The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has launched a new online dashboard called the Massachusetts Vehicle Census (MVC).
The state touted the new dashboard as 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 in which the vehicle is garaged.
MassDOT said in a statement that the dashboard has “accurate and timely information” to help monitor the state’s progress toward greenhouse gas reduction goals.
“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,” she said.
The state explained that the Massachusetts Vehicle Census, along with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) regarding the state’s vehicle fleet, fulfills the legislative requirements established in 2022 climate and clean energy legislation. MassDOT worked in collaboration with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) in the development of this resource.
“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.”
MassDOT said 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 data is also available for download.
“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.”
