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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 32,914 100.0 74,091 100.0 34,307 100.0 1,295
Single modes 27,858 84.6 69,124 93.3 31,848 92.8 332
Truck2 23,578 71.6 55,286 74.6 9,839 28.7 142
Rail 3,812 11.6 12,999 17.5 21,815 63.6 1,796
All other Single modes 468 1.4 839 1.1 194 0.6 3,477
Multiple modes 3,897 11.8 1,105 1.5 2,123 6.2 2,040
Parcel, USPS or courier 3,443 10.5 133 0.2 S S 2,043
All other Multiple modes 454 1.4 972 1.3 1,882 5.5 956
Other and unknown modes 1,160 3.5 3,862 5.2 336 1.0 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 2,796 100.0 2,830 100.0 1,881 100.0 2,245
Single modes 1,867 66.8 2,383 84.2 1,453 77.3 S
Truck2 1,583 56.6 1,458 51.5 1,021 54.3 S
Rail S S S S S S 2,831
All other Single modes S S 817 28.9 142 7.5 2,863
Multiple modes S S 227 8.0 S S 2,337
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 2,338
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,795
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 3,402 100.0 4,008 100.0 1,750 100.0 939
Single modes 3,298 96.9 3,937 98.2 1,740 99.4 S
Truck2 3,167 93.1 3,791 94.6 1,405 80.3 S
Rail 74 2.2 128 3.2 290 16.6 2,393
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,597
Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,701
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 2,701
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 1,697

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 177 100.0 22,131 100.0 S S S
Single modes 160 90.2 21,650 97.8 S S S
Truck2 151 85.4 20,486 92.6 S S S
Rail 8 4.7 1,165 5.3 107 10.5 225
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 619
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 647
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 34
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 124

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 2,516 100.0 11,364 100.0 299 100.0 14
Single modes 2,491 99.0 11,343 99.8 298 99.9 14
Truck2 2,491 99.0 11,343 99.8 298 99.9 14
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 9

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 1,994 100.0 1,520 100.0 499 100.0 S
Single modes 1,754 88.0 1,472 96.8 435 87.1 S
Truck2 1,751 87.8 1,465 96.4 431 86.3 S
Rail S S S S S S 786
All other Single modes S S S S S S 286
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,344
Parcel, USPS or courier S S 2 0.1 S S 1,338
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,668
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 10,150 100.0 24,734 100.0 27,565 100.0 616
Single modes 9,122 89.9 21,028 85.0 25,815 93.7 537
Truck2 5,473 53.9 9,508 38.4 4,850 17.6 328
Rail 3,623 35.7 11,518 46.6 20,961 76.0 1,791
All other Single modes S S S S S S 3,112
Multiple modes 663 6.5 776 3.1 1,583 5.7 939
Parcel, USPS or courier 365 3.6 18 13 958
All other Multiple modes 298 2.9 757 3.1 1,570 5.7 S
Other and unknown modes 365 3.6 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 2,535 100.0 S S 558 100.0 348
Single modes 2,030 80.1 S S 534 95.5 S
Truck2 1,936 76.4 S S 411 73.6 S
Rail 22 0.9 S S S S 2,014
All other Single modes S S S S 1 0.2 2,582
Multiple modes 390 15.4 13 0.2 23 4.2 1,345
Parcel, USPS or courier 381 15.0 9 0.2 S S 1,342
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,561
Other and unknown modes S S S S 2 0.3 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 3,979 100.0 220 100.0 249 100.0 1,559
Single modes 2,511 63.1 167 76.0 203 81.6 1,783
Truck2 2,411 60.6 167 75.7 201 80.7 636
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 3,555
Multiple modes 1,095 27.5 15 6.9 22 8.8 1,492
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,093 27.5 15 6.7 21 8.4 1,492
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,387
Other and unknown modes 373 9.4 38 17.1 S S 1,156

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 5,286 100.0 1,595 100.0 430 100.0 1,410
Single modes 4,546 86.0 1,560 97.8 394 91.6 429
Truck2 4,544 86.0 1,560 97.8 393 91.5 423
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,537
Multiple modes 707 13.4 19 1.2 35 8.1 1,654
Parcel, USPS or courier 702 13.3 17 1.1 31 7.3 1,653
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,535
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 33

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 S S S S S
Single modes S S 25 68.9 S S S
Truck2 S S 14 36.9 S S S
Rail S S S S S S 3,380
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S S
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S S
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 561

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.