Statistics Canada
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2007
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Survey overview
The CVS is a voluntary vehicle-based survey that provides quarterly and annual estimates of road vehicle activity (vehicle-kilometres and passenger-kilometres) of vehicles registered in Canada. A quarterly sample of vehicles is drawn from vehicle registration lists provided by the provincial and territorial governments.
The provincial component of the survey consists of two steps. The first step is a computer assisted telephone interview (CATI) with the registered owners of the sampled vehicles. This interview is used to collect some general information on the usage of the vehicle as well as to ask the respondent to complete a trip log specific to his/her vehicle type. The trip log is then mailed out as a second step. If respondents cannot be contacted by phone, the trip log is mailed out with a short questionnaire to collect some of the information normally collected during the CATI.
The territorial component of the survey consists of two short questionnaires. One is mailed to the respondents at the beginning of the quarter and the other is mailed at the end of the quarter. The first questionnaire asks respondents to record the odometer reading at the beginning of the first day of the quarter. All those returning the first questionnaire are mailed a second questionnaire asking them to record the odometer reading at the beginning of the first day of the next quarter. These two odometer readings allow the calculation of the distance the vehicle was driven during the quarter.
Survey collection began on February 1, 1999. Only eight provincial / territorial vehicle registration lists were received in time to be included in the sample at that time, but over the remainder of 1999, the other lists were received. Starting October 1, 1999, vehicles from all provinces and territories were included in the survey.
Users who require additional information from Statistics Canada can obtain it from the Transportation Division upon request by phoning 1 866 500-8400 or e-mailing transportationstatistics@statcan.gc.ca
