U.S. Motor Vehicle Registrations 1930

MOTOR vehicles registered in the United States on January 1 numbered 26,562,713 compared with 24,479,648 on January 1, 1929, an increase of 2,083,065, or 8.5 per cent. The gain was 53 per cent larger than in the previous year when it was 1,359,883, or 5.9 per cent over 1927.

The passenger car total was 23,262,843, a gain of 1,883,718, or 8.8 per cent. The total of trucks was 3,299,870, an increase of 199,347, or 6.1 per cent.

Contrary to expectations, the number of cars scrapped was smaller than in 1928 when 2,080,000 or 66 per cent of all those sold in the domestic market disappeared. This compared with only about 1,866,000 or 50 per cent of domestic sales last year.

It had been supposed that a large number of Model T Fords would be taken off the highways but a relatively small proportion have been junked. This is a tribute to their stamina. The smaller percentage of total replacements offers further proof of distressingly large used car stocks.

The gain in truck registrationsâ€”199,000 â€”compared with an advance of 217,000 in 1928 over 1927 and disclosed a higher ratio of commercial vehicle replacements. Domestic sales last year approximated 500,000 compared with less than 350,000 in 1928. Replacements, therefore, approximated about 60 per cent as against 36 per cent in 1928.

Thirty-four states showed a larger percentage gain than in the previous year. The only loss was in Florida but it was materially smaller than in either of the two previous years.

New York retains its lead with a total of 2,292,000 or about 250,000 more than California. Ohio probably retained third place although it was the only state in the Union from which it was impossible to obtain official figures.

Pennsylvania stood fourth and Illinois fifth. Michigan was sixth with Texas only 20,000 behind. These seven states were the only ones with more than a million. Indiana, in eighth place, had 883,000, New Jersey, in ninth, had 832,000 and Wisconsin, in tenth, 800,000.

The largest percentage gains were in Arizona and New Mexico. The southern states which failed to register larger percentage advances than in 1928 were Alabama, South Carolina and Virginia and the declines in the last two were negligible.

The largest numerical gain in trucks was in Texas while Delaware showed a small loss of commercial vehicles registered.

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