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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 81,674 100.0 245,681 100.0 91,454 100.0 239
Single modes 76,405 93.5 232,338 94.6 88,512 96.8 104
Truck2 35,243 43.2 82,368 33.5 S S 77
Rail 13,925 17.0 25,330 10.3 21,662 23.7 1,006
All other Single modes 27,236 33.3 124,640 50.7 35,358 38.7 1,173
Multiple modes 3,586 4.4 2,268 0.9 S S 645
Parcel, USPS or courier 3,080 3.8 120 71 644
All other Multiple modes 506 0.6 2,149 0.9 S S 1,788
Other and unknown modes 1,683 2.1 S S 392 0.4 96

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 2,591 100.0 14,164 100.0 S S S
Single modes 2,580 99.6 14,082 99.4 S S S
Truck2 2,501 96.5 11,871 83.8 1,225 38.7 S
Rail S S S S S S 870
All other Single modes S S S S S S 938
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,088
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,088
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 88

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 3,732 100.0 5,761 100.0 1,634 100.0 39
Single modes 3,686 98.8 5,697 98.9 1,617 99.0 36
Truck2 3,372 90.4 4,257 73.9 363 22.2 34
Rail 159 4.3 S S S S 1,132
All other Single modes S S S S S S 172
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,093
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,095
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 308
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 299 100.0 14,891 100.0 1,472 100.0 S
Single modes 285 95.5 S S 1,431 97.2 S
Truck2 S S S S 514 34.9 S
Rail S S S S S S 987
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,073
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,272
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,272
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S 1,694 11.4 41 2.8 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 22,907 100.0 109,041 100.0 26,204 100.0 S
Single modes 22,691 99.1 107,212 98.3 24,361 93.0 S
Truck2 3,020 13.2 8,367 7.7 S S S
Rail 610 2.7 1,325 1.2 730 2.8 663
All other Single modes 19,061 83.2 97,520 89.4 22,899 87.4 189
Multiple modes S S S S S S 614
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 513
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,397
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 4

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 25,273 100.0 64,261 100.0 46,308 100.0 319
Single modes 24,305 96.2 63,447 98.7 45,749 98.8 238
Truck2 9,596 38.0 S S S S 199
Rail 7,361 29.1 13,828 21.5 11,180 24.1 870
All other Single modes 7,348 29.1 25,669 39.9 11,249 24.3 664
Multiple modes 695 2.8 363 0.6 486 1.1 493
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 491
All other Multiple modes 166 0.7 323 0.5 459 1.0 1,686
Other and unknown modes S S 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 7,913 100.0 20,055 100.0 10,339 100.0 383
Single modes 7,687 97.1 19,796 98.7 10,164 98.3 358
Truck2 5,241 66.2 13,599 67.8 4,297 41.6 242
Rail 2,435 30.8 6,196 30.9 5,866 56.7 912
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,396
Multiple modes S S S S S S 636
Parcel, USPS or courier S S 5 2 628
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,657
Other and unknown modes 85 1.1 141 0.7 28 0.3 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 6,817 100.0 S S 1,180 100.0 120
Single modes 5,554 81.5 6,247 42.4 942 79.8 S
Truck2 4,810 70.6 5,787 39.3 545 46.2 S
Rail S S S S S S 807
All other Single modes S S 142 1.0 125 10.6 1,653
Multiple modes 565 8.3 18 0.1 8 0.7 S
Parcel, USPS or courier 564 8.3 18 0.1 7 0.6 267
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 4,120
Other and unknown modes 698 10.2 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 6,927 100.0 1,034 100.0 S S S
Single modes 6,200 89.5 994 96.1 S S S
Truck2 3,072 44.4 564 54.6 261 32.9 S
Rail S S S S S S 1,246
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,218
Multiple modes 649 9.4 S S S S 317
Parcel, USPS or courier 554 8.0 S S S S 312
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,711
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 5,123 100.0 1,594 100.0 263 100.0 542
Single modes 3,329 65.0 1,521 95.4 227 86.4 61
Truck2 3,315 64.7 1,521 95.4 227 86.3 S
Rail
All other Single modes 14 0.3 S S S S 1,484
Multiple modes 1,333 26.0 S S S S 946
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,333 26.0 S S S S 946
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 93 100.0 156 100.0 S S S
Single modes 88 94.8 146 93.2 S S S
Truck2 55 59.0 60 38.6 S S S
Rail 33 35.8 S S S S 846
All other Single modes
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 287
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 26

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.