USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Site Notification

Site Notification

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

Table 4. Shipment Characteristics by Mode of Transportation and Shipment Size for Metropolitan Area of Origin: 2007

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Table 4. Shipment Characteristics by Mode of Transportation and Shipment Size for Metropolitan Area of Origin: 2007

Estimates are based on data from the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey. Because of rounding, estimates may not be additive.

Excel | CSV

All Modes

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total 182,723 100 100,236 100 10,657 100 543 4.7 - 14.4 - 3.2 - 13.0
Less than 50 lbs 45,399 24.8 711 0.7 361 3.4 645 5.9 1.3 9.9 0.1 19.5 0.6 13.0
50 - 99 lbs 12,586 6.9 422 0.4 149 1.4 340 20.0 1.0 13.1 0.1 15.2 0.2 19.4
100 - 499 lbs 28,499 15.6 1,929 1.9 465 4.4 250 7.7 1.0 8.5 0.3 7.6 0.4 10.6
500 - 749 lbs 7,288 4.0 1,034 1.0 197 1.8 195 11.9 0.5 13.5 0.2 13.0 0.3 19.8
750 - 999 lbs 5,424 3.0 906 0.9 133 1.2 145 20.4 0.5 8.1 0.1 12.6 0.2 11.0
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 40,590 22.2 11,533 11.5 1,985 18.6 162 9.6 1.8 11.1 1.7 6.7 1.7 9.2
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 31,845 17.4 45,320 45.2 5,237 49.1 125 8.4 1.2 21.6 2.8 6.3 2.5 19.6
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 9,875 5.4 35,082 35.0 1,659 15.6 48 28.0 1.5 14.4 2.0 23.4 3.1 17.8
More than 100,000 lbs 1,218 0.7 3,299 3.3 471 4.4 312 20.8 0.2 26.1 0.9 27.8 1.4 43.7

Single modes

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total 133,251 100 96,924 100 9,605 100 142 5.3 - 15.1 - 3.8 - 19.9
Less than 50 lbs 15,313 11.5 319 0.3 33 0.3 131 15.4 1.9 23.2 0.1 7.3 - 46.9
50 - 99 lbs 6,949 5.2 272 0.3 33 0.3 110 36.1 1.4 22.7 0.1 13.4 0.1 26.3
100 - 499 lbs 20,377 15.3 1,650 1.7 319 3.3 186 8.3 1.4 8.3 0.3 8.2 0.3 10.0
500 - 749 lbs 6,261 4.7 960 1.0 172 1.8 184 9.2 0.5 12.2 0.2 11.9 0.2 17.1
750 - 999 lbs 5,266 4.0 885 0.9 126 1.3 140 20.7 0.7 7.6 0.1 12.3 0.2 9.5
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 37,633 28.2 10,895 11.2 1,931 20.1 165 8.1 2.1 10.2 1.3 5.8 1.7 9.9
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 30,887 23.2 44,793 46.2 4,897 51.0 120 9.2 1.4 21.9 2.8 7.2 2.7 20.6
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 9,809 7.4 34,938 36.0 1,650 17.2 48 27.9 2.1 14.4 2.0 23.4 3.4 17.7
More than 100,000 lbs 757 0.6 2,211 2.3 443 4.6 S 22.1 0.1 40.9 0.9 29.2 1.6 S

