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BTS Home > Publications > Commodity Flow Survey > Hazardous Materials
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Table 6b. Hazardous Material Shipment Characteristics by Hazard Class and Mode of Transportation: 2002 and 1997

[Estimates are based on data from the 2002 and 1997 Commodity Flow Surveys. Because of rounding, estimates may not be additive]

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Class 1, Explosives

Hazard Class and Mode of Transportation Value Tons Ton–miles Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)		 1997
(million $)		 Percent
change		 2002
(thousands)		 1997
(thousands)		 Percent
change		 2002
(millions)		 1997
(millions)		 Percent
change		 2002 1997 Percent
change
All modes 7,901 5,584 41.5 5,000 1,718 191.0 1,568 S S 651 771 – 15.6
Single modes 7,748 5,012 54.6 4,984 1,682 196.3 1,557 S S 532 503 5.8
Truck 1 7,572 4,109 84.3 4,631 1,268 265.2 1,208 498 142.8 488 413 18.2
For–hire truck 6,171 3,054 102.1 1,551 411 277.0 836 277 201.7 890 913 – 2.6
Private truck 1,399 1,049 33.3 S 857 S 372 S S 120 172 – 29.9
Rail 97 701 – 86.1 352 S S 347 S S 929 1,689 – 45
Water – – – – – – – – – – – –
Air (includes truck and air) S 202 S 1 1 – 34.1 2 1 91.9 2,084 1,724 20.9
Pipeline 2 – – – – – – S S S S S S
Multiple modes 137 457 – 70.1 S 20 S S 16 S 835 900 – 7.2
Parcel, U.S.P.S. or courier 137 454 – 69.9 S 19 S S 15 S 835 900 – 7.2
Other multiple modes – S S – S S – S S – 807 –
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S S S 9 397 – 97.6

Class 2, Gases

Hazard Class and Mode of Transportation Value Tons Ton–miles Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)		 1997
(million $)		 Percent
change		 2002
(thousands)		 1997
(thousands)		 Percent
change		 2002
(millions)		 1997
(millions)		 Percent
change		 2002 1997 Percent
change
All modes 73,932 47,288 56.3 213,358 137,138 55.6 37,262 26,002 43.3 95 60 58.7
Single modes 72,735 45,151 61.1 212,106 132,652 59.9 36,869 25,567 44.2 89 53 68.4
Truck 1 47,020 24,589 91.2 96,865 62,518 54.9 13,537 7,299 85.5 82 47 76.7
For–hire truck 21,860 9,657 126.4 29,359 20,224 45.2 6,786 3,628 87 486 392 24.0
Private truck 25,146 14,764 70.3 67,308 41,872 60.7 6,564 3,591 82.8 38 27 39.5
Rail 8,966 5,979 50.0 29,230 17,929 63.0 16,604 12,421 33.7 641 679 – 5.7
Water 1,719 1,497 14.8 7,133 6,475 10.2 1,754 2,018 – 13.1 243 721 – 66.3
Air (includes truck and air) 243 477 – 49 S 5 S S 5 S 1,450 1,440 0.7
Pipeline 2 14,787 12,608 17.3 78,857 45,725 72.5 S S S S S S
Multiple modes 687 497 38.3 693 538 28.7 337 124 172 643 362 77.5
Parcel, U.S.P.S. or courier 525 276 90.1 S S S 8 S S 627 430 45.9
Other multiple modes 162 220 – 26.7 665 484 37.3 329 111 197.3 S S S
Other and unknown modes 510 1,641 – 68.9 560 S S 57 311 – 81.6 S S S

