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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 58,169 100.0 250,023 100.0 39,839 100.0 177
Single modes 54,123 93.0 247,129 98.8 36,428 91.4 116
Truck2 20,238 34.8 48,001 19.2 4,360 10.9 113
Rail 3,203 5.5 4,597 1.8 4,324 10.9 788
All other Single modes 30,682 52.7 194,530 77.8 27,744 69.6 S
Multiple modes 2,057 3.5 S S S S 502
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,711 2.9 73 39 0.1 502
All other Multiple modes 346 0.6 S S S S 801
Other and unknown modes S S 1,381 0.6 S S 48

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 14,448 100.0 121,407 100.0 3,903 100.0 S
Single modes 14,407 99.7 121,368 100.0 3,837 98.3 S
Truck2 2,118 14.7 S S 107 2.7 S
Rail
All other Single modes 12,289 85.1 106,609 87.8 3,730 95.5 31
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,419
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 647
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 3,322
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 34

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 2,983 100.0 2,528 100.0 914 100.0 103
Single modes 2,910 97.6 2,495 98.7 896 97.9 102
Truck2 2,718 91.1 2,008 79.4 719 78.6 101
Rail S S S S S S 760
All other Single modes S S S S S S 670
Multiple modes S S S S S S 415
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 340
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 688
Other and unknown modes 6 0.2 S S S S 91

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 102 100.0 S S 1,531 100.0 107
Single modes 94 91.8 S S 1,127 73.6 67
Truck2 94 91.8 S S 1,127 73.6 67
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 141
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 141
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 750

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 17,536 100.0 85,616 100.0 25,546 100.0 32
Single modes 17,251 98.4 84,018 98.1 22,811 89.3 28
Truck2 1,741 9.9 5,900 6.9 374 1.5 18
Rail S S S S S S 1,104
All other Single modes 15,460 88.2 77,762 90.8 21,538 84.3 143
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,935
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,935
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 21

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 12,676 100.0 14,955 100.0 5,863 100.0 242
Single modes 10,967 86.5 14,783 98.9 5,809 99.1 230
Truck2 5,531 43.6 2,110 14.1 1,144 19.5 224
Rail 2,706 21.3 3,191 21.3 2,477 42.2 766
All other Single modes 2,730 21.5 9,482 63.4 2,187 37.3 320
Multiple modes S S 28 0.2 S S 527
Parcel, USPS or courier S S 10 6 0.1 532
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S S
Other and unknown modes S S 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 3,313 100.0 1,469 100.0 844 100.0 S
Single modes S S 1,323 90.1 755 89.5 S
Truck2 S S 778 53.0 228 27.0 S
Rail 205 6.2 544 37.0 527 62.5 965
All other Single modes S S S S S S 422
Multiple modes 136 4.1 S S S S 368
Parcel, USPS or courier 92 2.8 6 0.4 1 0.1 365
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 737
Other and unknown modes 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 2,449 100.0 2,903 100.0 927 100.0 174
Single modes 2,304 94.1 2,860 98.5 919 99.1 128
Truck2 2,204 90.0 2,531 87.2 597 64.3 123
Rail 78 3.2 S S 243 26.3 559
All other Single modes S S S S S S S
Multiple modes 109 4.5 11 0.4 S S 351
Parcel, USPS or courier 109 4.5 11 0.4 S S 351
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 4,703
Other and unknown modes 35 1.4 31 1.1 S S 35

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 1,538 100.0 97 100.0 11 100.0 244
Single modes 781 50.8 75 76.9 3 26.8 S
Truck2 695 45.2 47 48.4 2 17.6 S
Rail
All other Single modes 87 5.6 S S S S S
Multiple modes 724 47.0 S S 8 66.2 385
Parcel, USPS or courier 724 47.0 S S 8 66.2 385
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S 2 2.2 S S S

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 3,109 100.0 S S S S 255
Single modes 2,354 75.7 S S S S 93
Truck2 2,299 74.0 700 62.4 61 20.7 93
Rail S S S S S S 2,019
All other Single modes S S S S S S S
Multiple modes 442 14.2 S S S S 762
Parcel, USPS or courier 442 14.2 S S S S 762
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S 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 S S S S S S 132
Single modes S S S S S S 100
Truck2 S S S S S S 100
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 38
Multiple modes S S S S S S 161
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 161
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 1

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.