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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 15,992 100.0 69,698 100.0 13,745 100.0 155
Single modes 15,429 96.5 69,531 99.8 13,642 99.3 96
Truck2 10,442 65.3 35,533 51.0 3,783 27.5 88
Rail 1,145 7.2 13,210 19.0 2,697 19.6 368
All other Single modes 3,842 24.0 20,788 29.8 7,163 52.1 514
Multiple modes 404 2.5 65 75 0.5 734
Parcel, USPS or courier 320 2.0 13 9 730
All other Multiple modes 84 0.5 52 66 0.5 1,702
Other and unknown modes 159 1.0 102 0.1 28 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 2,104 100.0 S S 5,556 100.0 S
Single modes 2,090 99.3 S S 5,545 99.8 S
Truck2 S S S S S S S
Rail S S S S S S 796
All other Single modes 554 26.3 4,867 34.6 4,841 87.1 1,008
Multiple modes S S S S S S 680
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 680
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 440

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 884 100.0 1,118 100.0 304 100.0 S
Single modes 872 98.7 1,101 98.4 297 97.9 S
Truck2 868 98.2 1,090 97.4 280 92.2 S
Rail 4 0.5 11 1.0 17 5.7 1,556
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 5,499
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 5,499
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 S S S S 19
Single modes S S S S S S 19
Truck2 S S S S S S 19
Rail
All other Single modes
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 12

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 5,089 100.0 28,737 100.0 3,807 100.0 S
Single modes 5,089 100.0 28,719 99.9 3,805 99.9 S
Truck2 1,569 30.8 5,932 20.6 338 8.9 S
Rail 239 4.7 6,898 24.0 1,176 30.9 344
All other Single modes 3,281 64.5 15,889 55.3 S S 132
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 116

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 866 100.0 1,313 100.0 763 100.0 673
Single modes 756 87.3 1,270 96.7 718 94.0 307
Truck2 525 60.6 609 46.4 101 13.2 276
Rail 231 26.6 661 50.3 617 80.8 901
All other Single modes
Multiple modes 109 12.5 43 3.3 45 5.9 932
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 931
All other Multiple modes 46 5.4 38 2.9 41 5.4 1,148
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 257

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 498 100.0 706 100.0 126 100.0 282
Single modes 428 85.9 701 99.4 124 98.8 94
Truck2 406 81.4 607 86.0 69 54.7 90
Rail S S S S S S 423
All other Single modes S S S S S S 630
Multiple modes 56 11.2 3 0.4 1 0.9 796
Parcel, USPS or courier 56 11.2 3 0.4 1 0.9 796
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 15 2.9 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 4,011 100.0 8,630 100.0 2,444 100.0 304
Single modes 3,884 96.8 8,605 99.7 2,413 98.7 296
Truck2 3,463 86.3 7,021 81.4 1,759 72.0 278
Rail 421 10.5 1,584 18.3 654 26.7 430
All other Single modes S S S S S S 850
Multiple modes 99 2.5 S S S S 506
Parcel, USPS or courier 64 1.6 2 1 500
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,651
Other and unknown modes S S 10 0.1 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 569 100.0 173 100.0 98 100.0 543
Single modes 384 67.4 156 90.2 96 97.9 350
Truck2 367 64.6 143 83.1 69 70.3 336
Rail S S S S S S 2,237
All other Single modes S S S S S S 891
Multiple modes 106 18.7 2 1.2 2 1.6 703
Parcel, USPS or courier 104 18.3 2 1.1 1 1.1 702
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,088
Other and unknown modes 79 13.9 15 8.7 0.5 94

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 1,885 100.0 S S 420 100.0 190
Single modes 1,841 97.7 S S 418 99.6 157
Truck2 1,634 86.7 S S 289 68.8 S
Rail S S S S 129 30.7 222
All other Single modes
Multiple modes 34 1.8 2 S S 541
Parcel, USPS or courier 34 1.8 2 S S 541
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 10 0.5 3 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 S S S S S S 975
Multiple modes S S S S S S 854
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 854
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 13

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.