Appendix A - Comparability With Previous Surveys
Appendix A - Comparability With Previous Surveys
The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) restores a data program on commodity flows that the Census Bureau conducted as a part of its 5-year economic census program from 1963 through 1977. The Census Bureau last published commodity flow data for the 1977 Commodity Transportation Survey (CTS). Data collected for a modified 1983 CTS did not meet the Census Bureau quality standards, and were not published. Funding was not available to conduct the 1987 CTS. The following table shows a comparison of the 1977, 1983, and 1993 surveys. For the 1993 CFS, the Census Bureau incorporated improvements identified from the evaluation of previous surveys and additional research.
| Item | 1977 | 19831 | 1993 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Industry coverage | All manufacturers | All manufacturers Grain wholesalers Petroleum bulk plants |
Manufacturers (minor exceptions) Selected mining establishments Mining
(except mining services and oil and gas extraction) All wholesale Video tape distributors Catalog mail- order houses Auxiliaries (e. g., warehouses) |
| 2. Sample size | Approximately 20,000 establishments selected from the Census of Manufactures universe of 350,000 | Approximately 71,000 establishments selected from a universe of approximately 339,000 in- scope establishments on the 1982 SSEL** | Approximately 200,000 establishments selected from a universe of approximately 800,000 in- scope establishments on the 1992 SSEL** |
| 3. Survey methodology | Respondents took a sample of all shipments for the previous year. For each sampled shipment, respondents reported data, including commodity code |
Respondents summarized data on their shipments for the previous year No shipment sample No reporting of commodity |
Respondents took a sample of their individual outbound shipments for a
2- week period during each of the four calendar quarters of 1993 For each sampled shipment, respondents reported data, including commodity code |
| 4. Mode of transportation | Rail For- hire motor carrier, ICC For- hire motor carrier, non- ICC Private truck Air Water Pipeline Parcel delivery Other |
Piggyback rail Rail Motor carrier Private truck Air Water Parcel delivery Other |
Rail For-hire truck Private truck Air Inland water and/ or Great Lakes Deep sea water Pipeline Parcel delivery Courier U. S. Postal Service Other/ unknown |
| 5. Data items requested on questionnaire | For eachshipment: Total value Value of each commodity Total weight Weight of each commodity All commodities Primarymode of transportation- Origin (considered as establishments mailing address) Destination |
Aggregateddata for 1983: Total value of products shipped and services Total weight of products shipped Total percent of weight exported Total percent of weight shipped < 25 miles Origin (considered as establishments mailing address) For each State of destination: Total weight shipped Percent of weight, by mode Percent of weight exported |
For each shipment: Total value Total weight Major commodity All modes of transportation Origin (respondent provided; could be other than mailing address) Destination Containerized (Y/ N) Hazardous material (Y/ N) Export (Y/ N) |
1 The 1983 survey results were not published because the data.
** Standard Statistical Establishment List.