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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]

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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 105,935 100.0 67,237 100.0 15,378 100.0 759
Single modes 94,983 89.7 65,988 98.1 14,380 93.5 392
Truck2 77,767 73.4 39,046 58.1 7,108 46.2 265
Rail 1,922 1.8 8,247 12.3 5,225 34.0 651
All other Single modes 15,294 14.4 S S 2,047 13.3 1,265
Multiple modes 9,687 9.1 580 0.9 792 5.2 948
Parcel, USPS or courier 9,385 8.9 255 0.4 254 1.7 947
All other Multiple modes 301 0.3 S S S S 2,259
Other and unknown modes 1,265 1.2 669 1.0 206 1.3 198

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 2,030 100.0 2,599 100.0 1,604 100.0 S
Single modes 1,761 86.8 2,380 91.6 1,240 77.3 S
Truck2 1,641 80.8 1,362 52.4 594 37.1 140
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 821
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,400
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 455
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,749
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 189

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 5,953 100.0 7,214 100.0 3,369 100.0 607
Single modes 5,446 91.5 7,015 97.2 3,197 94.9 S
Truck2 4,873 81.9 5,120 71.0 1,825 54.2 S
Rail 459 7.7 1,254 17.4 1,012 30.0 993
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,341
Multiple modes 439 7.4 64 0.9 77 2.3 853
Parcel, USPS or courier 399 6.7 S S S S 852
All other Multiple modes S S S S 44 1.3 1,507
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 330

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 S S 145 100.0 2 100.0 17
Single modes S S 145 99.9 2 100.0 17
Truck2 S S 145 99.9 2 100.0 17
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 7

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 7,623 100.0 29,797 100.0 2,502 100.0 79
Single modes 7,623 100.0 29,797 100.0 2,502 100.0 79
Truck2 4,044 53.0 12,923 43.4 775 31.0 62
Rail S S S S S S 533
All other Single modes S S S S S S S
Multiple modes S S S S S S 342
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 342
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes

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 56,388 100.0 S S S S 623
Single modes 54,173 96.1 S S S S 608
Truck2 48,547 86.1 S S S S 246
Rail S S S S S S 610
All other Single modes 4,980 8.8 S S S S 1,360
Multiple modes 1,799 3.2 22 0.2 S S 725
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,776 3.1 13 0.1 12 0.2 724
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,546
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 64

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 3,262 100.0 1,492 100.0 725 100.0 869
Single modes 2,476 75.9 1,332 89.3 560 77.3 355
Truck2 2,425 74.3 1,317 88.3 540 74.5 234
Rail 12 0.4 14 0.9 18 2.5 1,584
All other Single modes 38 1.2 1 2 0.2 1,312
Multiple modes 613 18.8 135 9.1 162 22.4 983
Parcel, USPS or courier 522 16.0 48 3.2 43 6.0 982
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,394
Other and unknown modes S S 25 1.6 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 7,032 100.0 S S 1,097 100.0 768
Single modes 6,101 86.8 S S 1,056 96.3 407
Truck2 6,092 86.6 S S 1,055 96.2 387
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,234
Multiple modes S S 34 0.3 32 2.9 994
Parcel, USPS or courier S S 34 0.3 32 2.9 994
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 56 0.8 S S S S 238

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 12,896 100.0 S S 235 100.0 977
Single modes 8,660 67.2 S S 108 45.8 809
Truck2 1,405 10.9 S S 103 43.8 485
Rail
All other Single modes 7,255 56.3 4 0.3 5 1.9 1,271
Multiple modes 3,845 29.8 46 3.6 S S 1,022
Parcel, USPS or courier 3,845 29.8 46 3.6 S S 1,022
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 483

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 10,672 100.0 3,430 100.0 729 100.0 759
Single modes 8,728 81.8 3,152 91.9 633 86.9 277
Truck2 8,726 81.8 3,148 91.8 633 86.9 274
Rail S S S S S S 86
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,310
Multiple modes 1,909 17.9 87 2.5 82 11.2 942
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,904 17.8 86 2.5 79 10.9 940
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,649
Other and unknown modes 34 0.3 S S S S 441

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 1,076
Single modes S S S S S S S
Truck2 S S S S S S S
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,099
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,099
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 1,799

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.