USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

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]

Excel | CSV

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 29,662 100.0 77,910 100.0 12,754 100.0 238
Single modes 28,206 95.1 73,646 94.5 11,860 93.0 153
Truck2 25,810 87.0 53,086 68.1 6,786 53.2 147
Rail 852 2.9 14,146 18.2 4,600 36.1 443
All other Single modes 1,544 5.2 6,414 8.2 473 3.7 1,430
Multiple modes 1,138 3.8 1,533 2.0 828 6.5 743
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,042 3.5 26 – 18 0.1 743
All other Multiple modes 96 0.3 1,507 1.9 810 6.3 739
Other and unknown modes 318 1.1 S S 66 0.5 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 2,764 100.0 7,196 100.0 716 100.0 S
Single modes 2,763 100.0 7,188 99.9 716 100.0 S
Truck2 2,763 100.0 7,188 99.9 716 100.0 S
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 12
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 1,083 100.0 1,063 100.0 488 100.0 176
Single modes 1,035 95.5 1,041 98.0 456 93.4 165
Truck2 1,032 95.2 1,011 95.2 436 89.4 164
Rail S S S S S S 655
All other Single modes S S S S – – 1,015
Multiple modes 49 4.5 22 2.0 32 6.6 1,354
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,251
All other Multiple modes 49 4.5 21 2.0 32 6.6 1,560
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 225 100.0 36,908 100.0 3,591 100.0 54
Single modes 212 93.8 34,367 93.1 3,547 98.8 55
Truck2 145 64.1 23,531 63.8 1,442 40.1 48
Rail 67 29.7 10,836 29.4 2,105 58.6 208
All other Single modes – – – – – – –
Multiple modes S S S S S S 980
Parcel, USPS or courier – – – – – – –
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 980
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 18
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 2,620 100.0 13,057 100.0 1,576 100.0 64
Single modes 2,588 98.8 12,692 97.2 1,444 91.6 53
Truck2 971 37.1 5,519 42.3 296 18.8 42
Rail 118 4.5 874 6.7 700 44.4 374
All other Single modes 1,499 57.2 6,300 48.2 448 28.4 109
Multiple modes S S S S S S 305
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S S
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 479
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 2,613 100.0 6,165 100.0 1,995 100.0 S
Single modes 2,548 97.5 6,093 98.8 1,979 99.2 S
Truck2 2,327 89.0 S S 1,302 65.2 S
Rail 193 7.4 1,063 17.2 653 32.7 725
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,590
Multiple modes 13 0.5 S S S S S
Parcel, USPS or courier 13 0.5 S S S S S
All other Multiple modes – – – – – – –
Other and unknown modes S S 72 1.2 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 2,018 100.0 2,393 100.0 1,652 100.0 267
Single modes 1,960 97.1 2,370 99.0 1,609 97.4 248
Truck2 1,518 75.2 1,305 54.6 669 40.5 209
Rail 442 21.9 1,064 44.5 940 56.9 886
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,510
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,154
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 991
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,197
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 3,423 100.0 9,306 100.0 2,118 100.0 S
Single modes 2,954 86.3 S S 1,498 70.7 S
Truck2 2,918 85.2 S S S S S
Rail S S S S S S 658
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,480
Multiple modes 382 11.2 1,182 12.7 612 28.9 811
Parcel, USPS or courier 364 10.6 14 0.1 S S 813
All other Multiple modes 18 0.5 1,168 12.6 600 28.3 S
Other and unknown modes 87 2.5 18 0.2 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 S S S S 599
Single modes S S S S S S 369
Truck2 S S S S S S 354
Rail – – – – – – –
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,019
Multiple modes S S S S S S 691
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 691
All other Multiple modes – – – – – – –
Other and unknown modes S S 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 4,400 100.0 1,086 100.0 336 100.0 256
Single modes 4,281 97.3 1,083 99.7 333 99.2 S
Truck2 4,278 97.2 1,058 97.4 319 95.0 S
Rail S S S S S S 548
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,422
Multiple modes 109 2.5 3 0.2 S S 861
Parcel, USPS or courier 109 2.5 3 0.2 S S 861
All other Multiple modes – – – – – – –
Other and unknown modes 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 34 100.0 S S S S 194
Single modes 27 80.8 S S S S S
Truck2 20 59.2 S S S S 142
Rail S S S S S S 910
All other Single modes – – – – – – –
Multiple modes S S S S S S 215
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 215
All other Multiple modes – – – – – – –
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 114

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.