The department was responding to an Official Information Information request regarding the VIP Transport Service fleet, which was valued at $3,278,859.33, as of April 30.
Ministerial and Secretariat Services general manager Janice Calvert withheld details of longest and shortest individual chauffeured trips as it might prejudice the department from carrying out commercial activities.
''Due to the location of the majority of the chauffeur-drive fleet and the nature of ministerial business there are a number of short trips recorded by VIP Transport Service based around inner-city Wellington,'' she said.
The Otago Daily Times has appealed to the Office of the Ombudsman for the release of that information.
However, the department was able to release individual kilometre readings of each vehicle. These range from a Wellington-based car with 57,272km from 1152 trips (49.7km average), and the Dunedin-based car with 25,800km from 271 trips (95km).
The top five passengers who had the most bookings in the 34 BMW cars were Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce, Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples, Finance Minister Bill English, Justice Minister Judith Collins and Prime Minister John Key.
The Dunedin-based vehicle included bookings in the city as well as Christchurch and Queenstown, and had been used by ministers, the Leader of the Opposition, members of the judiciary, the Governor-General, and guests of Government.
Ms Calvert said typically the department replaced non-chauffeur driven vehicles at about 60,000km or after four years.
''No decision has been made on timing or replacement of the [Crown] fleet,'' she said.
In 2011, it was announced one of the 34 BMW 730LD cars, which Ms Calvert confirmed was based in Christchurch, would feature heated rear seats. In 2010, Internal Affairs replaced the fleet through a deal approved by the former Labour government three years before.
