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The Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS) is sponsored by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the Federal Highway Administration, and the U.S. Department of Energy, and is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.

VIUS provides data on the physical and operational characteristics of the nation’s truck population. Its primary goal is to produce national and state-level estimates of the total number of trucks and truck miles.

Prior to 1997, VIUS was known as the Truck Inventory and Use Survey (TIUS). It was renamed to account for areas of future expansion, including the addition of automobiles and buses.

Detailed Methodology

Sample

The VIUS sample excludes vehicles owned by federal, state, and local governments; ambulances; buses; motor homes; farm tractors; unpowered trailer units; and trucks reported to have been disposed of prior to January 1 of the survey year. The VIUS has a stratified simple random sample design. The sampling frame is stratified by geography and vehicle characteristics.

Method of Data Collection

Survey (self- or interviewer-administered)

Frequency of Data Collection

Every five years

Reference Date

Prior to January 1 of previous year

Data Collection Notes

From 1963 to 2002, VIUS data were collected using paper questionnaires. Starting with the 2021 VIUS, data collection will be accomplished primarily by web-based questionnaires, using paper questionnaires as needed for those without sufficient access to the web-based versions.

Number of Cases

For the 2021 VIUS, a sample of approximately 150,000 vehicles was selected from more than 190 million private and commercial vehicles registered in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia (D.C.).

Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS)

Description

Detailed Methodology