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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 118,297 100.0 171,270 100.0 52,836 100.0 605
Single modes 89,044 75.3 167,063 97.5 49,963 94.6 196
Truck2 79,858 67.5 S S 14,841 28.1 151
Rail 899 0.8 2,916 1.7 3,032 5.7 724
All other Single modes 8,287 7.0 27,311 15.9 32,090 60.7 1,479
Multiple modes 25,758 21.8 1,049 0.6 1,140 2.2 919
Parcel, USPS or courier 25,358 21.4 723 0.4 479 0.9 919
All other Multiple modes S S 326 0.2 661 1.3 3,160
Other and unknown modes 3,495 3.0 3,158 1.8 1,732 3.3 84

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 5,515 100.0 20,396 100.0 30,107 100.0 S
Single modes 5,333 96.7 19,861 97.4 29,870 99.2 S
Truck2 3,607 65.4 2,424 11.9 990 3.3 S
Rail 118 2.1 434 2.1 556 1.8 1,274
All other Single modes 1,608 29.2 17,002 83.4 28,323 94.1 1,659
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,284
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 748
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,556
Other and unknown modes S S 409 2.0 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 15,044 100.0 11,888 100.0 5,873 100.0 S
Single modes 14,917 99.2 11,792 99.2 5,825 99.2 S
Truck2 14,584 96.9 10,458 88.0 4,110 70.0 S
Rail S S 1,226 10.3 1,540 26.2 1,263
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,618
Multiple modes S S S S S S 285
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 285
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 127 0.8 96 0.8 S S 209

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 441 100.0 18,187 100.0 548 100.0 197
Single modes 421 95.4 17,949 98.7 424 77.4 33
Truck2 397 90.0 13,680 75.2 362 66.1 32
Rail
All other Single modes 24 5.4 4,268 23.5 62 11.3 S
Multiple modes S S S S S S 692
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 693
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 404

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 3,746 100.0 16,721 100.0 5,639 100.0 S
Single modes 3,688 98.5 14,986 89.6 4,108 72.8 S
Truck2 2,808 74.9 8,983 53.7 610 10.8 S
Rail S S S S S S 768
All other Single modes S S S S 3,290 58.3 837
Multiple modes S S S S S S S
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S S
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,114
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 497

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 17,970 100.0 2,458 100.0 1,410 100.0 401
Single modes 12,436 69.2 2,327 94.7 1,363 96.7 368
Truck2 12,409 69.1 2,325 94.6 1,361 96.6 359
Rail
All other Single modes 27 0.1 S S 2 0.1 1,444
Multiple modes 5,325 29.6 75 3.0 33 2.4 501
Parcel, USPS or courier 5,325 29.6 75 3.0 33 2.4 501
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 208 1.2 S S S S 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 11,827 100.0 5,945 100.0 2,050 100.0 953
Single modes 8,836 74.7 5,366 90.3 1,855 90.5 457
Truck2 8,528 72.1 4,984 83.8 1,513 73.8 269
Rail 232 2.0 379 6.4 336 16.4 734
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,707
Multiple modes 2,324 19.7 189 3.2 101 4.9 1,091
Parcel, USPS or courier 2,316 19.6 184 3.1 89 4.4 1,091
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,233
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 150

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 16,903 100.0 S S 5,036 100.0 302
Single modes 14,103 83.4 S S 4,794 95.2 S
Truck2 13,754 81.4 S S S S S
Rail 157 0.9 114 0.1 139 2.8 1,721
All other Single modes 193 1.1 S S S S 1,069
Multiple modes 2,225 13.2 105 0.1 S S 570
Parcel, USPS or courier 2,218 13.1 69 45 0.9 568
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 4,270
Other and unknown modes 575 3.4 174 0.2 35 0.7 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 23,549 100.0 713 100.0 466 100.0 943
Single modes 12,224 51.9 383 53.7 260 55.7 532
Truck2 7,008 29.8 366 51.3 240 51.5 266
Rail S S S S S S 453
All other Single modes 5,213 22.1 16 2.3 19 4.1 1,401
Multiple modes 10,347 43.9 199 28.0 191 40.9 1,008
Parcel, USPS or courier 10,240 43.5 194 27.2 182 39.0 1,008
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S S
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 219

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 23,150 100.0 8,369 100.0 1,606 100.0 655
Single modes 16,953 73.2 8,095 96.7 1,385 86.2 256
Truck2 16,634 71.9 7,648 91.4 1,121 69.8 218
Rail 48 0.2 438 5.2 253 15.8 S
All other Single modes 271 1.2 8 0.1 11 0.7 1,356
Multiple modes 5,470 23.6 209 2.5 211 13.2 830
Parcel, USPS or courier 5,236 22.6 201 2.4 128 8.0 828
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 9,227
Other and unknown modes 727 3.1 66 0.8 S S 39

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 153 100.0 S S S S 1,081
Single modes 132 86.3 S S S S 916
Truck2 129 84.5 S S S S 892
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,833
Multiple modes 9 6.2 S S S S 1,200
Parcel, USPS or courier 8 5.4 S S S S 1,200
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,379
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.