Truck4

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total 125,044 100 96,405 100 9,082 100 116 6.6 - 15.2 - 5.0 - 18.9
Less than 50 lbs 11,432 9.1 310 0.3 22 0.2 S 20.0 1.8 24.2 0.1 11.4 - S
50 - 99 lbs 5,997 4.8 268 0.3 28 0.3 94 43.7 1.4 23.2 0.1 14.5 - 24.3
100 - 499 lbs 18,705 15.0 1,635 1.7 300 3.3 175 9.5 1.6 8.2 0.3 8.1 0.2 11.2
500 - 749 lbs 6,089 4.9 956 1.0 168 1.8 180 9.0 0.6 12.1 0.2 11.5 0.3 17.7
750 - 999 lbs 5,138 4.1 884 0.9 125 1.4 139 21.1 0.7 7.6 0.1 12.3 0.2 9.6
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 36,673 29.3 10,866 11.3 1,910 21.0 163 8.3 2.2 10.2 1.4 5.8 2.0 10.1
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 30,703 24.6 44,748 46.4 4,824 53.1 118 9.3 1.5 22.0 2.8 7.7 3.0 20.7
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 9,809 7.8 34,938 36.2 1,650 18.2 48 27.9 2.3 14.4 1.9 23.4 3.4 17.7
More than 100,000 lbs 499 0.4 S S S S S 28.3 0.1 S S S S S

For-hire truck

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total 73,249 100 44,750 100 7,064 100 506 8.2 - 28.5 - 6.9 - 19.7
Less than 50 lbs 7,684 10.5 27 0.1 15 0.2 438 26.1 2.6 22.8 - 16.6 - 42.8
50 - 99 lbs S S 43 0.1 21 0.3 498 S S 42.7 0.1 19.5 0.1 25.0
100 - 499 lbs 10,280 14.0 276 0.6 232 3.3 831 20.2 2.7 10.7 0.3 10.2 0.3 4.0
500 - 749 lbs 3,858 5.3 180 0.4 139 2.0 781 14.4 0.8 11.3 0.2 13.3 0.3 11.2
750 - 999 lbs 3,279 4.5 143 0.3 94 1.3 654 25.9 0.9 11.4 0.1 13.6 0.3 8.3
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 21,098 28.8 2,749 6.1 1,533 21.7 654 13.1 2.8 25.0 1.9 7.4 2.5 15.8
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 16,999 23.2 22,401 50.1 3,898 55.2 206 11.4 2.5 43.8 5.0 10.9 3.9 37.3
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 5,413 7.4 18,711 41.8 1,106 15.7 59 31.5 2.8 19.3 4.7 34.2 4.2 20.0
More than 100,000 lbs 260 0.4 S S S S S 48.9 0.3 S S S S S

Private truck

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total 51,796 100 51,655 100 2,019 100 31 7.6 - 16.9 - 16.5 - 9.5
Less than 50 lbs 3,748 7.2 283 0.5 7 0.4 24 17.7 1.1 26.3 0.2 24.8 0.2 22.4
50 - 99 lbs 1,620 3.1 225 0.4 7 0.4 29 11.9 0.3 28.2 0.2 20.2 0.1 12.7
100 - 499 lbs 8,426 16.3 1,359 2.6 67 3.3 49 9.5 1.4 9.9 0.5 17.0 0.9 14.9
500 - 749 lbs 2,230 4.3 775 1.5 29 1.5 38 11.6 0.5 15.4 0.3 16.9 0.3 7.0
750 - 999 lbs 1,859 3.6 741 1.4 31 1.5 41 15.4 0.5 9.2 0.2 17.6 0.4 13.2
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 15,575 30.1 8,116 15.7 376 18.6 39 8.3 2.2 11.1 2.0 9.2 2.7 13.3
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 13,704 26.5 22,347 43.3 926 45.9 43 12.0 1.5 21.7 2.6 18.2 2.5 10.9
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 4,395 8.5 16,228 31.4 545 27.0 35 32.6 2.4 20.1 2.4 23.3 2.9 17.8
More than 100,000 lbs 239 0.5 S S S S 24 49.8 0.2 S S S S 16.2

Rail

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total 371 100 449 100 459 100 1,221 30.9 - 36.9 - 31.1 - 7.0
Less than 50 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
50 - 99 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
100 - 499 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
500 - 749 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
750 - 999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1,000 - 9,999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 95 25.6 S S 71 15.5 1,734 18.8 18.0 S S 38.9 19.4 14.1
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs 258 69.5 410 91.2 387 84.3 985 30.8 13.2 34.0 6.6 24.9 7.8 15.5

