Media release: Urban, short trips dominate double-cab ute use in New Zealand

Most trips made by double-cab utes in Aotearoa New Zealand are short, urban journeys that do not require large, high-powered vehicles, according to new analysis of national travel data.

In the latest Public Health Communication Centre Briefing, researchers examine how these increasingly popular vehicles are actually used, and whether their widespread uptake is justified.

The findings show that despite marketing emphasising rural and off-road use, 66 percent of trips by double-cab utes are made in urban areas. While these vehicles are somewhat more likely to be used for work-related travel, this still represents a minority of trips.

Around one-third of ute trips are for everyday activities such as shopping, social visits, personal appointments, and drop-offs, very similar to patterns seen for cars. The research found trips are typically short, with one-quarter lasting less than five minutes and half lasting under ten minutes.

Most journeys involve only the driver, with 88 percent of trips carrying no passengers, meaning the rear seats are rarely used. Use of double-cab utes is also highly gendered, with male drivers outnumbering female drivers by more than five to one.

“Many of these trips could be undertaken using smaller, safer, lower-emission vehicles,” says co-author, University of Auckland Professor Alistair Woodward.

“The data show that for most journeys, the size, power and off-road capability of double-cab utes are not required,” he says.

The Briefing highlights that larger vehicles are associated with a range of harms. Evidence shows they are more polluting, contribute more to greenhouse gas emissions, and are more likely to cause severe injury to pedestrians, children, and other road users. They also take up more space on streets, reducing safety and usability, particularly in urban areas.

The Briefing outlines policy options to address vehicle supersizing, including higher taxes on heavier vehicles, linking registration charges to emissions, restricting large vehicles in high pedestrian areas, reducing advertising of high-emission vehicles, reforming fringe benefit tax settings, and updating safety ratings to better reflect risks to pedestrians and cyclists.

The researchers conclude that real-world travel data does not support claims that double-cab utes are “irreplaceable” for most trips, and that shifting toward appropriately sized vehicles could reduce impacts on health, safety and climate.