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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 67,202 100.0 165,039 100.0 38,491 100.0 462
Single modes 59,431 88.4 160,916 97.5 37,295 96.9 207
Truck2 50,285 74.8 134,502 81.5 19,493 50.6 144
Rail 4,447 6.6 22,145 13.4 17,509 45.5 582
All other Single modes 4,699 7.0 S S S S 1,677
Multiple modes 3,633 5.4 S S S S 844
Parcel, USPS or courier 3,284 4.9 138 68 0.2 844
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S S
Other and unknown modes 4,139 6.2 1,771 1.1 445 1.2 63

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 16,001 100.0 70,666 100.0 21,064 100.0 S
Single modes 15,595 97.5 68,581 97.1 20,516 97.4 S
Truck2 13,506 84.4 52,388 74.1 6,970 33.1 S
Rail 2,090 13.1 16,194 22.9 13,546 64.3 S
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 225
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 130
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 276
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 4,471 100.0 11,257 100.0 4,294 100.0 101
Single modes 4,353 97.4 10,985 97.6 4,168 97.1 101
Truck2 3,963 88.6 9,205 81.8 3,022 70.4 97
Rail 390 8.7 1,780 15.8 1,146 26.7 648
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 301
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 301
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 283 100.0 37,549 100.0 2,326 100.0 50
Single modes 276 97.7 36,819 98.1 2,248 96.6 50
Truck2 260 91.7 36,602 97.5 2,005 86.2 49
Rail S S S S S S 1,232
All other Single modes
Multiple modes 3 1.1 S S 46 2.0 572
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes 3 1.1 S S 46 2.0 572
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 48

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 4,473 100.0 18,240 100.0 1,507 100.0 29
Single modes 4,352 97.3 18,207 99.8 1,507 100.0 32
Truck2 3,381 75.6 13,329 73.1 689 45.7 31
Rail S S S S S S 732
All other Single modes S S S S S S 63
Multiple modes S S S S S S S
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S S
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 22

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 5,419 100.0 5,478 100.0 2,609 100.0 S
Single modes 5,026 92.8 5,316 97.0 2,560 98.1 264
Truck2 4,868 89.8 4,098 74.8 1,826 70.0 S
Rail 118 2.2 1,096 20.0 733 28.1 675
All other Single modes 40 0.7 S S 1 1,487
Multiple modes 298 5.5 S S S S S
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S 3 0.1 S
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,320
Other and unknown modes 95 1.8 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 S S 1,034 100.0 562 100.0 1,005
Single modes S S 975 94.3 535 95.1 471
Truck2 S S 974 94.2 535 95.1 362
Rail S S S S S S 163
All other Single modes S S 1,856
Multiple modes 435 8.3 26 2.5 20 3.6 1,055
Parcel, USPS or courier 435 8.3 26 2.5 20 3.6 1,055
All other Multiple modes
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 10,546 100.0 16,014 100.0 3,986 100.0 242
Single modes 8,259 78.3 15,685 97.9 3,817 95.8 247
Truck2 7,829 74.2 13,753 85.9 2,740 68.7 233
Rail S S S S S S 624
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,374
Multiple modes 425 4.0 S S S S 396
Parcel, USPS or courier 415 3.9 20 0.1 10 0.3 395
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 832
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 82

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 16,080 100.0 2,318 100.0 1,190 100.0 457
Single modes 12,927 80.4 2,090 90.2 1,033 86.8 502
Truck2 7,908 49.2 1,895 81.8 795 66.8 252
Rail S S S S S S 1,394
All other Single modes 3,440 21.4 5 0.2 9 0.7 1,589
Multiple modes 1,729 10.8 44 1.9 28 2.4 722
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,702 10.6 41 1.8 24 2.0 722
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,277
Other and unknown modes S S S S 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 4,631 100.0 2,289 100.0 945 100.0 531
Single modes 3,897 84.2 2,065 90.3 906 95.8 S
Truck2 3,868 83.5 2,065 90.2 904 95.6 S
Rail S S S S S S 918
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,075
Multiple modes 426 9.2 11 0.5 10 1.1 1,000
Parcel, USPS or courier 426 9.2 11 0.5 10 1.1 1,000
All other Multiple modes
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 65 100.0 S S 7 100.0 425
Single modes 61 94.3 S S S S 591
Truck2 S S S S S S S
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,640
Multiple modes S S S S 0.2 S
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S 0.2 S
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.