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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 64,491 100.0 133,619 100.0 26,101 100.0 631
Single modes 57,982 89.9 132,564 99.2 25,819 98.9 295
Truck2 55,165 85.5 92,477 69.2 10,435 40.0 232
Rail 1,731 2.7 39,711 29.7 15,328 58.7 447
All other Single modes 1,085 1.7 S S S S 1,365
Multiple modes 5,243 8.1 427 0.3 226 0.9 869
Parcel, USPS or courier 5,120 7.9 128 0.1 96 0.4 869
All other Multiple modes 123 0.2 S S 131 0.5 S
Other and unknown modes 1,266 2.0 S S 56 0.2 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 4,564 100.0 4,060 100.0 1,015 100.0 188
Single modes 4,398 96.4 3,323 81.8 940 92.6 218
Truck2 4,398 96.4 3,323 81.8 940 92.6 218
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 774
Multiple modes S S S S S S 301
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 444
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 132
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 3,176 100.0 3,261 100.0 956 100.0 129
Single modes 3,154 99.3 3,257 99.9 952 99.6 201
Truck2 3,085 97.1 3,128 95.9 883 92.4 200
Rail S S S S S S 522
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 487
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 487
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S

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 491 100.0 36,343 100.0 1,761 100.0 S
Single modes 491 100.0 36,340 100.0 1,748 99.3 S
Truck2 481 97.9 35,876 98.7 1,536 87.2 S
Rail S S S S S S 491
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S S
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 670
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 7,811
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 233

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 3,637 100.0 59,309 100.0 14,909 100.0 S
Single modes 3,634 99.9 59,279 100.0 14,901 100.0 S
Truck2 2,397 65.9 21,693 36.6 482 3.2 S
Rail 1,236 34.0 37,587 63.4 14,419 96.7 384
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 366
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 366
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S

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 9,610 100.0 2,330 100.0 963 100.0 606
Single modes 8,883 92.4 2,257 96.9 897 93.2 384
Truck2 8,834 91.9 2,237 96.0 879 91.3 383
Rail S S S S S S 1,169
All other Single modes S S S S S S 686
Multiple modes 606 6.3 38 1.6 54 5.6 727
Parcel, USPS or courier 542 5.6 13 0.6 S S 727
All other Multiple modes 64 0.7 25 1.1 45 4.7 1,711
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 358

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 14,740 100.0 16,439 100.0 3,483 100.0 939
Single modes 12,883 87.4 16,338 99.4 3,425 98.3 567
Truck2 12,542 85.1 15,761 95.9 3,108 89.2 565
Rail 316 2.1 572 3.5 312 9.0 578
All other Single modes S S S S S S 995
Multiple modes 1,104 7.5 42 0.3 48 1.4 1,035
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,098 7.4 36 0.2 32 0.9 1,035
All other Multiple modes 7 6 16 0.5 2,855
Other and unknown modes 752 5.1 58 0.4 11 0.3 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 6,565 100.0 6,997 100.0 1,232 100.0 318
Single modes 6,135 93.4 6,973 99.7 1,223 99.3 190
Truck2 5,840 89.0 5,672 81.1 886 72.0 158
Rail 66 1.0 937 13.4 295 24.0 303
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,166
Multiple modes 389 5.9 12 0.2 8 0.6 593
Parcel, USPS or courier 386 5.9 11 0.2 8 0.6 593
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 3
Other and unknown modes 41 0.6 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 14,151 100.0 2,018 100.0 1,063 100.0 704
Single modes 11,572 81.8 1,973 97.8 1,037 97.6 452
Truck2 10,766 76.1 1,967 97.5 1,030 96.9 S
Rail S S S S S S 1,259
All other Single modes S S S S 3 0.3 1,392
Multiple modes 2,402 17.0 36 1.8 25 2.4 826
Parcel, USPS or courier 2,401 17.0 36 1.8 25 2.4 826
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 504
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 7,457 100.0 2,775 100.0 675 100.0 533
Single modes 6,753 90.6 2,738 98.7 651 96.5 238
Truck2 6,742 90.4 2,734 98.5 647 95.8 236
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,538
Multiple modes 666 8.9 30 1.1 22 3.2 741
Parcel, USPS or courier 666 8.9 30 1.1 22 3.2 741
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 37 0.5 7 0.3 2 0.3 610

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 99 100.0 87 100.0 S S 580
Single modes 78 78.9 86 99.3 S S 332
Truck2 78 78.9 86 99.3 S S 332
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 436
Multiple modes S S S S S S 673
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 673
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 5

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.