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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 78,739 100.0 105,245 100.0 24,247 100.0 299
Single modes 74,546 94.7 104,312 99.1 23,815 98.2 158
Truck2 68,991 87.6 92,272 87.7 17,393 71.7 144
Rail 4,890 6.2 11,960 11.4 6,383 26.3 545
All other Single modes 665 0.8 81 38 0.2 1,221
Multiple modes 3,053 3.9 236 0.2 183 0.8 751
Parcel, USPS or courier 2,854 3.6 84 57 0.2 750
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,269
Other and unknown modes 1,140 1.4 696 0.7 249 1.0 42

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 3,048 100.0 S S 1,111 100.0 469
Single modes 2,952 96.8 S S 1,103 99.3 S
Truck2 2,727 89.5 S S 948 85.3 S
Rail S S S S S S 139
All other Single modes S S S S S S 603
Multiple modes S S S S S S 887
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 887
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 83

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 2,521 100.0 3,553 100.0 519 100.0 64
Single modes 2,500 99.2 3,540 99.6 518 99.8 44
Truck2 2,350 93.2 3,077 86.6 307 59.2 43
Rail S S S S S S 455
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 525
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 525
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 18 0.7 S S S S 53

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 17,017 100.0 1,024 100.0 76
Single modes S S 17,013 100.0 1,024 100.0 76
Truck2 S S 16,289 95.7 925 90.4 74
Rail 14 0.9 S S 99 9.6 204
All other Single modes
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
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 1,288 100.0 2,464 100.0 186 100.0 S
Single modes 1,286 99.8 2,463 100.0 186 99.9 S
Truck2 1,286 99.8 2,463 100.0 186 99.9 S
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 277
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 277
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes

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 10,505 100.0 7,615 100.0 3,428 100.0 344
Single modes 9,938 94.6 7,568 99.4 3,367 98.2 S
Truck2 8,337 79.4 5,298 69.6 2,127 62.1 S
Rail 1,552 14.8 2,267 29.8 1,237 36.1 582
All other Single modes S S 2 S S 1,289
Multiple modes 523 5.0 18 0.2 S S 849
Parcel, USPS or courier 456 4.3 11 0.1 8 0.2 840
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 6,125
Other and unknown modes 44 0.4 29 0.4 3 21

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 26,399 100.0 24,482 100.0 10,990 100.0 528
Single modes 24,658 93.4 23,845 97.4 10,661 97.0 465
Truck2 22,436 85.0 19,589 80.0 7,556 68.7 421
Rail 2,099 8.0 4,227 17.3 3,099 28.2 748
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,237
Multiple modes 985 3.7 186 0.8 102 0.9 687
Parcel, USPS or courier S S 40 0.2 26 0.2 689
All other Multiple modes S S S S 76 0.7 S
Other and unknown modes S S 451 1.8 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 10,292 100.0 28,310 100.0 5,053 100.0 249
Single modes 9,542 92.7 28,164 99.5 5,033 99.6 152
Truck2 8,675 84.3 25,143 88.8 3,434 68.0 145
Rail 852 8.3 2,985 10.5 1,582 31.3 642
All other Single modes S S S S S S 985
Multiple modes S S 10 7 0.1 646
Parcel, USPS or courier S S 10 7 0.1 646
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 5,309
Other and unknown modes 95 0.9 S S S S 39

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 7,974 100.0 997 100.0 733 100.0 385
Single modes 7,254 91.0 978 98.1 726 99.1 S
Truck2 6,831 85.7 965 96.8 714 97.4 S
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,016
Multiple modes 516 6.5 9 0.9 6 0.8 705
Parcel, USPS or courier 516 6.5 9 0.9 6 0.8 705
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S 10 1.0 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 15,107 100.0 12,657 100.0 1,187 100.0 160
Single modes 14,823 98.1 12,647 99.9 1,181 99.5 110
Truck2 14,769 97.8 12,646 99.9 1,180 99.4 105
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,227
Multiple modes 280 1.9 8 6 0.5 692
Parcel, USPS or courier 280 1.9 8 6 0.5 692
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 20

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 118 100.0 S S 298
Single modes 26 70.0 118 99.5 S S 166
Truck2 26 70.0 118 99.5 S S 166
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 592
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 592
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 3

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.