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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 60,479 100.0 116,175 100.0 36,779 100.0 644
Single modes 51,676 85.4 111,117 95.6 33,462 91.0 178
Truck2 48,899 80.9 82,641 71.1 15,378 41.8 163
Rail 1,916 3.2 17,444 15.0 10,644 28.9 588
All other Single modes 861 1.4 11,031 9.5 7,439 20.2 1,403
Multiple modes 7,673 12.7 S S S S 1,006
Parcel, USPS or courier 7,199 11.9 471 0.4 S S 1,005
All other Multiple modes 474 0.8 S S S S 1,724
Other and unknown modes 1,130 1.9 S S 134 0.4 179

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 7,480 100.0 22,929 100.0 6,273 100.0 S
Single modes 7,407 99.0 22,818 99.5 6,251 99.6 S
Truck2 6,658 89.0 16,582 72.3 2,605 41.5 S
Rail S S S S S S 558
All other Single modes S S S S S S 746
Multiple modes S S S S S S 551
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 551
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 72 1.0 111 0.5 S S 198

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 5,835 100.0 10,359 100.0 5,075 100.0 S
Single modes 5,742 98.4 10,021 96.7 4,853 95.6 S
Truck2 5,282 90.5 8,416 81.2 3,486 68.7 S
Rail 381 6.5 S S S S 891
All other Single modes S S S S S S 788
Multiple modes S S S S S S 612
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 431
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 853
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 316 100.0 46,792 100.0 12,807 100.0 S
Single modes 301 95.4 43,868 93.8 10,702 83.6 S
Truck2 224 70.8 32,105 68.6 1,949 15.2 55
Rail 50 15.9 5,029 10.7 3,989 31.1 681
All other Single modes 27 8.6 6,733 14.4 4,764 37.2 625
Multiple modes S S S S S S 663
Parcel, USPS or courier 1 0.4 627
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 957
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 473

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 1,222 100.0 3,773 100.0 S S S
Single modes 1,222 100.0 3,772 100.0 S S S
Truck2 1,222 100.0 3,772 100.0 S S S
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 119
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 119
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 18

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 7,959 100.0 3,278 100.0 538 100.0 260
Single modes 6,859 86.2 3,260 99.4 528 98.3 166
Truck2 6,664 83.7 3,060 93.3 390 72.6 163
Rail S S S S S S 951
All other Single modes 3 1,390
Multiple modes 1,070 13.4 14 0.4 7 1.3 799
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,069 13.4 14 0.4 7 1.3 799
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 764
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 8,621 100.0 4,590 100.0 2,136 100.0 989
Single modes 4,808 55.8 3,374 73.5 1,444 67.6 290
Truck2 4,643 53.9 2,919 63.6 1,065 49.9 257
Rail S S S S S S 828
All other Single modes 21 0.2 S S S S 1,492
Multiple modes 3,654 42.4 492 10.7 671 31.4 1,045
Parcel, USPS or courier 3,424 39.7 S S S S 1,045
All other Multiple modes 231 2.7 S S S S 2,374
Other and unknown modes 158 1.8 S S 22 1.0 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 7,732 100.0 12,797 100.0 4,572 100.0 391
Single modes 7,147 92.4 12,618 98.6 4,525 99.0 S
Truck2 6,761 87.4 9,060 70.8 2,791 61.0 S
Rail 143 1.9 1,393 10.9 737 16.1 545
All other Single modes 243 3.1 2,165 16.9 997 21.8 1,551
Multiple modes 397 5.1 23 0.2 30 0.7 1,104
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,104
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,471
Other and unknown modes S S 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 8,853 100.0 1,864 100.0 1,068 100.0 417
Single modes 7,485 84.6 1,812 97.3 1,043 97.7 231
Truck2 7,213 81.5 1,796 96.4 1,030 96.5 212
Rail S S S S S S 707
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,145
Multiple modes 1,101 12.4 15 0.8 13 1.2 819
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,091 12.3 13 0.7 10 1.0 819
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,380
Other and unknown modes S S 36 2.0 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 12,268 100.0 S S S S 538
Single modes 10,520 85.8 S S S S 268
Truck2 10,049 81.9 4,833 49.9 1,830 44.9 257
Rail S S S S S S S
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,444
Multiple modes S S 120 1.2 146 3.6 877
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 876
All other Multiple modes 112 0.9 S S S S 1,598
Other and unknown modes S S 98 1.0 S S 235

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 99 100.0 S S 580
Single modes S S S S S S 415
Truck2 S S S S S S 415
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 641
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 641
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.