More Data Confirms Car Ownership Is Declining

Traffic congestion, increased costs, living in the city, pollution, taxes…as TMR has reported previously it’s no wonder young people are shunning car ownership and prefer the latest app-loaded mobile phone to call an Uber or hook-up with public transport.

Endorsing this position are the results of a North American study completed by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) which confirms car ownership and kilometers driven in America have declined since 2006.

Despite record car sales in North America, the report (which covered 1984-2015) found levels of car ownership (individual and per household) is currently comparable to 1993.

And the number of American homes with zero cars is also on the rise (9.2 per-cent in 2012, up from 8.7 per-cent in 2007).

The impact of the ‘millennials’ - who eschew car ownership in favour of living in the city, ride-sharing and public transport – is claimed to be a factor (as are the lingering effects of the 2009 recession).

So, while Australian new car sales continue to shatter records, the interesting statistic which seems to be unknown is how many first-time buyers are in the market (new and used vehicles).

MORE: Car Use To Decline By 2035, Economies To Suffer - Study
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