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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 188,561 100.0 282,026 100.0 67,018 100.0 361
Single modes 178,076 94.4 273,190 96.9 62,100 92.7 224
Truck2 144,260 76.5 179,333 63.6 30,455 45.4 207
Rail S S 45,550 16.2 26,345 39.3 986
All other Single modes 7,622 4.0 48,308 17.1 5,300 7.9 1,095
Multiple modes 7,992 4.2 5,213 1.8 S S 603
Parcel, USPS or courier 6,853 3.6 439 0.2 225 0.3 600
All other Multiple modes 1,139 0.6 S S S S 1,984
Other and unknown modes 2,494 1.3 3,623 1.3 398 0.6 179

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 5,301 100.0 36,082 100.0 S S 197
Single modes 5,155 97.3 35,358 98.0 S S 206
Truck2 3,467 65.4 14,123 39.1 2,474 15.0 201
Rail S S S S S S 702
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1
Multiple modes S S S S S S 406
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 406
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S

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 12,354 100.0 14,614 100.0 6,843 100.0 S
Single modes 11,878 96.1 13,989 95.7 5,377 78.6 S
Truck2 11,337 91.8 12,065 82.6 3,806 55.6 S
Rail 538 4.4 1,915 13.1 1,570 22.9 992
All other Single modes S S S S S S 8
Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,242
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 140
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,368
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 99

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 71,332 100.0 3,518 100.0 40
Single modes S S 70,260 98.5 3,499 99.5 40
Truck2 S S 61,192 85.8 1,838 52.2 39
Rail S S S S S S 537
All other Single modes S S S S S S 209
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,080
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,080
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S

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 11,007 100.0 70,875 100.0 9,064 100.0 62
Single modes 10,628 96.6 66,169 93.4 6,612 72.9 52
Truck2 3,418 31.1 20,712 29.2 1,145 12.6 41
Rail 377 3.4 S S 1,099 12.1 533
All other Single modes 6,833 62.1 40,525 57.2 4,368 48.2 95
Multiple modes S S S S S S 973
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,065
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 600
Other and unknown modes 277 2.5 792 1.1 24 0.3 29

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 19,371 100.0 10,581 100.0 6,491 100.0 279
Single modes 18,266 94.3 10,402 98.3 6,275 96.7 274
Truck2 17,377 89.7 8,751 82.7 4,945 76.2 264
Rail 843 4.4 1,575 14.9 1,294 19.9 994
All other Single modes 46 0.2 S S S S 1,404
Multiple modes S S 131 1.2 S S S
Parcel, USPS or courier S S 20 0.2 10 0.2 S
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,645
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 12,548 100.0 7,679 100.0 1,836 100.0 527
Single modes 10,805 86.1 7,191 93.6 1,713 93.3 157
Truck2 10,697 85.3 7,032 91.6 1,544 84.1 152
Rail 101 0.8 158 2.1 164 8.9 1,198
All other Single modes S S S S S S 3,389
Multiple modes 1,146 9.1 70 0.9 45 2.5 749
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,146 9.1 70 0.9 45 2.5 749
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 300

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 42,069 100.0 39,574 100.0 11,729 100.0 396
Single modes 39,704 94.4 38,772 98.0 11,301 96.4 325
Truck2 35,801 85.1 31,778 80.3 7,677 65.5 310
Rail 3,544 8.4 6,969 17.6 S S 623
All other Single modes 360 0.9 S S S S 1,280
Multiple modes 1,472 3.5 S S 242 2.1 484
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,308 3.1 S S S S 482
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,676
Other and unknown modes 893 2.1 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 S S 17,535 100.0 S S 405
Single modes S S 17,381 99.1 S S 269
Truck2 S S 13,353 76.1 5,238 57.7 229
Rail S S S S S S 1,322
All other Single modes S S 2 2 1,123
Multiple modes 2,563 3.5 139 0.8 99 1.1 691
Parcel, USPS or courier 2,321 3.2 82 0.5 40 0.4 690
All other Multiple modes 242 0.3 57 0.3 S S 1,038
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 188

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 11,003 100.0 13,536 100.0 1,909 100.0 494
Single modes 9,499 86.3 13,455 99.4 1,853 97.0 228
Truck2 9,205 83.7 10,150 75.0 1,749 91.6 230
Rail S S S S S S S
All other Single modes 1 S S S S 1,234
Multiple modes 1,380 12.5 72 0.5 46 2.4 637
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,380 12.5 72 0.5 46 2.4 637
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 123 1.1 10 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 354 100.0 218 100.0 50 100.0 S
Single modes 347 98.1 214 98.3 49 99.8 S
Truck2 S S 177 81.3 S S S
Rail S S S S S S 1,528
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 603
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 603
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.