Citation

Koeppel KWP. Transp. Res. Rec. 1979; 723: 1-6.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1979, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Data on all motor vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight of up to 2722 kg (6000 lb) registered to persons in New York State were analyzed with respect to age and sex of the owner. The study found that the increase in the vehicle fleet in New York State from 1973 to 1977 can be attributed solely to women. Increases in women's ownership are moderated somewhat by differential population growth by age cohort. The main determinants for the men's level of ownership appear to be economic conditions expressed employment. As to the type of automobile owned, men generally register much heavier automobiles than do women, and the men's vehicles show somewhat larger increases in average gross vehicle weight. Disaggregated by age, men and women show similar patterns in the gross vehicle weight increase, which is probably a reflection of economic conditions. Vehicles registered to young men and women show an extremely high increase in gross vehicle weight, those registered to middle-aged persons show a very low increase, and those registered to older persons show a moderate but steady increase. At the very least, an ongoing statewide fuel-efficiency monitoring program for new automobiles is called for.