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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 94,264 100.0 152,892 100.0 44,739 100.0 289
Single modes 86,494 91.8 148,424 97.1 44,290 99.0 223
Truck2 74,499 79.0 107,273 70.2 20,957 46.8 187
Rail 10,427 11.1 36,656 24.0 21,051 47.1 771
All other Single modes 1,568 1.7 S S S S 1,480
Multiple modes 4,584 4.9 214 0.1 193 0.4 536
Parcel, USPS or courier 4,415 4.7 149 0.1 81 0.2 534
All other Multiple modes 169 0.2 65 112 0.3 1,870
Other and unknown modes 3,187 3.4 S S 256 0.6 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 5,485 100.0 13,263 100.0 4,162 100.0 S
Single modes 5,343 97.4 12,488 94.2 4,149 99.7 S
Truck2 5,060 92.2 9,962 75.1 2,250 54.1 S
Rail S S S S S S 664
All other Single modes S S S S S S 788
Multiple modes S S S S S S 205
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 205
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 18

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 7,780 100.0 8,927 100.0 1,386 100.0 S
Single modes 7,548 97.0 8,303 93.0 1,382 99.7 S
Truck2 7,187 92.4 7,341 82.2 1,011 72.9 S
Rail 362 4.6 S S 371 26.7 385
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S 415
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S 415
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 7

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 226 100.0 35,946 100.0 4,254 100.0 65
Single modes 226 100.0 35,946 100.0 4,254 100.0 65
Truck2 172 76.0 24,347 67.7 1,245 29.3 39
Rail S S S S S S 239
All other Single modes S S S S S S 544
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 22

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 4,353 100.0 25,971 100.0 2,839 100.0 32
Single modes 4,318 99.2 25,940 99.9 2,834 99.8 31
Truck2 3,854 88.5 16,341 62.9 643 22.6 31
Rail 354 8.1 9,135 35.2 2,190 77.1 218
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 48

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 11,260 100.0 15,955 100.0 8,416 100.0 393
Single modes 10,808 96.0 15,827 99.2 8,305 98.7 376
Truck2 9,749 86.6 11,330 71.0 4,685 55.7 366
Rail 964 8.6 3,842 24.1 S S 1,099
All other Single modes 95 0.8 655 4.1 167 2.0 471
Multiple modes 392 3.5 45 0.3 68 0.8 604
Parcel, USPS or courier 272 2.4 S S S S 580
All other Multiple modes 120 1.1 37 0.2 63 0.7 3,035
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 24,223 100.0 24,346 100.0 8,789 100.0 491
Single modes 23,567 97.3 24,299 99.8 8,770 99.8 461
Truck2 21,479 88.7 19,972 82.0 5,319 60.5 447
Rail 2,085 8.6 4,326 17.8 3,450 39.3 839
All other Single modes 3 S S 1 1,046
Multiple modes S S 27 0.1 S S 603
Parcel, USPS or courier 448 1.8 18 10 0.1 599
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,410
Other and unknown modes 195 0.8 20 3 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 14,437 100.0 S S S S 314
Single modes 12,957 89.7 S S S S 257
Truck2 9,396 65.1 S S S S 225
Rail S S S S S S 1,292
All other Single modes 101 0.7 S S S S 1,314
Multiple modes 954 6.6 41 0.2 44 0.4 476
Parcel, USPS or courier 925 6.4 27 0.1 15 0.1 475
All other Multiple modes 29 0.2 14 30 0.2 878
Other and unknown modes 526 3.6 S S 57 0.5 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 16,273 100.0 2,367 100.0 1,122 100.0 341
Single modes 12,704 78.1 1,818 76.8 978 87.2 332
Truck2 8,771 53.9 1,580 66.7 720 64.2 219
Rail 2,978 18.3 216 9.1 227 20.2 980
All other Single modes 955 5.9 S S S S 1,548
Multiple modes 1,887 11.6 S S S S 462
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,880 11.6 S S S S 462
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,953
Other and unknown modes 1,682 10.3 S S 103 9.1 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 10,097 100.0 4,813 100.0 1,160 100.0 491
Single modes 8,898 88.1 4,300 89.3 1,107 95.5 375
Truck2 8,706 86.2 4,294 89.2 1,102 95.0 227
Rail S S S S S S 853
All other Single modes S S 2 3 0.3 1,563
Multiple modes 769 7.6 32 0.7 24 2.1 721
Parcel, USPS or courier 769 7.6 31 0.6 17 1.5 721
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 4,803
Other and unknown modes 431 4.3 S S 28 2.4 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 129 100.0 102 100.0 21 100.0 242
Single modes 126 97.5 102 99.9 21 99.7 113
Truck2 126 97.5 102 99.9 21 99.7 113
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes 3 2.5 0.1 0.3 S
Parcel, USPS or courier 3 2.5 0.1 0.3 S
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 4

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.