MassDOT Announces New Online 

Vehicle Census Dashboard 

Site has accurate and timely information to help monitor the state’s progress toward greenhouse gas reduction goals 

Information includes the number of vehicles registered in MA cities and towns, including fuel class and annual mileage estimates 

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is pleased to announce the launch of a new online dashboard, the Massachusetts Vehicle Census (MVC), the first public dataset that joins information about how much vehicles are being driven with information about the vehicles themselves, including vehicle type, vehicle use, fuel classification, and the municipality the vehicle is garaged in. 

The Massachusetts Vehicle Census is a resource for the public providing information regarding vehicle usage, baseline data on the total number of vehicles available, and mileage accrual.  The  data now available to the public will support conversations regarding how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

“Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll have said the climate crisis is our biggest challenge, and they want us to meet this moment with innovation and urgency.  This new dashboard is going to be a significant resource to increase the public conversation about steps we should be taking,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Gina Fiandaca. “Data is a powerful tool, and the new Massachusetts Vehicle Census has accurate and timely information on the types of vehicles registered in Massachusetts, whether they are gas, electric or hybrid, and where the vehicles are town by town.  We are grateful to the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission for helping us develop the dashboard and believe the information on it will help increase the public conversation around ways to achieve our climate goals.” 

“All of us in the Healey-Driscoll Administration have the opportunity to accomplish a great deal with climate action if we have the help and support of the public and this dashboard will go far to engage the community because it will serve as a resource for discussions,” said Transportation Undersecretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “No government official or appointee can be successful unless there are partnerships with members of the public, and this new dashboard will be updated regularly to inform us on where we stand with a key goal of reducing the use of fossil fuels and leading all of us to make investments and policy changes to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.”

"The Massachusetts Vehicle Census dashboard is an example of the whole-of-government approach that the Healey-Driscoll Administration is taking to combating the climate crisis,” said Massachusetts Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer. "This tool will allow us to track our progress toward our climate goals as it relates to vehicle usage, and the data collected will help guide our decision making around how to allocate resources and investments across the Commonwealth to achieve a greener and healthier future."

The Massachusetts Vehicle Census, with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) regarding the state’s vehicle fleet, fulfills the legislative requirements established in the 2022 climate and clean energy bill (Chapter 170 of the Acts of 2022). MassDOT worked in collaboration with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) in the development of this resource. 

The public can view the dataset and then filter data geographically by municipality and metropolitan planning organization (MPO), as well as by selected characteristics about vehicles. The dashboard is available at this link, and the data is available for download. 

The new dashboard supports the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s commitment to taking steps to combat climate change.  The Administration recently created the position of Climate Chief, a new cabinet-level position responsible for driving climate policy across every agency and ensuring that climate change is considered in all relevant decision-making. Massachusetts is the first state in the nation to establish such a position at the cabinet level.  

Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer will be monitoring the progress of the administration’s cross-agency climate work to ensure that municipal leaders, labor, and those disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis have a seat at the table. She will play an integral role in putting Massachusetts on track to meet the administration’s ambitious climate goals.