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 11,332 100.0 17,040 100.0 S S 227
Single modes 9,114 80.4 13,992 82.1 292 9.1 66
Truck2 5,879 51.9 6,555 38.5 55 1.7 9
Rail
All other Single modes 3,234 28.5 7,436 43.6 237 7.4 689
Multiple modes 1,716 15.1 2,713 15.9 S S 1,340
Parcel, USPS or courier 755 6.7 21 0.1 9 0.3 1,710
All other Multiple modes 961 8.5 2,692 15.8 S S 571
Other and unknown modes 502 4.4 336 2.0 11 0.3 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 779 100.0 S S S S 247
Single modes S S S S S S S
Truck2 S S S S S S 9
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S S
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,003
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,471
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 994
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 11

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 944 100.0 729 100.0 79 100.0 S
Single modes 767 81.2 641 87.9 41 51.1 20
Truck2 603 63.8 474 65.0 5 6.2 11
Rail
All other Single modes 164 17.4 167 22.9 36 45.0 S
Multiple modes 115 12.2 61 8.4 S S S
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S S
All other Multiple modes 104 11.0 60 8.3 S S S
Other and unknown modes S S 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 23 100.0 1,182 100.0 13 100.0 14
Single modes 18 78.6 979 82.8 11 82.0 9
Truck2 18 78.5 979 82.8 11 82.0 9
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 196
Multiple modes S S S S S S 146
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 89
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 203
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 4

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 2,860 100.0 11,230 100.0 289 100.0 S
Single modes 2,541 88.8 9,717 86.5 147 51.0 S
Truck2 S S S S 11 3.8 S
Rail
All other Single modes 1,478 51.7 7,108 63.3 136 47.2 137
Multiple modes 312 10.9 1,497 13.3 141 49.0 1,057
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes 312 10.9 1,497 13.3 141 49.0 1,057
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 3

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 1,301 100.0 159 100.0 6 100.0 124
Single modes 672 51.7 123 77.1 3 43.9 59
Truck2 577 44.3 118 73.9 1 23.8 9
Rail
All other Single modes 96 7.4 5 3.2 1 20.1 S
Multiple modes 479 36.8 12 7.6 3 48.9 S
Parcel, USPS or courier 439 33.7 6 4.0 1 15.5 S
All other Multiple modes 40 3.1 6 3.6 2 33.4 275
Other and unknown modes S S 24 15.3 S S 11

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 1,163 100.0 244 100.0 17 100.0 1,205
Single modes 872 75.0 205 84.3 5 30.4 95
Truck2 809 69.5 199 81.8 2 12.1 9
Rail
All other Single modes 64 5.5 6 2.5 3 18.3 1,552
Multiple modes 200 17.2 28 11.7 10 58.5 2,515
Parcel, USPS or courier 140 12.0 8 3.4 4 23.0 2,705
All other Multiple modes 61 5.2 20 8.3 6 35.5 830
Other and unknown modes 91 7.8 10 4.0 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 601 100.0 1,512 100.0 33 100.0 166
Single modes 487 81.1 1,431 94.6 20 61.0 83
Truck2 419 69.6 1,427 94.3 16 49.2 8
Rail
All other Single modes S S 5 0.3 4 11.8 347
Multiple modes 61 10.2 42 2.8 10 29.0 872
Parcel, USPS or courier 12 2.0 S S 1,138
All other Multiple modes 49 8.2 42 2.8 9 27.1 S
Other and unknown modes 53 8.8 39 2.6 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 1,700 100.0 130 100.0 S S 209
Single modes 1,491 87.7 S S S S 63
Truck2 608 35.8 34 26.2 2.0 14
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 385
Multiple modes 138 8.1 6 4.5 3 14.7 816
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,033
All other Multiple modes 72 4.3 4 3.3 2 8.6 S
Other and unknown modes 71 4.2 S S S S 16

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 1,943 100.0 471 100.0 39 100.0 184
Single modes 1,644 84.6 392 83.1 16 41.7 116
Truck2 1,242 63.9 347 73.6 4 11.2 9
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,563
Multiple modes 248 12.7 69 14.6 21 52.9 466
Parcel, USPS or courier 79 4.1 3 0.7 S S S
All other Multiple modes 168 8.6 S S 19 48.0 317
Other and unknown modes 51 2.6 11 2.3 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 S S S S S S S
Single modes S S S S S S 17
Truck2 S S S S S S 11
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 116
Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,026
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 2,034
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 125
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.