Class 3, Flammable Liquids

Hazard Class and Mode of Transportation Value Tons Ton–miles Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)		 1997
(million $)		 Percent
change		 2002
(thousands)		 1997
(thousands)		 Percent
change		 2002
(millions)		 1997
(millions)		 Percent
change		 2002 1997 Percent
change
All modes 490,238 386,994 26.7 1,788,986 1,450,591 23.3 218,574 184,824 18.3 106 69 54.3
Single modes 480,024 378,279 26.9 1,760,755 1,427,902 23.3 206,688 166,356 24.2 75 62 21.8
Truck 1 296,653 237,771 24.8 948,619 787,773 20.4 67,730 50,743 33.5 64 57 12.8
For–hire truck 119,551 91,581 30.5 346,831 281,931 23.0 35,535 25,991 36.7 192 177 8.1
Private truck 174,126 143,496 21.3 594,277 495,750 19.9 31,468 23,932 31.5 32 30 9.3
Rail 12,558 11,499 9.2 36,083 28,513 26.5 24,738 21,525 14.9 699 843 – 17.1
Water 41,414 26,859 54.2 199,304 137,824 44.6 60,466 48,059 25.8 S S S
Air (includes truck and air) 96 S S S 38 S S 54 S 2,382 1,287 85.1
Pipeline 2 129,303 95,337 35.6 576,739 473,753 21.7 S S S S S S
Multiple modes 5,606 3,549 58.0 15,561 10,420 49.3 9,933 S S 979 528 85.4
Parcel, U.S.P.S. or courier 1,743 560 211.5 121 58 109.1 57 25 127.4 966 607 59.1
Other multiple modes 3,863 2,989 29.2 15,440 10,363 49.0 9,875 S S 1,535 S S
Other and unknown modes 4,608 5,166 – 10.8 12,671 12,269 3.3 S 917 S 40 20 100.4

Class 4, Flammable Solids

Hazard Class and Mode of Transportation Value Tons Ton–miles Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)		 1997
(million $)		 Percent
change		 2002
(thousands)		 1997
(thousands)		 Percent
change		 2002
(millions)		 1997
(millions)		 Percent
change		 2002 1997 Percent
change
All modes 6,566 4,238 54.9 11,300 14,832 – 23.8 4,391 9,735 – 54.9 158 660 – 76
Single modes 5,960 4,017 48.4 11,207 14,679 – 23.7 4,334 9,610 – 54.9 108 491 – 77.9
Truck 1 5,150 3,101 66.1 6,711 7,786 – 13.8 1,388 936 48.2 99 423 – 76.7
For–hire truck 2,448 2,039 20.1 4,626 3,827 20.9 1,193 743 60.5 247 417 – 40.7
Private truck 2,690 1,050 156.1 2,083 S S 192 187 2.7 42 426 – 90.1
Rail 622 855 – 27.3 3,157 6,478 – 51.3 2,470 8,639 – 71.4 870 1,379 – 37
Water 16 S S 1,263 S S S S S 269 227 18.9
Air (includes truck and air) S 14 S S S S S S S 1,987 1,320 50.5
Pipeline 2 S S S S 390 S S S S S S S
Multiple modes S 149 S S S S S S S S 1,083 S
Parcel, U.S.P.S. or courier 150 S S 7 6 19.5 S 5 S 411 1,080 – 62
Other multiple modes S S S S S S S S S 3,924 1,617 142.6
Other and unknown modes S 73 S S S S S 9 S S S S

Class 5, Oxidizers and organic peroxides

Hazard Class and Mode of Transportation Value Tons Ton–miles Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)		 1997
(million $)		 Percent
change		 2002
(thousands)		 1997
(thousands)		 Percent
change		 2002
(millions)		 1997
(millions)		 Percent
change		 2002 1997 Percent
change
All modes 5,471 4,485 22.0 12,670 9,239 37.1 4,221 4,471 – 5.6 407 193 111.2
Single modes 5,332 4,363 22.2 12,300 9,024 36.3 4,011 4,389 – 8.6 363 177 104.5
Truck 1 4,587 3,246 41.3 9,870 5,839 69.0 2,710 1,568 72.8 353 161 119.6
For–hire truck 2,381 1,969 20.9 6,777 2,954 129.4 2,411 1,163 107.3 543 490 10.8
Private truck 2,198 1,255 75.2 3,037 2,871 5.8 280 395 – 29.2 68 60 13.2
Rail 743 1,115 – 33.4 2,430 3,182 – 23.6 1,300 2,820 – 53.9 631 870 – 27.4
Water – S S – S S – S S – S S
Air (includes truck and air) S – S – S S S S S 1,053 1,978 – 46.8
Pipeline 2 – – – – – – S S S S S S
Multiple modes 84 38 122.6 S S S S S S 1,136 432 162.7
Parcel, U.S.P.S. or courier S S S S 1 S S – S 1,172 421 178.7
Other multiple modes 74 19 290.0 S S S S S S S 2,307 S
Other and unknown modes S 84 S S S S S S S S 74 S

