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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 60,280 100.0 68,318 100.0 13,863 100.0 360
Single modes 52,122 86.5 66,091 96.7 13,523 97.5 139
Truck2 49,401 82.0 62,173 91.0 11,353 81.9 117
Rail 395 0.7 S S 2,142 15.4 920
All other Single modes 2,326 3.9 433 0.6 29 0.2 1,612
Multiple modes 7,648 12.7 195 0.3 203 1.5 670
Parcel, USPS or courier 7,344 12.2 141 0.2 93 0.7 670
All other Multiple modes 304 0.5 54 110 0.8 3,058
Other and unknown modes 510 0.8 S S S S 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 976 100.0 777 100.0 172 100.0 576
Single modes 951 97.4 775 99.9 172 99.7 175
Truck2 951 97.4 775 99.9 172 99.7 175
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 720
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 720
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 8,834 100.0 17,738 100.0 2,656 100.0 S
Single modes 8,800 99.6 17,738 100.0 2,655 100.0 S
Truck2 8,798 99.6 17,737 100.0 2,651 99.8 S
Rail S S S S S S 2,924
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,283
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,283
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 S S 27,091 100.0 5,447 100.0 192
Single modes S S 25,160 92.9 S S 194
Truck2 S S 21,656 79.9 S S 184
Rail S S S S S S 672
All other Single modes 8 0.5 395 1.5 2 4
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,390
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 196
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,614
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 95

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 S S S S S S 35
Single modes S S S S S S 35
Truck2 S S S S S S 35
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
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 10,084 100.0 S S S S S
Single modes 9,197 91.2 S S S S S
Truck2 7,981 79.1 S S S S S
Rail S S S S S S 2,190
All other Single modes S S S S S S 711
Multiple modes S S S S S S 513
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 513
All other Multiple modes
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 4,511 100.0 4,642 100.0 1,279 100.0 495
Single modes 4,146 91.9 4,585 98.8 1,243 97.2 S
Truck2 4,104 91.0 4,563 98.3 1,228 96.0 S
Rail S S S S S S 620
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,827
Multiple modes 242 5.4 19 0.4 12 0.9 961
Parcel, USPS or courier 235 5.2 13 0.3 11 0.8 961
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 205
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 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 8,841 100.0 3,097 100.0 1,999 100.0 474
Single modes 7,765 87.8 3,044 98.3 1,962 98.2 345
Truck2 7,415 83.9 2,901 93.7 1,791 89.6 S
Rail S S S S S S 1,247
All other Single modes 161 1.8 5 0.2 7 0.4 1,697
Multiple modes 1,003 11.3 21 0.7 28 1.4 792
Parcel, USPS or courier 975 11.0 17 0.6 S S 791
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,605
Other and unknown modes 73 0.8 32 1.0 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 13,236 100.0 922 100.0 490 100.0 436
Single modes 8,054 60.9 787 85.3 344 70.3 S
Truck2 7,077 53.5 777 84.3 321 65.5 S
Rail S S S S S S 2,737
All other Single modes S S 4 0.4 S S 1,539
Multiple modes S S S S 143 29.2 609
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 608
All other Multiple modes 268 2.0 43 4.7 98 20.0 3,484
Other and unknown modes 220 1.7 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 10,400 100.0 3,907 100.0 739 100.0 335
Single modes 9,839 94.6 3,865 98.9 717 97.0 124
Truck2 9,837 94.6 3,865 98.9 717 97.0 123
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,389
Multiple modes 494 4.8 S S S S 973
Parcel, USPS or courier 494 4.8 S S S S 973
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 90 100.0 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
Multiple modes S S S S 493
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S 493
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.