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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 62,423 100.0 84,178 100.0 19,244 100.0 396
Single modes 51,992 83.3 82,343 97.8 17,392 90.4 254
Truck2 49,081 78.6 65,077 77.3 11,055 57.4 174
Rail 604 1.0 S S S S 903
All other Single modes 2,307 3.7 S S S S 1,304
Multiple modes 9,030 14.5 945 1.1 1,169 6.1 631
Parcel, USPS or courier 8,371 13.4 360 0.4 193 1.0 629
All other Multiple modes 659 1.1 S S S S 1,729
Other and unknown modes 1,402 2.2 S S S S 490

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 S S 6,077 100.0 S
Single modes S S S S 5,621 92.5 S
Truck2 S S S S S S 127
Rail S S S S S S 157
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,023
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
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 6,144 100.0 6,049 100.0 1,529 100.0 S
Single modes 6,026 98.1 5,992 99.1 1,500 98.1 S
Truck2 5,864 95.4 5,756 95.2 1,369 89.5 S
Rail S S S S S S 555
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,125
Multiple modes S S S S S S 442
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 442
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 232 100.0 35,033 100.0 1,033 100.0 24
Single modes 215 92.4 35,008 99.9 1,033 100.0 23
Truck2 187 80.5 23,697 67.6 499 48.3 21
Rail 3 1.3 215 0.6 S S 650
All other Single modes S S S S S S S
Multiple modes S S S S S S 62
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 62
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S

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 886 100.0 2,489 100.0 181 100.0 67
Single modes 885 99.9 2,489 100.0 181 100.0 58
Truck2 814 91.8 2,428 97.6 128 70.8 55
Rail 72 8.1 61 2.4 S S 867
All other Single modes
Multiple modes S S S S S S 325
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 325
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 18

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 15,005 100.0 S S S S 464
Single modes 13,364 89.1 S S S S 431
Truck2 12,194 81.3 11,552 89.1 S S 195
Rail 233 1.6 S S S S 1,022
All other Single modes 937 6.2 13 0.1 17 0.3 1,281
Multiple modes 1,499 10.0 S S S S 584
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,392 9.3 S S 19 0.4 579
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,882
Other and unknown modes 143 1.0 14 0.1 4 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 5,397 100.0 1,259 100.0 349 100.0 668
Single modes 3,283 60.8 1,125 89.3 281 80.5 438
Truck2 3,173 58.8 1,103 87.6 238 68.2 416
Rail S S S S S S 1,639
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,154
Multiple modes 1,959 36.3 106 8.4 62 17.7 700
Parcel, USPS or courier 1,959 36.3 106 8.4 62 17.7 700
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1
Other and unknown modes S S 29 2.3 S S 181

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 11,461 100.0 6,258 100.0 1,475 100.0 266
Single modes 10,279 89.7 6,099 97.5 1,391 94.3 235
Truck2 9,886 86.3 6,075 97.1 1,358 92.1 S
Rail 66 0.6 11 0.2 16 1.1 1,466
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,364
Multiple modes 1,107 9.7 108 1.7 S S 378
Parcel, USPS or courier 915 8.0 77 1.2 24 1.7 374
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,529
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 8,936 100.0 731 100.0 320 100.0 517
Single modes 4,763 53.3 561 76.8 242 75.6 349
Truck2 4,435 49.6 551 75.5 228 71.3 344
Rail 16 0.2 5 0.7 10 3.1 2,009
All other Single modes 313 3.5 S S S S 1,167
Multiple modes 3,564 39.9 107 14.6 69 21.7 651
Parcel, USPS or courier 3,534 39.6 102 13.9 64 20.0 651
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 2,509
Other and unknown modes 609 6.8 63 8.6 S S 668

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 13,093 100.0 8,357 100.0 3,004 100.0 421
Single modes 11,965 91.4 7,740 92.6 2,110 70.2 204
Truck2 11,892 90.8 7,679 91.9 2,028 67.5 173
Rail S S S S S S 712
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,347
Multiple modes 859 6.6 S S S S 826
Parcel, USPS or courier 529 4.0 S S S S 811
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,882
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 547

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 52 100.0 S S 4 100.0 1,338
Single modes S S S S 4 97.4 1,812
Truck2 15 28.4 S S 3 83.4 S
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 2,194
Multiple modes S S S S S S 769
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 769
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.