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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 49,632 100.0 58,927 100.0 8,791 100.0 575
Single modes 38,968 78.5 57,982 98.4 8,450 96.1 121
Truck2 36,594 73.7 51,521 87.4 5,589 63.6 105
Rail 595 1.2 3,684 6.3 2,476 28.2 917
All other Single modes 1,779 3.6 2,777 4.7 S S 1,768
Multiple modes 9,432 19.0 S S 197 2.2 997
Parcel, USPS or courier 8,992 18.1 211 0.4 183 2.1 996
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 4,885
Other and unknown modes 1,233 2.5 465 0.8 144 1.6 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 2,368 100.0 1,739 100.0 1,221 100.0 516
Single modes 2,250 95.0 1,605 92.3 1,174 96.1 590
Truck2 2,171 91.7 1,204 69.2 569 46.6 574
Rail S S S S S S 1,552
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,192
Multiple modes S S S S S S 621
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 817
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 1
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 261

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 3,113 100.0 2,151 100.0 677 100.0 482
Single modes 2,854 91.7 2,136 99.3 668 98.6 S
Truck2 2,828 90.8 2,120 98.5 621 91.7 S
Rail S S S S S S 3,185
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,368
Multiple modes S S S S S S 1,329
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 1,329
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 391

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 184 100.0 10,048 100.0 362 100.0 33
Single modes 184 99.9 10,048 100.0 362 100.0 33
Truck2 176 95.2 9,933 98.8 332 91.8 33
Rail S S S S S S 259
All other Single modes
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 2

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 6,073 100.0 19,792 100.0 513 100.0 36
Single modes 6,033 99.3 19,690 99.5 510 99.4 33
Truck2 5,714 94.1 18,134 91.6 500 97.6 33
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 8
Multiple modes
Parcel, USPS or courier
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 209

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 9,254 100.0 8,209 100.0 3,333 100.0 655
Single modes 6,316 68.2 7,834 95.4 3,234 97.0 S
Truck2 5,551 60.0 3,683 44.9 1,165 35.0 S
Rail 400 4.3 2,937 35.8 1,701 51.0 942
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,483
Multiple modes S S S S 45 1.4 1,053
Parcel, USPS or courier S S 38 0.5 36 1.1 1,053
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 5,139
Other and unknown modes 442 4.8 71 0.9 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 4,161 100.0 2,187 100.0 720 100.0 679
Single modes 3,315 79.7 2,056 94.0 618 85.9 S
Truck2 3,313 79.6 2,053 93.9 617 85.8 S
Rail S S S S S S 192
All other Single modes 2 S S S S 2,214
Multiple modes 768 18.5 S S S S 1,003
Parcel, USPS or courier 768 18.5 S S S S 1,003
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes 77 1.9 36 1.6 S S 284

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 3,411 100.0 S S 1,409 100.0 414
Single modes 2,940 86.2 S S 1,400 99.3 114
Truck2 2,894 84.9 S S 1,324 93.9 111
Rail S S S S S S 401
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,775
Multiple modes S S S S S S 789
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 789
All other Multiple modes
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 9,704 100.0 432 100.0 131 100.0 651
Single modes 4,759 49.0 370 85.7 80 61.2 S
Truck2 3,718 38.3 361 83.6 75 57.0 102
Rail S S S S S S 271
All other Single modes 984 10.1 2 0.4 3 2.5 1,841
Multiple modes 4,640 47.8 35 8.2 42 32.1 1,124
Parcel, USPS or courier 4,250 43.8 34 7.9 37 28.4 1,120
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 4,972
Other and unknown modes 305 3.1 27 6.2 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 11,295 100.0 2,740 100.0 415 100.0 485
Single modes 10,250 90.7 2,691 98.2 395 95.1 118
Truck2 10,167 90.0 2,662 97.1 375 90.4 116
Rail S S S S S S 654
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,438
Multiple modes S S S S 18 4.3 696
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S 18 4.3 695
All other Multiple modes S S S S S S 5,122
Other and unknown modes S S S S 2 0.6 177

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 68 100.0 S S S S 320
Single modes 67 98.3 S S S S S
Truck2 61 89.0 S S S S S
Rail
All other Single modes S S S S S S 1,674
Multiple modes S S S S S S 597
Parcel, USPS or courier S S S S S S 597
All other Multiple modes
Other and unknown modes S S S S S S 25

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.