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 55,000 100.0 57,025 100.0 8,794 100.0 279
Single modes 49,210 89.5 55,833 97.9 8,002 91.0 S
Truck2 47,409 86.2 51,634 90.5 5,676 64.5 103
Rail 768 1.4 2,660 4.7 2,198 25.0 821
All other Single modes 1,033 1.9 S S S S 1,287
Multiple modes 4,321 7.9 S S S S 647
Parcel, USPS or courier S S 73 0.1 37 0.4 645
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,425
Other and unknown modes 1,469 2.7 S S S S 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 S S 517 100.0 S S S
Single modes 1,168 78.3 380 73.5 40 14.9 S
Truck2 1,162 77.9 313 60.6 27 10.0 S
Rail S S S S S S 194
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,609
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,609
Other and unknown modes

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 17,676 100.0 3,448 100.0 864 100.0 S
Single modes 17,002 96.2 3,337 96.8 553 63.9 S
Truck2 17,002 96.2 3,337 96.8 553 63.9 S
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,456
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 885
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 3,058
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 180

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 135 100.0 10,812 100.0 903 100.0 S
Single modes 133 98.4 10,452 96.7 862 95.5 S
Truck2 61 45.0 8,338 77.1 191 21.1 S
Rail S S S S S S 813
All other Single modes S S S S S S 89
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,138
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,736
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 113
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 10

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 1,684 100.0 5,675 100.0 510 100.0 103
Single modes 1,679 99.7 5,673 100.0 510 100.0 103
Truck2 1,679 99.7 5,673 100.0 510 100.0 103
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 161
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 161
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 53

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 5,723 100.0 3,622 100.0 1,627 100.0 S
Single modes 5,628 98.3 3,558 98.2 1,617 99.4 S
Truck2 5,382 94.0 2,550 70.4 742 45.6 S
Rail S S S S S S 953
All other Single modes S S S S S S 671
Multiple modes 52 0.9 S S S S 398
Parcel, USPS or courier 36 0.6 1 1 397
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 717
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 5,423 100.0 S S 1,992 100.0 173
Single modes 3,550 65.5 S S 1,978 99.3 103
Truck2 3,310 61.0 S S 1,611 80.9 99
Rail 238 4.4 526 3.4 S S 673
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,140
Multiple modes S S S S S S 365
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 365
All other Multiple modes
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 4,970 100.0 11,912 100.0 S S 182
Single modes 4,515 90.8 11,833 99.3 S S 140
Truck2 4,273 86.0 11,352 95.3 1,417 72.5 137
Rail S S S S S S 876
All other Single modes S S S S 1,018
Multiple modes 296 6.0 S S S S 503
Parcel, USPS or courier 279 5.6 9 3 0.2 501
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,596
Other and unknown modes S S 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 3,971 100.0 330 100.0 S S 594
Single modes 2,372 59.7 225 68.1 S S 513
Truck2 1,381 34.8 224 67.8 S S S
Rail
All other Single modes 991 25.0 S S S S 1,313
Multiple modes 826 20.8 9 2.8 8 8.6 796
Parcel, USPS or courier 821 20.7 8 2.5 5 5.5 796
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 3,082
Other and unknown modes 772 19.5 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 S S S S S S 282
Single modes S S S S S S 86
Truck2 S S S S S S 86
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 600
Multiple modes 368 2.6 20 0.4 14 2.4 662
Parcel, USPS or courier 368 2.6 20 0.4 14 2.4 662
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S 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 S S S S S S S
Single modes S S S S S S S
Truck2 S S S S S S S
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 186
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 186
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.