• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, March 1, 2003

What’s Parked in the Garage?

Of interest to those dealing with household transportation and automobile ownership, useful facts about the nation's cars, trucks, vans, and motorcycles are now available from the Department of Transportation's 2001 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS). Of the nation's 204 million vehicles in 2001, only 24 million (or 12 percent) were SUVs. They are greatly outnumbered by the 37 million pick-up trucks on the road (18 percent of vehicles).

The average American household owns 1.9 vehicles, the survey shows, or slightly more than one vehicle per driver. Only 8 percent of households do not own a vehicle, while 61 percent own two or more. Most are cars or station wagons (116 million, or 57 percent). Pick-ups rank second in popularity, followed by SUVs. Minivans are fourth, numbering 18 million and accounting for 9 percent of vehicles. Americans also own 5 million motorcycles and 1.4 million recreational vehicles.

The NHTS confirms that couples with children own the 52 percent majority of SUVs. The married-with-kids demographic segment owns an even larger 61 percent of minivans. And, households with incomes of $100,000 or more own 21 percent of sport utility vehicles and only 9 percent of pick-up trucks and 13 percent of minivans.

preliminary results of the National Household Travel Survey can be found here.