Census of motor vehicle licences in New South Wales December 1971 : TARU 1/73

In New South Wales, details of all classes of motor vehicle licences except the 16,000 Metropolitan taxi licences were in 1971 stored on 80-column, 12-zone punched cards in the Department of Motor Transport. The cards were normally used for mechanical issue of renewal notices and for use by police and other authorized bodies requiring information about licence holders, the latter involving manual reference to the cards. Transfer of these and other records to the storage media of a large computer is in progress but, for research purposes and for the information of those in other States who might find a detailed breakdown of value, it was considered that a detailed census of licences was required before the large computer would make possible random access to the data bank. In New South Wales a Class 6 licence is required in order to entitle the holder to ride a motor cycle, and one of Classes 1 to 5 to drive a motor car (including derivatives such as panel vans, utilities and station sedans), a tractor or a light truck. Thus, two licences may be held at the same time. Classes 2 to 5 confer additional privileges:- Class 2 Hire cars, hire vans and country taxis. Class 3 Heavy rigid trucks. Class 4 Omnibuses and heavy rigid trucks and those vehicles covered by Class 2. Class 5 Articulated vehicles, and pole trailers and those vehicles covered by Class 3.