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 121,536 100.0 249,660 100.0 75,712 100.0 473
Single modes 105,332 86.7 236,883 94.9 64,225 84.8 193
Truck2 94,503 77.8 149,761 60.0 20,284 26.8 163
Rail 4,856 4.0 40,947 16.4 13,900 18.4 627
All other Single modes 5,973 4.9 46,174 18.5 30,041 39.7 1,239
Multiple modes 10,034 8.3 10,206 4.1 11,194 14.8 764
Parcel, USPS or courier 8,472 7.0 328 0.1 249 0.3 762
All other Multiple modes 1,563 1.3 9,878 4.0 10,945 14.5 1,497
Other and unknown modes 6,170 5.1 2,571 1.0 294 0.4 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 12,615 100.0 71,905 100.0 37,114 100.0 108
Single modes 11,876 94.1 64,049 89.1 27,572 74.3 102
Truck2 8,910 70.6 35,415 49.3 3,079 8.3 94
Rail S S S S 1,824 4.9 557
All other Single modes 1,970 15.6 18,697 26.0 22,669 61.1 1,216
Multiple modes 728 5.8 7,808 10.9 9,528 25.7 965
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 820
All other Multiple modes 727 5.8 7,807 10.9 9,527 25.7 1,318
Other and unknown modes S S S S 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 11,154 100.0 23,436 100.0 12,465 100.0 172
Single modes 10,835 97.1 22,514 96.1 11,444 91.8 168
Truck2 8,547 76.6 12,377 52.8 4,093 32.8 153
Rail 1,763 15.8 7,392 31.5 5,316 42.6 713
All other Single modes 526 4.7 2,745 11.7 2,036 16.3 1,241
Multiple modes 225 2.0 636 2.7 923 7.4 1,377
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 120
All other Multiple modes 225 2.0 635 2.7 923 7.4 1,515
Other and unknown modes 93 0.8 287 1.2 98 0.8 220

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 605 100.0 48,026 100.0 5,828 100.0 53
Single modes 593 98.0 46,585 97.0 5,771 99.0 52
Truck2 530 87.5 35,781 74.5 2,736 47.0 48
Rail 36 5.9 2,282 4.8 824 14.1 360
All other Single modes S S S S S S 259
Multiple modes S S S S S S 275
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S S
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 600
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 14

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 8,250 100.0 53,640 100.0 6,790 100.0 S
Single modes 8,220 99.6 52,466 97.8 6,577 96.9 S
Truck2 S S S S 722 10.6 S
Rail 438 5.3 18,786 35.0 4,002 58.9 306
All other Single modes 2,942 35.7 13,945 26.0 1,853 27.3 133
Multiple modes S S S S S S S
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,383
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 182
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 6

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 10,492 100.0 5,722 100.0 2,137 100.0 272
Single modes 10,027 95.6 5,444 95.1 1,995 93.3 S
Truck2 9,839 93.8 4,863 85.0 1,561 73.1 S
Rail 165 1.6 359 6.3 360 16.8 1,178
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,546
Multiple modes 262 2.5 60 1.0 103 4.8 678
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 654
All other Multiple modes 52 0.5 S S 92 4.3 4,228
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 80

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 5,888 100.0 3,701 100.0 1,509 100.0 571
Single modes 5,184 88.0 3,598 97.2 1,434 95.0 287
Truck2 5,137 87.2 3,586 96.9 1,413 93.6 255
Rail 17 0.3 S S S S 1,748
All other Single modes S S 2 2 0.1 1,078
Multiple modes 648 11.0 45 1.2 40 2.6 733
Parcel, USPS or courier 641 10.9 40 1.1 28 1.9 733
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,259
Other and unknown modes 56 0.9 57 1.5 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 27,980 100.0 28,250 100.0 4,839 100.0 254
Single modes 26,085 93.2 28,117 99.5 4,699 97.1 191
Truck2 25,024 89.4 27,113 96.0 4,046 83.6 166
Rail S S 370 1.3 S S 987
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,438
Multiple modes 1,071 3.8 85 0.3 106 2.2 467
Parcel, USPS or courier 834 3.0 21 9 0.2 459
All other Multiple modes 236 0.8 64 0.2 97 2.0 1,215
Other and unknown modes S S 49 0.2 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 20,217 100.0 2,463 100.0 1,048 100.0 798
Single modes 10,396 51.4 1,848 75.0 890 85.0 807
Truck2 9,870 48.8 1,807 73.4 847 80.8 667
Rail S S S S S S 1,002
All other Single modes 265 1.3 11 0.4 15 1.4 1,170
Multiple modes 5,222 25.8 168 6.8 146 14.0 798
Parcel, USPS or courier 4,948 24.5 140 5.7 115 11.0 796
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 4,249
Other and unknown modes 4,599 22.7 447 18.2 S S 218

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 23,992 100.0 10,836 100.0 3,218 100.0 591
Single modes 21,796 90.9 10,592 97.8 3,096 96.2 251
Truck2 21,581 90.0 8,327 76.8 1,759 54.7 245
Rail 138 0.6 S S S S 691
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,056
Multiple modes 1,825 7.6 106 1.0 84 2.6 818
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,825 7.6 106 1.0 84 2.6 818
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 370 1.5 S S 38 1.2 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 343 100.0 S S S S S
Single modes 318 92.7 S S S S S
Truck2 S S S S S S S
Rail S S S S S S 713
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,057
Multiple modes S S S S S S 579
Parcel, USPS or courier 10 2.8 S S 571
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,734
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 1,114

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.