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Transport

Transport equipment Registered motor vehicles

The number of motor vehicles registered in Australia has increased since 1996. At 31 October 1999 there were 11,934,797 motor vehicles (excluding motor cycles, tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers) registered in Australia (table 23.27). This represents an increase of 1.7% since 31 October 1998. With the exception of Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT, the remaining States now have fleets of over one million vehicles (table 23.28). Approximately 8 out of every 10 vehicles are passenger vehicles.


23.27 NUMBER OF REGISTERED MOTOR VEHICLES - 1996 to 1999(a)
Trucks
Motor vehicle census years
Passenger
vehicles(b)


'000
Light
commercial
vehicles

'000
Rigid



'000
Articulated



'000
Non-freight
carrying


'000
Buses



'000
Total(c)



'000
Motor
cycles


'000
1996
9,021.5
1,601.6
341.0
58.4
16.0
58.8
11,097.3
303.9
1997
9,206.2
1,632.2
342.4
59.3
16.7
61.1
11,351.3
313.1
1998
9,526.7
1,686.4
347.2
62.3
17.5
64.1
11,738.0
328.8
1999
9,719.9
1,721.2
346.8
63.3
17.7
65.9
11,934.8
333.8
(a) As at 31 October in all years shown.
(b) Includes campervans.
(c) Excludes motor cycles, tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers.

Source: Motor Vehicle Census, Australia (9309.0).

23.28 REGISTERED MOTOR VEHICLES - 31 October 1999
Trucks
State/Territory
Passenger
vehicles(a)

'000
Light
commercials

'000
Rigid


'000
Articulated


'000
Non-freight
carrying

'000
Buses


'000
Total(b)


'000
Motor
cycles

'000
NSW
2,969.7
482.1
105.9
16.3
3.2
16.6
3,593.8
85.6
Vic.
2,652.2
402.0
85.5
18.1
5.7
15.0
3,178.5
88.0
Qld
1,746.3
396.3
70.0
12.8
2.9
14.1
2,242.4
73.2
SA
843.0
126.0
25.6
5.9
1.9
4.0
1,006.4
26.1
WA
1,024.7
212.4
44.6
7.6
2.8
9.9
1,302.0
42.8
Tas.
245.7
61.0
9.7
1.5
0.9
2.2
321.0
8.6
NT
67.7
24.6
3.3
0.8
0.2
3.0
99.5
3.6
ACT
170.7
16.8
2.3
0.2
0.1
1.0
191.2
5.9
Aust.
9,719.9
1,721.2
346.8
63.3
17.7
65.9
11,934.8
333.8
(a) Includes campervans.
(b) Excludes motor cycles, tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers.

Source: Motor Vehicle Census, Australia (9309.0).


In 1971 the average age of the Australian motor vehicle fleet was 6.1 years. The average age has since grown steadily to reach 10.7 years in both 1997 and 1998 before falling to 10.6 in 1999 (table 23.29). The average age of passenger vehicles (81% of the vehicle fleet) declined by 0.1 years to 10.3 years as at 31 October 1999, following a similar fall between the 1997 and 1998 Motor Vehicle Censuses.


23.29 ESTIMATED AVERAGE AGE OF THE VEHICLE FLEET(a), By State/Territory of Registration - 31 October 1999
State of registration
Type of vehicle
NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.
NT
ACT
Aust.

1999
Passenger vehicles
9.2
10.8
10.2
11.9
10.5
12.1
8.9
10.1
10.3
Campervans
17.1
19.2
16.3
18.8
20.2
18.9
18.9
18.4
18.4
Light commercial vehicles
10.4
12.4
11.0
12.6
11.7
13.1
9.8
10.9
11.4
Rigid trucks with GVM 3.5 and less than 4.5 tonnes
11.2
14.3
12.6
14.6
13.7
16.7
7.1
11.9
12.7
Rigid trucks with GVM 4.5 tonnes and over
13.8
16.8
14.3
17.2
16.9
16.8
12.4
11.0
15.4
Articulated trucks
11.4
11.8
11.3
10.8
13.1
11.0
11.6
7.9
11.6
Non-freight carrying trucks
14.0
15.3
11.8
13.8
16.8
16.8
11.0
16.6
14.6
Buses
9.2
10.4
9.8
11.3
8.0
13.7
6.5
8.9
9.5
Motor cycles
9.2
9.9
10.6
(b)9.7
11.6
10.3
8.4
9.4
10.1
Total
9.5
11.2
10.5
12.1
11.0
12.5
9.2
10.1
10.6
(a) Excludes plant and equipment, caravans and trailers.
(b) Year of manufacture is frequently not reported for South Australian motor cycles.

Source: Motor Vehicle Census, Australia (9309.0).


The number of registered motor vehicles (excluding motor cycles) relative to the resident population increased steadily over the seven years 1991 to 1998. However, the 647 vehicles per 1,000 population at 31 October 1999 was up only marginally from 644 a year earlier (table 23.30).


