How do you get around? Have you ever given much consideration to whether your state or territory is one that can’t get enough of four wheels, or if it’s somewhere that people prefer to bike around? There’s been a lot of research in the last couple of years into Australia’s transport tendencies, and it could be worth looking at for anyone with an interest in how they get from A to B.
Finance for station wagons and cars was increasing far faster than lending for any other type of vehicle.
For example, IBISWorld research from January 2015 indicated that finance for station wagons and cars was increasing far faster than lending for any other type of vehicle – 15 per cent between June 2009 and June 2014. But let’s break down the trends across our capital cities.
Biker boom in Brisbane
In 2014, McCrindle collated various transport trends across the country. The research company noted that even though Brisbane’s population was about two million less than that of Melbourne, the Queensland capital still had nominally more motorcycle riders – 1,725 more in fact.
They’re a particularly popular form of transport, with Australian Bureau of Statistics figures recording a 22 per cent increase in nationwide registrations between 2010 and 2015. However, their fuel-less counterpart, bicycles, didn’t even feature in the top five ways that people from Brisbane went to work.
Sydney: the centre of public transport
The McCrindle research didn’t just look at who was buying and using vehicles – it looked at who wasn’t. The New South Wales capital had the lowest percentage of people who drove to work, at 53.7 per cent. Conversely, as of 2014 there were one million more commuters than in 2006, while passenger car driver numbers fell by 6,653.
That doesn’t stop it from dominating the vehicle volumes, though. ABS data shows that in December 2015, the trend number of vehicle sales in NSW was 32,516 – over 5,000 more than second-placed Victoria.
More cars, more public transport users – it looks like Sydney and NSW really hammer home the “more is more” mentality.
Sydney likes to go round and round on its public transport.Tasmanians: transport crazy
NSW might have the highest volume of car sales, but in terms of the everyday commute, Tasmania comes out on top. McCrindle noted that 87 per cent of people in the southernmost state used a car to get work, be it as a driver or a passenger.
This is perhaps because Tasmania also has the highest proportion of people who catch a ride to work rather than driving a car themselves.
Adelaide on the rise
In terms of a rise in the the use of vehicles, South Australia dominated the McCrindle research. The number of people driving to work increased by 8 per cent between 2006 and 2014, while walkers fell by 0.2 per cent over the same time period.
This may now be set to continue, as ABS data indicates that between December 2014 and 2015 there was a seasonally adjusted increase of 9.6 per cent in vehicle sales.
And on a national scale?
Judging by this research, Australians are driving more than they were in the past. There were 13.3 million vehicles registered overall at the time of the research, and 65.5 per cent of the employed population uses a car to commute to their workplace. That’s actually more than in 2009!
Australians are driving more than they were in the past.
When it comes to general travel, 88 per cent of Australians prefer to use their car to get around. Whichever way you look at it, we’re a nation where cars dominate the landscape. If you’re in the market for a new vehicle in 2016, make sure to get in touch with the team at Alliance Leasing. We can set up a novated lease, which gets you on the road with minimal fuss, great discounts and tax benefits for both you and your employer!
