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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 129,135 100.0 59,977 100.0 13,905 100.0 586
Single modes 110,789 85.8 54,456 90.8 10,271 73.9 172
Truck2 58,312 45.2 50,760 84.6 6,753 48.6 124
Rail 570 0.4 1,974 3.3 3,206 23.1 1,953
All other Single modes S S S S 312 2.2 2,170
Multiple modes 15,279 11.8 1,616 2.7 3,095 22.3 1,173
Parcel, USPS or courier 14,350 11.1 325 0.5 335 2.4 1,166
All other Multiple modes 929 0.7 1,291 2.2 2,759 19.8 1,868
Other and unknown modes 3,067 2.4 3,905 6.5 539 3.9 391

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 3,055 100.0 4,577 100.0 508 100.0 S
Single modes 2,770 90.7 4,200 91.8 479 94.2 S
Truck2 2,715 88.9 4,194 91.6 471 92.7 S
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,265
Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,289
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,491
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,825
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 4,680 100.0 3,949 100.0 851 100.0 S
Single modes 4,552 97.3 3,831 97.0 783 92.1 66
Truck2 4,545 97.1 3,829 97.0 779 91.6 53
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,656
Multiple modes S S 32 0.8 60 7.1 969
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 909
All other Multiple modes 15 0.3 31 0.8 60 7.0 2,069
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 S S 11,664 100.0 626 100.0 273
Single modes S S 11,106 95.2 351 56.1 48
Truck2 S S 11,085 95.0 345 55.1 48
Rail S S S S S S 292
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 977
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 542
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,520
Other and unknown modes 5 1.5 453 3.9 S S 176

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 3,583 100.0 12,512 100.0 445 100.0 37
Single modes 3,283 91.6 11,324 90.5 442 99.3 40
Truck2 3,135 87.5 10,751 85.9 435 97.7 40
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 12
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 7

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 4,588 100.0 S S 301 100.0 S
Single modes 2,604 56.8 S S 285 94.8 75
Truck2 2,600 56.7 S S 284 94.4 67
Rail
All other Single modes 5 0.1 S S S S 3,019
Multiple modes 1,943 42.3 S S 16 5.2 380
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,936 42.2 S S S S 379
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,894
Other and unknown modes S S 6 0.2 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 10,809 100.0 11,218 100.0 6,242 100.0 932
Single modes 8,429 78.0 9,500 84.7 4,953 79.4 378
Truck2 7,854 72.7 6,968 62.1 2,193 35.1 329
Rail 440 4.1 1,604 14.3 2,720 43.6 2,016
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,699
Multiple modes 1,818 16.8 S S S S 1,356
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,473 13.6 62 0.6 60 1.0 1,349
All other Multiple modes 345 3.2 S S S S 2,250
Other and unknown modes 562 5.2 1,245 11.1 173 2.8 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 9,608 100.0 5,187 100.0 1,983 100.0 333
Single modes 8,430 87.7 4,923 94.9 1,708 86.1 181
Truck2 8,259 86.0 4,595 88.6 1,240 62.5 147
Rail S S S S S S 1,399
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,656
Multiple modes 863 9.0 81 1.6 S S 743
Parcel, USPS or courier 851 8.9 27 0.5 14 0.7 742
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,784
Other and unknown modes 315 3.3 183 3.5 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 67,101 100.0 793 100.0 507 100.0 549
Single modes S S 672 84.8 373 73.4 201
Truck2 7,983 11.9 516 65.1 224 44.2 87
Rail
All other Single modes S S 156 19.7 S S 2,282
Multiple modes 6,690 10.0 74 9.3 67 13.3 1,092
Parcel, USPS or courier 6,673 9.9 73 9.1 66 12.9 1,083
All other Multiple modes 17 1 0.2 2 0.4 2,061
Other and unknown modes S S 47 5.9 S S 935

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 25,022 100.0 7,601 100.0 2,293 100.0 869
Single modes 20,881 83.5 6,508 85.6 812 35.4 149
Truck2 20,667 82.6 6,430 84.6 696 30.4 127
Rail S S S S S S 2,351
All other Single modes 148 0.6 S S S S 1,874
Multiple modes 3,764 15.0 803 10.6 1,463 63.8 1,430
Parcel, USPS or courier 3,349 13.4 122 1.6 S S 1,426
All other Multiple modes S S 681 9.0 1,280 55.8 1,870
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 1,332
Single modes S S 76 67.4 S S S
Truck2 S S 76 67.4 S S S
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,295
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 2,295
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 803

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.