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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 69,965 100.0 263,028 100.0 31,713 100.0 349
Single modes 56,051 80.1 259,276 98.6 30,740 96.9 S
Truck2 47,936 68.5 189,051 71.9 19,404 61.2 50
Rail 5,274 7.5 S S 11,286 35.6 641
All other Single modes 2,841 4.1 23 S S 1,234
Multiple modes 8,782 12.6 400 0.2 464 1.5 1,109
Parcel, USPS or courier 8,717 12.5 317 0.1 347 1.1 1,108
All other Multiple modes 66 83 117 0.4 3,351
Other and unknown modes S S 3,353 1.3 509 1.6 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 1,917 100.0 5,562 100.0 S S 814
Single modes 1,818 94.8 5,523 99.3 S S S
Truck2 1,803 94.0 5,444 97.9 S S S
Rail 14 0.8 S S S S 547
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,052
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,052
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 369

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 10,941 100.0 12,244 100.0 7,508 100.0 S
Single modes 10,087 92.2 11,329 92.5 7,213 96.1 S
Truck2 8,554 78.2 9,590 78.3 5,188 69.1 S
Rail S S S S S S 1,096
All other Single modes S S S S S S 6,931
Multiple modes 194 1.8 S S S S 1,415
Parcel, USPS or courier 194 1.8 S S S S 1,415
All other Multiple modes
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 703 100.0 79,351 100.0 3,690 100.0 38
Single modes 701 99.6 79,341 100.0 3,661 99.2 38
Truck2 483 68.7 72,592 91.5 2,935 79.6 37
Rail 218 31.0 6,748 8.5 726 19.7 483
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,786
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,786
Other and unknown modes

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 2,465 100.0 9,568 100.0 382 100.0 29
Single modes 2,465 100.0 9,568 100.0 382 100.0 29
Truck2 2,465 100.0 9,568 100.0 382 100.0 29
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 261
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 261
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 11,246 100.0 S S 8,827 100.0 211
Single modes 7,460 66.3 S S 8,780 99.5 S
Truck2 4,572 40.7 S S 1,101 12.5 S
Rail 2,887 25.7 S S 7,680 87.0 614
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,414
Multiple modes S S S S S S 577
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 577
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,819
Other and unknown modes S S 16 2 66

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 11,166 100.0 S S 6,801 100.0 997
Single modes 9,038 80.9 S S 6,409 94.2 286
Truck2 8,433 75.5 S S 5,679 83.5 162
Rail 383 3.4 784 1.6 724 10.6 1,034
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,549
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,262
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,262
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 745
Other and unknown modes S S 2,326 4.9 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 6,706 100.0 18,223 100.0 1,264 100.0 S
Single modes 6,012 89.6 18,169 99.7 1,243 98.4 S
Truck2 5,554 82.8 18,033 99.0 1,151 91.1 S
Rail S S S S S S 642
All other Single modes S S S S S S 814
Multiple modes 521 7.8 14 S S 1,268
Parcel, USPS or courier 520 7.8 13 S S 1,261
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 7,181
Other and unknown modes 173 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 11,268 100.0 282 100.0 164 100.0 S
Single modes 6,730 59.7 212 75.3 108 66.0 S
Truck2 4,386 38.9 197 70.0 88 53.7 S
Rail S S S S S S 3,029
All other Single modes 2,249 20.0 S S S S 1,051
Multiple modes 4,131 36.7 S S S S 1,002
Parcel, USPS or courier 4,131 36.7 S S S S 1,002
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 407 3.6 17 6.0 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 13,458 100.0 5,881 100.0 924 100.0 385
Single modes 11,657 86.6 5,758 97.9 830 89.8 S
Truck2 11,619 86.3 5,750 97.8 823 89.1 S
Rail S S S S S S S
All other Single modes S S S S 1,315
Multiple modes 1,482 11.0 S S S S 895
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,467 10.9 S S S S 895
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,306
Other and unknown modes S S S S 7 0.7 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 94 100.0 S S S S S
Single modes 84 89.6 S S S S 26
Truck2 66 70.8 S S S S 25
Rail S S S S S S 49
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,576
Multiple modes S S S S S S 209
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 209
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 3

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.