Insofar as possible, the registrations reported exclude transfers and reregistrations and any other factors that could otherwise result in duplication in the vehicle counts. A diversity of registration practices exists among the States. In general, motor vehicles are classified as automobiles, buses, and trucks. Registration practices for commercial vehicles differ greatly among the States. Regardless of how they were registered, only the power units have been included in the truck count.
Some States register buses with trucks or automobiles.
These and other major differences have made it necessary to supplement the data submitted by the States with information obtained from special studies and other sources. Table MV-200 records registrations of automobiles, buses, and trucks by years since 1900. Table MV-201 shows registrations classified by vehicle types, by States for each year since 1900. Prior to 1985, the automobile category included personal passenger vans, passenger minivans, and utility-type vehicles. Beginning with the 1985 data, these vehicles are included with trucks.