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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 50,880 100.0 63,964 100.0 22,317 100.0 850
Single modes 42,615 83.8 61,977 96.9 21,460 96.2 331
Truck2 37,484 73.7 49,720 77.7 13,477 60.4 191
Rail 2,932 5.8 8,030 12.6 S S 1,053
All other Single modes 2,199 4.3 4,227 6.6 70 0.3 1,990
Multiple modes 6,804 13.4 546 0.9 456 2.0 1,322
Parcel, USPS or courier 6,660 13.1 169 0.3 184 0.8 1,323
All other Multiple modes 144 0.3 S S 272 1.2 S
Other and unknown modes 1,462 2.9 1,441 2.3 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 661 100.0 1,116 100.0 459 100.0 S
Single modes 661 100.0 1,116 100.0 459 100.0 S
Truck2 643 97.4 938 84.1 377 82.1 S
Rail S S S S S S 456
All other Single modes
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
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 3,994 100.0 3,824 100.0 1,121 100.0 135
Single modes 3,917 98.1 3,582 93.7 923 82.4 124
Truck2 3,878 97.1 3,397 88.8 778 69.4 123
Rail S S S S S S 782
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,089
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,062
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,215
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 21

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 417 100.0 5,772 100.0 S S 366
Single modes S S 4,827 83.6 S S 372
Truck2 S S 2,981 51.6 S S S
Rail S S S S S S 1,454
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 6
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 6
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 226 54.3 944 16.4 S S 396

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 5,541 100.0 32,993 100.0 5,908 100.0 188
Single modes 5,521 99.6 32,900 99.7 5,899 99.9 181
Truck2 4,481 80.9 28,425 86.2 5,614 95.0 180
Rail 32 0.6 262 0.8 240 4.1 572
All other Single modes 1,009 18.2 4,213 12.8 S S S
Multiple modes S S S S S S 515
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 577
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 84
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 60

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 5,529 100.0 S S S S S
Single modes 3,856 69.7 S S S S S
Truck2 3,728 67.4 3,860 55.4 1,768 52.6 S
Rail S S S S S S S
All other Single modes S S 2 4 0.1 1,798
Multiple modes 1,225 22.2 S S S S 740
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,206 21.8 15 0.2 7 0.2 749
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 78
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 4,802 100.0 2,165 100.0 S S 1,076
Single modes 2,851 59.4 1,965 90.7 S S 301
Truck2 2,831 59.0 1,900 87.8 S S 268
Rail S S S S S S 736
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,069
Multiple modes 1,773 36.9 81 3.7 111 9.3 1,345
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,766 36.8 79 3.6 107 9.0 1,344
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,945
Other and unknown modes 178 3.7 S S S S 458

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 6,791 100.0 5,951 100.0 S S 411
Single modes 5,946 87.6 5,882 98.8 S S 218
Truck2 3,983 58.7 3,222 54.1 1,643 34.2 187
Rail S S 2,660 44.7 S S 1,309
All other Single modes 84 1.2 S S S S 1,869
Multiple modes 588 8.7 20 0.3 15 0.3 871
Parcel, USPS or courier 565 8.3 19 0.3 15 0.3 869
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 958
Other and unknown modes 257 3.8 49 0.8 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 1,001 100.0 1,226
Single modes S S S S 947 94.6 640
Truck2 S S S S 921 92.0 S
Rail S S S S S S 945
All other Single modes 927 6.4 S S S S 2,025
Multiple modes 1,819 12.5 31 1.2 47 4.7 1,518
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,798 12.4 24 1.0 28 2.8 1,518
All other Multiple modes 21 0.1 S S S S 3,003
Other and unknown modes S S S S 7 0.7 382

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 8,399 100.0 2,605 100.0 808 100.0 820
Single modes 6,990 83.2 2,551 97.9 768 95.1 287
Truck2 6,959 82.9 2,544 97.6 761 94.1 274
Rail S S S S S S 856
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,831
Multiple modes 1,312 15.6 36 1.4 39 4.8 1,227
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,287 15.3 31 1.2 26 3.2 1,227
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,504
Other and unknown modes 97 1.2 18 0.7 1 0.1 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 1,231
Single modes S S S S S S 300
Truck2 S S S S S S S
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,225
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,431
Parcel, USPS or courier S S 0.5 1.0 1,432
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 784
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S S

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.