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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 191,701 100.0 238,153 100.0 48,105 100.0 709
Single modes 159,183 83.0 228,874 96.1 44,264 92.0 143
Truck2 150,029 78.3 179,232 75.3 23,051 47.9 133
Rail 6,851 3.6 39,599 16.6 16,711 34.7 680
All other Single modes 2,303 1.2 10,043 4.2 4,502 9.4 1,187
Multiple modes 20,799 10.8 2,702 1.1 2,354 4.9 937
Parcel, USPS or courier 15,006 7.8 385 0.2 267 0.6 936
All other Multiple modes 5,793 3.0 2,317 1.0 2,087 4.3 1,358
Other and unknown modes 11,718 6.1 6,577 2.8 1,488 3.1 121

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 5,505 100.0 32,882 100.0 17,663 100.0 S
Single modes 5,434 98.7 32,056 97.5 17,263 97.7 S
Truck2 3,081 56.0 7,206 21.9 760 4.3 S
Rail 1,962 35.6 21,551 65.5 13,274 75.2 715
All other Single modes 391 7.1 3,299 10.0 3,229 18.3 978
Multiple modes 5 S S S S 301
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes 5 S S S S 301
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 158

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 11,913 100.0 14,638 100.0 4,001 100.0 S
Single modes 11,895 99.8 14,567 99.5 3,849 96.2 S
Truck2 11,448 96.1 12,635 86.3 2,611 65.3 S
Rail 447 3.7 1,932 13.2 1,238 30.9 467
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,235
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,235
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 761 100.0 71,579 100.0 3,365 100.0 S
Single modes 725 95.2 71,009 99.2 3,294 97.9 S
Truck2 701 92.0 67,347 94.1 2,443 72.6 S
Rail
All other Single modes 24 3.1 3,662 5.1 851 25.3 S
Multiple modes S S S S S S 279
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 275
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 387
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S

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 4,755 100.0 39,473 100.0 2,540 100.0 44
Single modes 4,529 95.2 35,631 90.3 1,892 74.5 43
Truck2 3,834 80.6 21,748 55.1 1,292 50.9 43
Rail 227 4.8 11,572 29.3 591 23.3 79
All other Single modes S S S S S S S
Multiple modes S S S S S S 473
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 813
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 236
Other and unknown modes S S 3,185 8.1 S S 82

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 19,322 100.0 9,509 100.0 2,367 100.0 205
Single modes 16,504 85.4 9,373 98.6 2,292 96.9 146
Truck2 16,172 83.7 8,237 86.6 1,836 77.6 144
Rail S S S S S S 510
All other Single modes 103 0.5 S S S S 619
Multiple modes 2,717 14.1 74 0.8 51 2.1 350
Parcel, USPS or courier 2,653 13.7 60 0.6 24 1.0 349
All other Multiple modes S S S S 27 1.1 1,855
Other and unknown modes 102 0.5 S S 24 1.0 101

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 13,142 100.0 8,818 100.0 2,135 100.0 546
Single modes 11,759 89.5 8,467 96.0 1,725 80.8 195
Truck2 11,677 88.9 8,404 95.3 1,679 78.6 147
Rail 62 0.5 62 0.7 45 2.1 1,263
All other Single modes 19 0.1 S S 1 1,152
Multiple modes 1,231 9.4 S S S S 840
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,033 7.9 57 0.6 36 1.7 837
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,240
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 148

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 32,946 100.0 36,551 100.0 7,350 100.0 365
Single modes 30,071 91.3 35,596 97.4 6,928 94.3 224
Truck2 28,866 87.6 33,627 92.0 6,171 84.0 218
Rail 1,138 3.5 1,964 5.4 754 10.3 572
All other Single modes 67 0.2 5 4 892
Multiple modes 2,115 6.4 161 0.4 146 2.0 557
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,953 5.9 73 0.2 48 0.7 556
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,247
Other and unknown modes S S S S 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 69,906 100.0 10,900 100.0 4,856 100.0 869
Single modes 45,811 65.5 9,068 83.2 3,661 75.4 S
Truck2 41,959 60.0 8,257 75.8 3,340 68.8 S
Rail 2,668 3.8 S S 316 6.5 689
All other Single modes S S 3 4 1,405
Multiple modes 14,000 20.0 740 6.8 978 20.1 975
Parcel, USPS or courier 8,752 12.5 148 1.4 120 2.5 974
All other Multiple modes 5,249 7.5 593 5.4 858 17.7 1,297
Other and unknown modes 10,095 14.4 1,092 10.0 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 33,351 100.0 13,778 100.0 3,820 100.0 361
Single modes 32,381 97.1 13,090 95.0 3,353 87.8 235
Truck2 32,220 96.6 11,753 85.3 2,911 76.2 227
Rail 118 0.4 1,044 7.6 S S 928
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,283
Multiple modes 695 2.1 S S S S 806
Parcel, USPS or courier 607 1.8 S S S S 802
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,373
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 98 100.0 25 100.0 8 100.0 S
Single modes 76 77.5 19 75.0 6 75.3 S
Truck2 72 73.4 19 75.0 6 75.3 S
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 985
Multiple modes S S S S S S 252
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 252
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S

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.