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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 100,305 100.0 133,265 100.0 35,541 100.0 562
Single modes 82,741 82.5 120,322 90.3 26,618 74.9 502
Truck2 76,326 76.1 80,618 60.5 14,126 39.7 186
Rail 4,426 4.4 12,780 9.6 5,002 14.1 1,307
All other Single modes 1,989 2.0 26,924 20.2 7,489 21.1 1,327
Multiple modes 15,337 15.3 12,094 9.1 8,715 24.5 680
Parcel, USPS or courier 8,868 8.8 238 0.2 147 0.4 672
All other Multiple modes 6,469 6.4 11,856 8.9 8,568 24.1 1,247
Other and unknown modes 2,227 2.2 849 0.6 209 0.6 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 S S S S S S 615
Single modes S S S S S S S
Truck2 S S S S S S 295
Rail S S S S S S 1,652
All other Single modes S S S S S S 326
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,024
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,024
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes

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 6,693 100.0 S S 2,366 100.0 226
Single modes 6,161 92.0 S S 2,330 98.5 S
Truck2 6,152 91.9 S S 2,279 96.3 S
Rail S S S S S S 1,357
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 707
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 693
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 8,358
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 626

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 1,024 100.0 53,818 100.0 15,853 100.0 S
Single modes 485 47.3 42,549 79.1 8,062 50.9 S
Truck2 144 14.1 12,016 22.3 380 2.4 S
Rail 259 25.3 8,225 15.3 1,221 7.7 137
All other Single modes 82 8.0 22,308 41.5 6,461 40.8 268
Multiple modes 538 52.6 11,240 20.9 7,784 49.1 286
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 61
All other Multiple modes 537 52.5 11,240 20.9 7,784 49.1 741
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 164

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 5,165 100.0 18,493 100.0 927 100.0 53
Single modes 5,145 99.6 18,434 99.7 925 99.7 51
Truck2 4,934 95.5 17,697 95.7 922 99.5 51
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 3
Multiple modes S S S S S S 159
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 159
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 36

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 16,989 100.0 3,224 100.0 1,543 100.0 566
Single modes 13,354 78.6 3,129 97.1 1,475 95.6 281
Truck2 12,688 74.7 2,836 88.0 1,226 79.5 257
Rail 280 1.7 288 8.9 243 15.8 900
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,118
Multiple modes 3,332 19.6 79 2.4 59 3.8 778
Parcel, USPS or courier 3,329 19.6 77 2.4 57 3.7 778
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,543
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 7,008 100.0 7,890 100.0 3,970 100.0 400
Single modes 6,599 94.2 7,688 97.4 3,762 94.8 204
Truck2 5,834 83.3 6,327 80.2 2,712 68.3 S
Rail 749 10.7 1,359 17.2 1,048 26.4 809
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,330
Multiple modes 321 4.6 S S S S 804
Parcel, USPS or courier 208 3.0 11 0.1 9 0.2 801
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,528
Other and unknown modes 88 1.3 81 1.0 59 1.5 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 18,649 100.0 15,051 100.0 4,611 100.0 245
Single modes 16,290 87.3 14,851 98.7 4,474 97.0 174
Truck2 14,990 80.4 8,945 59.4 2,264 49.1 159
Rail S S S S S S 927
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,203
Multiple modes 2,091 11.2 133 0.9 S S 415
Parcel, USPS or courier 2,078 11.1 78 0.5 32 0.7 415
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 4,867
Other and unknown modes 269 1.4 66 0.4 28 0.6 101

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 34,435 100.0 5,254 100.0 2,140 100.0 889
Single modes 25,073 72.8 4,629 88.1 1,505 70.3 1,069
Truck2 22,162 64.4 4,366 83.1 1,202 56.2 337
Rail S S S S S S 1,480
All other Single modes 761 2.2 56 1.1 49 2.3 1,330
Multiple modes 8,188 23.8 482 9.2 569 26.6 671
Parcel, USPS or courier 2,403 7.0 35 0.7 23 1.1 653
All other Multiple modes 5,785 16.8 447 8.5 546 25.5 1,200
Other and unknown modes 1,174 3.4 142 2.7 66 3.1 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 9,070 100.0 9,372 100.0 1,994 100.0 709
Single modes 8,370 92.3 8,908 95.0 1,948 97.7 414
Truck2 8,364 92.2 8,907 95.0 1,946 97.6 404
Rail S S S S S S 2,271
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,852
Multiple modes 538 5.9 25 0.3 18 0.9 889
Parcel, USPS or courier 538 5.9 25 0.3 18 0.9 889
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 4,774
Other and unknown modes 162 1.8 S S S S 312

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 50 100.0 58 100.0 S S S
Single modes 47 93.8 58 99.8 S S S
Truck2 47 93.8 58 99.8 S S S
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 339
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 339
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.