23.30 MOTOR VEHICLES(a) ON REGISTER PER 1,000 OF POPULATION, By State/Territory of Registration - 1991 to 1999
Motor vehicle census years
State/Territory
1991
1993
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
NSW
525
529
545
556
563
581
574
Vic.
622
642
637
669
677
682
693
Qld
569
593
614
624
627
645
659
SA
637
638
653
667
671
693
692
WA
653
665
679
694
706
725
723
Tas.
643
661
676
686
686
684
701
NT
507
497
520
529
530
538
535
ACT
556
591
604
613
637
631
635
Aust.
582
595
606
614
630
644
647
(a) Excludes motor cycles, tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers.

Source: Motor Vehicle Census, Australia (9309.0); Population data - Estimated Resident Population, Australia (3201.0).


Registrations of new motor vehicles

The number of new motor vehicles registered in 2000-01 increased 10.5% on the previous year (table 23.31). This rise follows a marked fall in 1999-2000 when the introduction of the New Tax System delayed purchases of new motor vehicles as buyers anticipated a reduction in vehicle prices.


23.31 REGISTRATIONS OF NEW MOTOR VEHICLES, Australia, By Type of Vehicle - 1995-96 to 2000-01
Trucks
Year

Passenger
vehicles

no.
Light
commercial
vehicles(a)

no.


Rigid

no.


Articulated

no.

Non-freight
carrying

no.


Buses

no.
Total
(excludes
motor cycles)

no.

Motor
cycles

no.
1995–96
531,778
86,666
9,726
2,909
1,074
4,376
636,529
22,345
1996–97
557,962
88,204
9,470
3,145
1,099
3,972
663,852
22,842
1997–98
654,697
96,762
11,387
4,006
1,247
3,746
771,845
26,765
1998–99
671,513
103,568
13,182
3,973
1,194
3,636
797,066
30,070
1999–2000
596,357
110,176
13,502
3,296
1,068
4,026
728,425
32,579
2000–01
684,569
99,845
12,171
3,415
1,464
3,126
804,590
35,070
(a) Includes utilities, panel vans, cab chassis and forward control load carrying vehicles of 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass (GVM) or less.

Source: New Motor Vehicle Registrations, Australia (9301.0), and other ABS data on new motor vehicles available on request.

Table 23.32 shows new registrations by vehicle type for each State and Territory in 2000-01. New South Wales recorded the highest share of total new vehicle registrations (33.7%), though not for every vehicle type. There were more new registrations of articulated trucks in Victoria and non-freight carrying trucks in both Victoria and Queensland.


23.32 REGISTRATIONS OF NEW MOTOR VEHICLES, By State/Territory - 2000-01
Trucks
State/Territory

Passenger
vehicles

no.
Light
commercial
vehicles(a)

no.


Rigid

no.


Articulated

no.

Non-freight
carrying

no.


Buses

no.
Total
(excludes
motor cycles)

no.

Motor
cycles

no.
NSW
232,497
32,183
4,247
896
282
892
270,997
10,383
Vic.
189,822
23,600
3,147
1,109
579
771
219,028
10,205
Qld
125,294
23,798
2,823
755
324
744
153,738
6,780
SA
43,089
6,075
610
314
92
99
50,379
2,210
WA
63,132
9,256
937
225
117
354
74,021
3,621
Tas.
12,604
2,374
197
91
65
42
15,373
720
NT
5,601
1,386
140
18
4
94
7,243
491
ACT
12,530
1,173
70
7
1
30
13,811
660
Aust.
684,569
99,845
12,171
3,415
1,464
3,126
804,590
35,070
(a) Includes utilities, panel vans, cab chassis and forward control load carrying vehicles of 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass (GVM) or less.

Source: ABS data available on request, New Motor Vehicle Registrations.


Rail rolling stock

Table 23.33 shows the number of locomotives, passenger cars and wagons in the Australian rail fleet. A large number of the narrow gauge diesel locomotives are owned by Queensland operators (Queensland Rail and Sugar Cane Railways), and service the Brisbane to Cairns route or the extensive rail network transporting sugar cane. Queensland Rail has the largest fleet of locomotives with 350 narrow gauge diesel and 184 narrow gauge electric. Other operators with large locomotive fleets are Freight Corp (NSW) and Tranz Rail (NZ) which operates in Tasmania.


23.33 AUSTRALIAN RAIL FLEET, Locomotives, Passenger Cars and Wagons - at 30 June
Location
2000

no.
2001

no.
Locomotives
Diesel -
- Broad gauge
131
183
- Standard gauge(a)
886
875
- Narrow gauge
1,050
1,018
Electric -
- Standard gauge
60
60
- Narrow gauge
211
211
XPT standard gauge
19
21
Total
2,357
2,368
Passenger cars
Locomotive hauled
951
1,020
Diesel rail cars -
- Locomotive hauled
123
145
- Suburban
143
144
- Total
266
289
Electric railcars -
- Interurban(b)
313
283
- Suburban
2,603
2,690
- Total
2,916
2,973
Tram/Light rail
554
556
Charter/Heritage
44
47
Total
4,731
4,885
Wagons
Revenue -
- Broad gauge
1,860
2,025
- Standard gauge
21,017
20,703
- Narrow gauge
73,888
73,336
- Total
96,765
96,064
Other
1,573
1,719
Total
98,338
97,783
(a) Includes 60 diesel-electric locomotives.
(b) Includes 12 tilt cars.

