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Table 6. Shipment Characteristics by Commodity Group and Mode of Transportation for CBSA of Origin: 2002

Monday, July 2, 2012

Table 6. Shipment Characteristics by Commodity Group and Mode of Transportation for CBSA of Origin: 2002

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

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All Commodities

Mode of transportation Value Tons Ton-miles1 Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)
Percent of total 2002
(thousands)
Percent of total 2002
(millions)
Percent of total
All modes 304,602 100.0 398,993 100.0 77,885 100.0 476
Single modes 240,585 79.0 381,750 95.7 71,439 91.7 276
Truck2 223,246 73.3 312,279 78.3 41,511 53.3 237
Rail 8,876 2.9 34,343 8.6 17,079 21.9 509
All other Single modes 8,463 2.8 35,128 8.8 12,849 16.5 1,237
Multiple modes 57,983 19.0 9,864 2.5 5,638 7.2 629
Parcel, USPS or courier 50,625 16.6 2,064 0.5 926 1.2 627
All other Multiple modes 7,358 2.4 7,800 2.0 4,712 6.1 1,438
Other and unknown modes 6,034 2.0 7,379 1.8 808 1.0 S

SCTG 01-05, Agriculture products and fish

Mode of transportation Value Tons Ton-miles1 Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)
Percent of total 2002
(thousands)
Percent of total 2002
(millions)
Percent of total
All modes 6,352 100.0 6,793 100.0 6,708 100.0 S
Single modes 5,914 93.1 6,734 99.1 6,660 99.3 S
Truck2 5,366 84.5 2,033 29.9 558 8.3 S
Rail S S S S S S S
All other Single modes 546 8.6 4,679 68.9 6,064 90.4 1,987
Multiple modes S S 5 S S 1,040
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 967
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 4,608
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 816

SCTG 06-09, Grains, alcohol, and tobacco products

Mode of transportation Value Tons Ton-miles1 Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)
Percent of total 2002
(thousands)
Percent of total 2002
(millions)
Percent of total
All modes 23,145 100.0 22,669 100.0 7,534 100.0 104
Single modes 22,192 95.9 22,080 97.4 6,732 89.4 S
Truck2 21,103 91.2 19,606 86.5 5,278 70.1 S
Rail S S S S S S 937
All other Single modes S S S S S S S
Multiple modes S S S S S S 837
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 763
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,894
Other and unknown modes 202 0.9 S S S S S

SCTG 10-14, Stones, non-metallic minerals, and metallic ores

Mode of transportation Value Tons Ton-miles1 Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)
Percent of total 2002
(thousands)
Percent of total 2002
(millions)
Percent of total
All modes 1,333 100.0 S S S S S
Single modes 1,321 99.1 S S S S S
Truck2 1,288 96.6 S S S S S
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 75
Multiple modes S S S S S S 582
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 582
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S

SCTG 15-19, Coal and petroleum products

Mode of transportation Value Tons Ton-miles1 Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)
Percent of total 2002
(thousands)
Percent of total 2002
(millions)
Percent of total
All modes 15,706 100.0 69,430 100.0 9,450 100.0 79
Single modes 15,478 98.5 65,146 93.8 7,909 83.7 77
Truck2 10,949 69.7 41,785 60.2 S S 76
Rail 171 1.1 291 0.4 297 3.1 1,038
All other Single modes 4,358 27.7 23,069 33.2 S S 125
Multiple modes S S S S S S 361
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 350
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,027
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S

SCTG 20-24, Pharmaceutical and chemical products

Mode of transportation Value Tons Ton-miles1 Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)
Percent of total 2002
(thousands)
Percent of total 2002
(millions)
Percent of total
All modes 53,655 100.0 35,848 100.0 24,086 100.0 445
Single modes 48,189 89.8 34,575 96.5 22,851 94.9 393
Truck2 44,166 82.3 19,556 54.6 11,119 46.2 346
Rail 3,164 5.9 S S S S 1,003
All other Single modes 858 1.6 S S S S 1,477
Multiple modes 5,057 9.4 S S S S 665
Parcel, USPS or courier 4,687 8.7 217 0.6 151 0.6 662
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,553
Other and unknown modes 409 0.8 134 0.4 39 0.2 S

