RACV highlights the current cost of transport in Geelong and Melbourne

The Australian Automobile Association’s (AAA) latest Transport Affordability Index shows the average household in Melbourne spent $434.10 per week on transport in the first quarter of 2021. This represents 15.6 per cent of the average weekly household income for Melburnians and is a rise of over $41.32 since last quarter (Q4 2020).

This quarter’s Affordability Index is the largest rise in overall national transport costs since it commenced in 2016. The quarterly publication measures transport costs across all capital cities and a regional centre in each state and the Northern Territory.

Geelong was the second most affordable regional city in Australia for transport costs as a percentage of household income but the rise in costs was driven by the same factors as Melbourne, such as rising car loan payments and fuel prices. The cost of roadside assistance in both Melbourne and Geelong remained the same during the quarter.

Peter Kartsidimas, RACV’s Senior Manager Transport, Planning and Infrastructure, said there are a few simple things Victorians could consider doing to try and keep their transport costs down.

“We would advise Victorians to shop around for the best fuel deals by keeping an eye on the price via RACV’s online fuel tracker,” Mr Kartsidimas said.

“With the cost of public transport not increasing during the quarter, consider how you might be able to use it more, or walk or cycle for short trips. “The arevo by RACV app can help you plan your journey by whatever mode of transport you decide to use and is available to download for free from the apple app store or google play store. It also has a fuel tracker. “RACV will continue to advocate for active transport options that give all Victorians more options for how they move around.” The AAA’s Comparative data for each state and territory can be found here.

The AAA represents more than 8.5 million Australians through its clubs, the RACV, NRMA, RACQ, RAA, RAC, RACT and AANT.