Number of Motor Vehicles

Number of motor vehicles is the number of motor vehicles which are mechanically operational, but not necessarily licensed or having a current Warrant of Fitness, and are available for private use by the usual residents of private dwellings.

Motor vehicles include:

• cars, station-wagons, vans, trucks, four–wheel drive vehicles and other vehicles used on public roads
• business vehicles available for private use by people in the dwelling
• vehicles hired or leased
• vehicles temporarily under repair.

They do not include:

• motor bikes or scooters
• vehicles used only for business
• farm vehicles not licensed for road use
• vehicles that belong to visitors
• vehicles occasionally borrowed from another household.

Operational issues

The standard and classification are designed for collecting data by private dwelling or household rather than from individual people. The assumption is that the vehicle or vehicles are available for use by all members of the household and/or on behalf of all members of the household.

Explanatory notes

Access to motor vehicles

Access to motor vehicles could be used as an alternative name for this standard; access can be obtained from the classification. However, number of motor vehicles more accurately describes the information collected under this standard.

Vehicles under repair

Vehicles temporarily under repair are included in the definition for reasons of historic continuity.