SCTG 25-30, Logs, wood products, and textile and leather

Mode of transportation Value Tons Ton-miles1 Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)
Percent of total 2002
(thousands)
Percent of total 2002
(millions)
Percent of total
All modes 20,685 100.0 11,857 100.0 2,480 100.0 506
Single modes 14,536 70.3 11,059 93.3 1,920 77.4 176
Truck2 14,489 70.0 11,041 93.1 1,897 76.5 172
Rail S S S S S S 1,180
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,497
Multiple modes 5,568 26.9 435 3.7 S S 729
Parcel, USPS or courier 5,246 25.4 249 2.1 153 6.2 726
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S S
Other and unknown modes 581 2.8 S S S S S

SCTG 31-34, Base metal and machinery

Mode of transportation Value Tons Ton-miles1 Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)
Percent of total 2002
(thousands)
Percent of total 2002
(millions)
Percent of total
All modes 42,219 100.0 69,422 100.0 9,154 100.0 347
Single modes 35,034 83.0 68,311 98.4 8,895 97.2 279
Truck2 34,178 81.0 68,032 98.0 8,525 93.1 256
Rail S S S S S S 1,380
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,034
Multiple modes 5,926 14.0 S S 227 2.5 470
Parcel, USPS or courier 5,683 13.5 148 0.2 78 0.8 465
All other Multiple modes 243 0.6 S S S S 1,424
Other and unknown modes 1,260 3.0 203 0.3 S S S

SCTG 35-38, Electronic, motorized vehicles, and precision instruments

Mode of transportation Value Tons Ton-miles1 Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)
Percent of total 2002
(thousands)
Percent of total 2002
(millions)
Percent of total
All modes 66,333 100.0 S S S S 584
Single modes 39,044 58.9 S S S S 525
Truck2 35,278 53.2 6,141 50.2 1,812 28.6 429
Rail S S S S S S 406
All other Single modes 1,837 2.8 S S S S 1,209
Multiple modes 25,820 38.9 398 3.3 295 4.7 647
Parcel, USPS or courier 24,514 37.0 307 2.5 160 2.5 647
All other Multiple modes 1,306 2.0 92 0.8 135 2.1 1,353
Other and unknown modes 1,469 2.2 145 1.2 34 0.5 102

SCTG 39-43, Furniture, mixed freight and misc manufactured products

Mode of transportation Value Tons Ton-miles1 Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)
Percent of total 2002
(thousands)
Percent of total 2002
(millions)
Percent of total
All modes 74,721 100.0 59,327 100.0 9,529 100.0 546
Single modes 58,460 78.2 52,843 89.1 7,894 82.8 211
Truck2 56,012 75.0 40,603 68.4 6,621 69.5 193
Rail S S S S S S S
All other Single modes 70 4 5 1,021
Multiple modes 14,413 19.3 S S 1,278 13.4 620
Parcel, USPS or courier 9,974 13.3 S S 374 3.9 619
All other Multiple modes S S S S 904 9.5 1,121
Other and unknown modes 1,848 2.5 S S S S S

Commodity Unknown

Mode of transportation Value Tons Ton-miles1 Average miles per shipment
2002
(million $)
Percent of total 2002
(thousands)
Percent of total 2002
(millions)
Percent of total
All modes 453 100.0 251 100.0 36 100.0 583
Single modes 418 92.1 249 99.4 35 97.2 302
Truck2 418 92.1 249 99.4 35 97.2 302
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes 33 7.3 1 0.6 1 2.8 1,007
Parcel, USPS or courier 32 7.0 S S S S 1,007
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 721
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 11

KEY:
– Represents data cell equal to zero or less than 1 unit of measure.
S Estimate does not meet publication standards because of high sampling variability or poor response quality.

1 Ton-miles estimates are based on estimated distances traveled along a modeled transportation network. See "Mileage Calculations" section for additional information.
2 "Truck" as a single mode includes shipments that were made by only private Truck, only for-hire Truck, or combination of private Truck and for-hire Truck.

NOTES: Value-of-shipments estimates have not been adjusted for price changes. Appendix B tables provide estimated measures of sampling variability. The Introduction and appendixes give information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, sample design, and definitions. Links to this information on the Internet may be found at www.census.gov/cfs.
Coverage for the 2002 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) differs from the previous surveys due to a change from the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification System to the 1997 North American Industry Classification System and other survey improvements. Therefore, data users are urged to use caution when comparing 2002 CFS estimates with estimates from prior years.

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (USDOT) and U.S. Census Bureau, 2002 Commodity Flow Survey, Metropolitan Data, December 2004.