Class 6, Toxic (poison)

Hazard Class and Mode of Transportation Value Tons Ton–miles Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)		 1997
(million $)		 Percent
change		 2002
(thousands)		 1997
(thousands)		 Percent
change		 2002
(millions)		 1997
(millions)		 Percent
change		 2002 1997 Percent
change
All modes 8,275 10,085 – 18 8,459 6,366 32.9 4,254 2,824 50.6 626 403 55.2
Single modes 7,703 9,397 – 18 8,242 6,225 32.4 4,125 2,710 52.2 597 384 55.5
Truck 1 4,881 7,272 – 32.9 2,255 2,840 – 20.6 844 967 – 12.7 274 254 8.1
For–hire truck 3,702 4,426 – 16.4 1,762 1,875 – 6 774 827 – 6.4 525 505 4.1
Private truck 1,179 2,743 – 57 493 893 – 44.8 71 125 – 43.4 55 179 – 69
Rail 1,145 1,477 – 22.5 1,908 1,949 – 2.1 1,714 1,446 18.6 899 724 24.2
Water 962 S S 2,325 S S S S S 639 268 138.2
Air (includes truck and air) S 87 S S S S S S S 1,893 1,523 24.3
Pipeline 2 S 184 S 1,753 374 368.1 S S S S S S
Multiple modes S 447 S S 89 S S S S 826 523 57.8
Parcel, U.S.P.S. or courier 97 338 – 71.4 S 3 S S 2 S 821 517 58.9
Other multiple modes S 109 S S 86 S S S S 1,185 1,361 – 12.9
Other and unknown modes S 241 S S 52 S 38 18 108.2 S 97 S

Class 7, Radioactive materials

Hazard Class and Mode of Transportation Value Tons Ton–miles Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)		 1997
(million $)		 Percent
change		 2002
(thousands)		 1997
(thousands)		 Percent
change		 2002
(millions)		 1997
(millions)		 Percent
change		 2002 1997 Percent
change
All modes 5,850 2,722 114.9 57 87 – 35.1 44 48 – 8.8 S 445 S
Single modes 5,410 2,169 149.4 52 67 – 21.7 38 32 17.7 S 447 S
Truck 1 5,367 1,456 268.6 52 56 – 8.2 37 17 112.9 S 77 S
For–hire truck 3,271 583 460.8 22 32 – 31.3 24 14 71.4 S 312 S
Private truck 2,096 873 140.2 29 24 23.1 S S S S 27 S
Rail – S S – S S – S S – 1,462 –
Water – – – – – – – – – – – –
Air (includes truck and air) 43 462 – 90.7 1 7 – 90.5 1 10 – 86.6 1,912 1,468 30.3
Pipeline 2 – S S – S S S S S S S S
Multiple modes 440 352 25.1 4 11 – 63.4 5 15 – 64.9 1,185 1,087 9.0
Parcel, U.S.P.S. or courier 440 352 25.1 4 11 – 63.4 5 15 – 64.9 1,185 1,087 9.0
Other multiple modes – – – – – – – – – – – –
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S S S S S S

Class 8, Corrosive materials

Hazard Class and Mode of Transportation Value Tons Ton–miles Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)		 1997
(million $)		 Percent
change		 2002
(thousands)		 1997
(thousands)		 Percent
change		 2002
(millions)		 1997
(millions)		 Percent
change		 2002 1997 Percent
change
All modes 38,324 41,336 – 7.3 90,671 98,331 – 7.8 36,260 42,918 – 15.5 301 205 46.7
Single modes 36,990 39,280 – 5.8 88,852 95,184 – 6.7 34,824 41,784 – 16.7 262 180 45.9
Truck 1 31,819 28,108 13.2 51,385 49,528 3.7 15,798 12,416 27.2 201 148 35.4
For–hire truck 19,457 19,549 – 0.5 35,613 32,015 11.2 13,263 10,463 26.8 463 410 13.0
Private truck 12,206 8,243 48.1 15,714 17,260 – 9