USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

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]

Excel | CSV

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 2,148 100.0 6,620 100.0 1,387 100.0 159
Single modes 1,673 77.9 4,980 75.2 89 6.5 75
Truck2 1,605 74.7 4,938 74.6 72 5.2 21
Rail
All other Single modes 68 3.2 S S S S 3,322
Multiple modes 408 19.0 1,547 23.4 1,291 93.0 891
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,485
All other Multiple modes 309 14.4 1,543 23.3 1,286 92.7 S
Other and unknown modes 67 3.1 S S S S 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 244 100.0 105 100.0 S S S
Single modes 168 68.9 83 78.4 S S S
Truck2 162 66.3 82 77.6 S S 25
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,248
Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,598
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 731
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,753
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 260

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 692 100.0 585 100.0 514 100.0 S
Single modes 555 80.2 460 78.6 S S 19
Truck2 522 75.5 421 72.0 S S 17
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 311
Multiple modes 131 19.0 122 20.9 S S S
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes 131 19.0 122 20.9 S S S
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 18

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 42 100.0 3,164 100.0 327 100.0 S
Single modes 29 68.6 2,374 75.0 S S 9
Truck2 29 68.6 2,374 75.0 S S 9
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes 12 28.9 707 22.4 S S 478
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes 12 28.9 707 22.4 S S 478
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 2

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 344 100.0 1,117 100.0 S S S
Single modes 305 88.8 990 88.6 23 7.6 21
Truck2 305 88.8 990 88.6 23 7.6 21
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes 38 11.2 126 11.3 S S 2,409
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes 38 11.2 126 11.3 S S 2,409
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 15

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 166 100.0 68 100.0 S S 596
Single modes 135 80.9 53 77.7 S S 367
Truck2 128 77.3 52 76.4 S S 27
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 4,247
Multiple modes 22 13.1 S S S S 1,792
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 3,774
All other Multiple modes 18 11.1 S S S S 276
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 1,234

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 131 100.0 42 100.0 S S 220
Single modes 81 61.6 33 77.1 S S 90
Truck2 61 46.4 32 74.3 S S 13
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 3,080
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,584
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,713
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 955
Other and unknown modes S S 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 90 100.0 1,152 100.0 S S 34
Single modes 76 84.1 898 77.9 11 11.2 18
Truck2 74 81.9 898 77.9 11 11.2 16
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 189
Multiple modes 13 14.9 S S S S 271
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 96
All other Multiple modes 13 14.9 S S S S 312
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 14

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 S S S S S S 22
Single modes S S S S S S 11
Truck2 S S S S S S 11
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 29
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 30
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 9
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 25

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 S S S S S S 53
Single modes S S S S S S 24
Truck2 S S S S S S 24
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,311
Multiple modes S S S S S S 849
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,428
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 258
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 1,230

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

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.