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 13,685 100.0 27,688 100.0 2,682 100.0 343
Single modes 12,112 88.5 27,440 99.1 2,626 97.9 138
Truck2 11,773 86.0 27,236 98.4 2,480 92.5 125
Rail 179 1.3 S S 133 4.9 1,205
All other Single modes 160 1.2 S S S S 1,595
Multiple modes 1,052 7.7 31 0.1 43 1.6 788
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,025 7.5 23 18 0.7 775
All other Multiple modes S S 8 25 1.0 5,139
Other and unknown modes S S S S 13 0.5 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 1,622 100.0 1,717 100.0 487 100.0 S
Single modes 1,621 100.0 1,717 100.0 487 100.0 S
Truck2 1,610 99.3 1,683 98.0 461 94.7 S
Rail S S S S S S 1,121
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,777
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,074
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,074
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 2,522

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 1,201 100.0 592 100.0 187 100.0 154
Single modes 1,201 100.0 592 100.0 187 100.0 153
Truck2 1,201 100.0 592 100.0 187 100.0 153
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,566
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,566
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes

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 82 100.0 11,487 100.0 S S S
Single modes 82 100.0 11,487 100.0 S S S
Truck2 82 100.0 11,487 100.0 S S S
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes

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 523 100.0 9,266 100.0 208 100.0 35
Single modes 516 98.7 9,112 98.3 203 97.6 29
Truck2 514 98.3 9,111 98.3 200 96.4 18
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,307
Multiple modes S S S S S S 866
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 866
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 30

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 1,141 100.0 444 100.0 221 100.0 611
Single modes 1,067 93.5 438 98.7 219 99.2 519
Truck2 1,036 90.7 420 94.8 200 90.7 473
Rail 8 0.7 12 2.6 10 4.5 1,093
All other Single modes 24 2.1 S S S S 1,485
Multiple modes 65 5.7 2 0.4 1 0.5 776
Parcel, USPS or courier 65 5.7 2 0.4 1 0.5 776
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 250

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 2,309 100.0 2,408 100.0 677 100.0 693
Single modes 1,996 86.4 2,382 98.9 658 97.2 389
Truck2 1,927 83.4 2,238 93.0 581 85.8 379
Rail S S S S S S 639
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,277
Multiple modes 282 12.2 13 0.5 17 2.6 826
Parcel, USPS or courier 280 12.1 9 0.4 6 0.9 826
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,944
Other and unknown modes S S 12 0.5 1 0.2 98

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 1,491 100.0 1,083 100.0 117 100.0 S
Single modes 1,404 94.2 1,077 99.4 111 95.2 S
Truck2 1,395 93.6 1,077 99.4 111 94.8 S
Rail
All other Single modes 9 0.6 0.4 955
Multiple modes 78 5.3 4 0.4 S S 561
Parcel, USPS or courier 78 5.3 4 0.4 S S 561
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S 2 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 S S S S 91 100.0 269
Single modes S S S S 86 95.3 S
Truck2 S S S S 66 73.1 S
Rail S S S S S S 3,135
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,494
Multiple modes 508 11.9 4 1.4 4 4.3 649
Parcel, USPS or courier 502 11.8 3 1.2 2 2.3 571
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 5,254
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 1,044 100.0 S S 153 100.0 795
Single modes 917 87.9 S S S S 240
Truck2 869 83.3 S S S S 186
Rail
All other Single modes S S 2,028
Multiple modes 115 11.0 9 2.0 S S 930
Parcel, USPS or courier 96 9.2 5 1.1 4 2.7 929
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 3,094
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 332

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 S S S S S S 2,675
Multiple modes S S S S S S 581
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 581
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 223

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.