAGE KILOMETRES TRAVELLED PER VEHICLE(d) ('000)

Passenger vehicles	11.6	6.7	9.8	14.0	6.8	14.7
Motor cycles	4.1	3.7	2.9	4.3	*3.5	4.6
Light commercial vehicles	15.4	10.2	13.1	16.7	5.0	17.1
Rigid trucks	22.4	11.6	14.4	20.7	8.8	21.3
Articulated trucks	29.9	19.3	64.1	70.5	79.2	94.4
Non-freight carrying types	16.1	*17.3	*7.5	13.7	*5.3	13.8
Buses	27.0	18.5	25.6	31.6	14.7	32.6
Total	12.2	7.3	10.9	14.7	7.6	15.4

(a) Because of changes to methodology caution must be taken when comparing these data with data from the 1995 and earlier surveys presented in previous editions of Year Book Australia. (b) Relates to travel within the capital of the State/Territory where a vehicle is registered (i.e. Sydney for vehicles registered in New South Wales). (c) Interstate travel relates to distance travelled in States/Territories other than the one in which the vehicle was registered (e.g. distance travelled by a New South Wales registered vehicle in Victoria). It is not classified by capital city/provincial urban/other area (i.e. distance travelled by a New South Wales registered vehicle in Melbourne is shown as interstate travel and not capital city travel). (d) Calculated as total kilometres travelled divided by the number of vehicles travelling, for each type of vehicle, by area of operation.
Source: Survey of Motor Vehicle Use, Australia (9208.0).