USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

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]

Excel | CSV

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 179,821 100.0 136,759 100.0 40,049 100.0 459
Single modes 128,103 71.2 133,347 97.5 38,192 95.4 247
Truck2 118,525 65.9 110,725 81.0 29,757 74.3 216
Rail 3,450 1.9 S S 8,328 20.8 621
All other Single modes 6,128 3.4 209 0.2 107 0.3 1,856
Multiple modes 41,510 23.1 1,308 1.0 1,186 3.0 707
Parcel, USPS or courier 40,874 22.7 817 0.6 534 1.3 702
All other Multiple modes 636 0.4 491 0.4 653 1.6 4,534
Other and unknown modes 10,208 5.7 2,105 1.5 671 1.7 163

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 7,038 100.0 S S S S S
Single modes 6,786 96.4 S S S S S
Truck2 6,396 90.9 S S 1,732 37.0 S
Rail S S S S S S S
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 320
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 320
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S

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 10,852 100.0 8,262 100.0 2,652 100.0 148
Single modes 10,310 95.0 8,094 98.0 2,525 95.2 77
Truck2 10,245 94.4 8,051 97.4 2,477 93.4 77
Rail S S S S S S 1,418
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,804
Multiple modes S S S S S S S
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 339
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,827
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 346

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 128 100.0 11,859 100.0 832 100.0 96
Single modes 117 91.5 11,856 100.0 832 100.0 49
Truck2 108 84.5 10,347 87.3 441 53.0 43
Rail S S S S S S 269
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 696
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 696
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 17

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 3,426 100.0 S S S S 700
Single modes 3,301 96.3 S S S S 673
Truck2 3,161 92.3 9,493 48.6 S S 674
Rail S S S S S S 308
All other Single modes 38 1.1 164 0.8 48 1.3 828
Multiple modes S S S S S S 762
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 762
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 1

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 32,672 100.0 6,723 100.0 2,464 100.0 491
Single modes 18,512 56.7 6,248 92.9 2,294 93.1 273
Truck2 18,351 56.2 6,229 92.7 2,284 92.7 263
Rail S S S S S S 617
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,738
Multiple modes 13,567 41.5 205 3.0 118 4.8 613
Parcel, USPS or courier 13,557 41.5 202 3.0 110 4.5 613
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 3,808
Other and unknown modes 594 1.8 S S 52 2.1 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 12,986 100.0 12,314 100.0 3,015 100.0 683
Single modes 10,524 81.0 11,912 96.7 2,850 94.5 423
Truck2 10,497 80.8 11,888 96.5 2,827 93.8 408
Rail S S S S S S 841
All other Single modes 11 S S S S 1,555
Multiple modes 1,853 14.3 89 0.7 96 3.2 918
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,830 14.1 78 0.6 54 1.8 912
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 4,646
Other and unknown modes 610 4.7 314 2.5 69 2.3 226

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 31,130 100.0 47,907 100.0 17,072 100.0 318
Single modes 27,044 86.9 47,109 98.3 16,439 96.3 S
Truck2 25,402 81.6 44,338 92.5 14,362 84.1 S
Rail S S 2,749 5.7 2,054 12.0 1,111
All other Single modes 545 1.7 S S S S 2,192
Multiple modes 3,097 9.9 481 1.0 534 3.1 714
Parcel, USPS or courier 2,954 9.5 111 0.2 74 0.4 712
All other Multiple modes 143 0.5 370 0.8 460 2.7 S
Other and unknown modes 990 3.2 S S 99 0.6 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 47,261 100.0 6,168 100.0 2,139 100.0 590
Single modes 27,733 58.7 5,150 83.5 1,717 80.3 251
Truck2 21,010 44.5 5,044 81.8 1,561 73.0 S
Rail S S S S S S 1,409
All other Single modes 5,033 10.6 15 0.2 24 1.1 1,728
Multiple modes 12,434 26.3 S S S S 893
Parcel, USPS or courier 12,412 26.3 S S S S 893
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 4,024
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 280

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 34,175 100.0 11,508 100.0 3,504 100.0 469
Single modes 23,633 69.2 11,156 96.9 3,261 93.0 331
Truck2 23,246 68.0 10,292 89.4 3,073 87.7 290
Rail S S S S S S S
All other Single modes 312 0.9 S S S S 2,060
Multiple modes 10,011 29.3 277 2.4 206 5.9 571
Parcel, USPS or courier 9,598 28.1 186 1.6 116 3.3 555
All other Multiple modes 414 1.2 S S S S 5,645
Other and unknown modes S S 75 0.7 S S 436

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 152 100.0 168 100.0 S S S
Single modes 144 94.7 167 99.9 S S S
Truck2 107 70.6 164 98.0 S S S
Rail S S S S S S 367
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,749
Multiple modes S S S S S S S
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S S
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S

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.