Source: Australasian Railway Association Inc.


Shipping fleet

There were 8,735 ships registered in Australia at 30 June 2001 (table 23.34), with Queensland having the largest fleet (2,774 ships). In all States/Territories except South Australia and Tasmania, more than half the fleets were registered for recreational use. High percentages of ships registered in South Australia (49.1%) and Tasmania (41.1%) were registered for fishing purposes.


23.34 SHIPS REGISTERED(a) IN AUSTRALIA - 30 June 2001
Nature of registration
Location

Recreational

no.

Fishing

no.

Government

no.
Demise
chartered(b)

no.
Commercial and
trading(c)

no.

Total

no.
New South Wales
1,771
279
4
6
245
2,305
Victoria
649
197
-
2
99
947
Queensland
1,585
758
19
12
402
2,774
South Australia
283
315
1
-
43
642
Western Australia
606
416
-
3
150
1,175
Tasmania
252
216
2
-
56
526
Northern Territory
274
63
1
-
28
366
Australia
5,420
2,244
27
21
1,023
8,735
(a) Australian-owned commercial or trading ships of 24 metres or more in tonnage length. All ships, regardless of tonnage length, must be registered before departing on a voyage from Australia or from a foreign port where there is an Australian diplomatic representative.
(b) Demise charter is the charter of a foreign ship operated by an Australian company in Australian waters. These ships are not necessarily engaged in trade or commerce.
(c) Relates to ships used for trading and commercial purposes. Some of these ships are less than 24 metres in tonnage length.

Source: Australian Maritime Safety Authority.


The major Australian trading fleet (2,000 Dead Weight Tonnes (DWT) and over) comprised 54 ships at 30 June 2000 (table 23.35). The largest registered coastal ships were the Iron Whyalla and the Iron Spencer (both 141,475 DWT) which shipped iron ore and coal. The minor trading fleet, consisting of vessels with Gross Tonnage (GRT) of between 150 and 2000 tonnes, comprised 23 ships.


23.35 THE AUSTRALIAN TRADING FLEET, Ships 150 Gross Tonnes or More - 30 June 2000
Ships
no.
Dead weight tonnage (DWT)(a)
Gross tonnes
Major Australian fleet(b)
Coastal -
- Australian registered
40
1,362,268
912,856
- Overseas registered
5
124,353
75,881
- Total coastal fleet
45
1,486,621
988,737
Overseas -
- Australian registered
8
633,694
636,346
- Overseas registered
1
149,235
88,122
- Total overseas fleet
9
782,929
724,468
Total
54
2,269,550
1,713,205
Minor trading ships(c) -
- Australian registered
22
12,986
10,947
- Overseas registered
1
800
5,618
Total
23
13,786
16,565
Australian trading fleet
77
2,283,336
1,729,770
(a) The weight that a vessel can carry, including cargo, bunkers, water and stores.
(b) 2,000 Dead Weight Tonnes (DWT) and over.
(c) Minor trading ships are between 150 Gross Tonnage (GRT) and 2,000 DWT. GRT is the measure of internal capacity of a ship that is available within the hull and enclosed spaces for cargo, stores, passenger and crew.

Source: Department of Transport and Regional Services.


Aircraft fleet

At the end of September 2001, the composition of the domestic airline fleet was in a state of continuing change following the demise of Ansett Australia on 14 September 2001.

The following information, relating to the aircraft fleet in Australia at 30 June 2001, was provided by the Department of Transport and Regional Services.

At 30 June 2001 there were 11,704 aircraft registered in Australia, including 10,645 aeroplanes and helicopters. Of these the main airlines had 187, with a further 120 registered by their associated airlines.

Virgin Airlines (operating as Virgin Blue) commenced domestic services in Australia in August 2000 and operated a fleet of nine Boeing 737s. Impulse Airlines ceased trading as a domestic carrier in May 2001. Ansett Australia ceased trading in September 2001. A short article on the history of Ansett Australia follows below.

At 30 June 2001, 31 regional operators provided regular public transport air services to about 200 airports in Australia. More than half the regional airline fleet comprised turbine engine and jet aircraft carrying up to about 90 passengers.

Qantas operates both international and domestic flights. British Airways purchased 25% of Qantas Airways Limited on 10 March 1993. The company was floated on the Australian Stock Exchange on 22 June 1995. Qantas is a member of the Oneworld Global Alliance of airlines.

Qantas operated a fleet of 111 aircraft including 22 Boeing 737-400s, 25 Boeing 747-400s, 29 Boeing 767-300s and 16 Boeing 737-300s. The QantasLink operation included subsidiary companies Eastern Australia Airlines, Southern Australia Airlines and Sunstate Airlines, as well as aircraft supplied by National Jet Systems and Impulse Airlines. QantasLink had a total fleet of 67 aircraft, including 17 BAe 146 and 8 Boeing 717-200 jet aircraft.
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