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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 74,449 100.0 19,896 100.0 3,493 100.0 553
Single modes S S 19,071 95.9 3,078 88.1 229
Truck2 51,733 69.5 18,806 94.5 2,857 81.8 182
Rail S S S S S S S
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,420
Multiple modes 15,457 20.8 212 1.1 196 5.6 975
Parcel, USPS or courier 15,427 20.7 199 1.0 180 5.1 975
All other Multiple modes 30 S S S S 1,599
Other and unknown modes 1,593 2.1 614 3.1 S S 151

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 1,882 100.0 599 100.0 138 100.0 138
Single modes 1,880 99.9 598 100.0 138 100.0 138
Truck2 1,871 99.4 592 99.0 S S 113
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 3,537
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 135

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 1,598 100.0 1,270 100.0 S S 48
Single modes 1,595 99.8 1,268 99.8 S S 46
Truck2 1,595 99.8 1,268 99.8 S S 46
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 244
Multiple modes S S S S S S 793
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 793
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 40

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 S S 6,997 100.0 S S 68
Single modes S S 6,778 96.9 S S 71
Truck2 S S 6,726 96.1 488 94.3 70
Rail S S S S S S 570
All other Single modes
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 5

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 924 100.0 S S S S S
Single modes 924 99.9 S S S S 20
Truck2 924 99.9 S S S S 20
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 519
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 519
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 10

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 4,706 100.0 1,951 100.0 720 100.0 269
Single modes 2,646 56.2 1,760 90.2 594 82.5 S
Truck2 2,465 52.4 1,581 81.0 461 64.1 S
Rail S S S S S S 1,100
All other Single modes 54 1.1 S S S S 1,395
Multiple modes S S 38 2.0 22 3.1 458
Parcel, USPS or courier S S 29 1.5 10 1.5 458
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,609
Other and unknown modes 89 1.9 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 9,920 100.0 2,094 100.0 952 100.0 665
Single modes 7,295 73.5 1,942 92.7 787 82.7 236
Truck2 7,207 72.7 1,928 92.1 772 81.1 223
Rail S S S S S S S
All other Single modes 22 0.2 1 S S 1,007
Multiple modes 2,108 21.2 71 3.4 81 8.6 1,075
Parcel, USPS or courier 2,097 21.1 69 3.3 80 8.4 1,075
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S S
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 534

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 3,425 100.0 1,361 100.0 253 100.0 503
Single modes 2,936 85.7 1,337 98.2 237 93.7 294
Truck2 2,785 81.3 1,336 98.1 235 93.0 276
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,202
Multiple modes 435 12.7 11 0.8 12 4.8 895
Parcel, USPS or courier 430 12.5 11 0.8 10 4.0 894
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 3,260
Other and unknown modes S S 13 0.9 S S 78

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 284 100.0 S S 899
Single modes S S 256 90.0 S S 766
Truck2 S S 245 86.2 S S 413
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,450
Multiple modes S S 21 7.3 S S 1,011
Parcel, USPS or courier S S 21 7.3 S S 1,010
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,992
Other and unknown modes S S 8 2.7 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 10,236 100.0 1,993 100.0 407 100.0 689
Single modes 7,724 75.5 1,784 89.5 334 82.1 237
Truck2 7,697 75.2 1,783 89.5 333 81.8 227
Rail
All other Single modes 27 0.3 S S S S 2,134
Multiple modes 2,018 19.7 70 3.5 58 14.2 1,007
Parcel, USPS or courier 2,013 19.7 70 3.5 57 14.0 1,007
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,838
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 S S S S S S 645
Single modes S S S S S S 535
Truck2 S S S S S S S
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,451
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,025
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,025
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes

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.