Water

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
Less than 50 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
50 - 99 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
100 - 499 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
500 - 749 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
750 - 999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1,000 - 9,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
10,000 - 49,999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Deep draft

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
Less than 50 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
50 - 99 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
100 - 499 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
500 - 749 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
750 - 999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1,000 - 9,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
10,000 - 49,999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Air (incl truck and air)

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total 7,830 100 66 100 62 100 1,159 18.8 - 25.1 - 26.7 - 6.6
Less than 50 lbs 3,879 49.5 9 13.6 10 16.9 1,169 31.6 7.8 31.0 4.1 26.6 6.3 9.1
50 - 99 lbs 952 12.2 5 7.3 5 8.4 1,059 25.9 3.7 25.0 1.9 24.4 2.8 8.8
100 - 499 lbs 1,672 21.4 15 23.0 S S 1,238 24.3 5.0 39.3 6.6 S S 12.1
500 - 749 lbs 173 2.2 S S S S 1,082 29.7 0.7 S S S S 19.6
750 - 999 lbs 128 1.6 2 2.4 1 2.4 913 49.0 1.3 41.0 2.2 40.5 2.2 31.7
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 943 12.0 S S 21 33.1 709 19.6 7.1 S S 44.8 7.1 37.2
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 83 1.1 3 5.0 1 1.1 215 20.1 0.9 46.5 10.3 45.5 3.8 3.2
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Multiple modes

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total 43,694 100 937 100 909 100 954 11.3 - 14.5 - 14.9 - 6.6
Less than 50 lbs 29,406 67.3 368 39.3 327 35.9 969 12.0 3.2 18.3 4.3 21.5 4.5 6.9
50 - 99 lbs 5,466 12.5 139 14.8 115 12.7 821 20.3 1.5 23.0 1.5 20.7 1.2 7.3
100 - 499 lbs 7,106 16.3 213 22.8 144 15.9 679 11.6 1.4 14.8 2.4 15.5 2.3 9.3
500 - 749 lbs 907 2.1 44 4.7 23 2.6 538 40.6 0.8 37.0 2.3 39.1 0.8 28.6
750 - 999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
1,000 - 9,999 lbs S S 13 1.4 3 0.3 S S S 48.9 0.9 32.7 0.2 S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 461 1.1 124 13.2 274 30.2 2,211 42.4 0.3 28.7 2.4 23.0 5.3 12.5
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs S S S S S S 828 S S S S S S 39.5

Parcel, U.S.P.S. or courier

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total 42,192 100 761 100 596 100 954 10.5 - 14.3 - 15.5 - 6.7
Less than 50 lbs 29,351 69.6 368 48.3 326 54.8 969 12.0 2.9 18.3 4.5 21.5 4.2 6.9
50 - 99 lbs 5,444 12.9 138 18.2 115 19.3 821 20.3 1.7 23.1 2.1 20.7 2.3 7.3
100 - 499 lbs 6,629 15.7 203 26.6 135 22.6 665 10.1 1.5 15.3 2.8 13.8 2.9 9.6
500 - 749 lbs 676 1.6 40 5.3 18 3.0 457 39.1 0.7 40.5 2.9 31.1 1.0 33.4
750 - 999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
1,000 - 9,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
10,000 - 49,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Truck and rail

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total S S 146 100 269 100 1,058 S S 24.0 - 24.1 - 37.2
Less than 50 lbs 55 4.2 - 0.3 - 0.2 1,175 13.3 10.1 14.4 0.4 25.5 0.3 28.0
50 - 99 lbs S S S S S S 1,098 S S S S S S 3.0
100 - 499 lbs S S S S S S 935 S S S S S S 28.1
500 - 749 lbs 231 17.6 4 2.7 6 2.1 S 17.3 5.9 44.1 5.2 12.1 5.0 S
750 - 999 lbs 53 4.0 4 2.8 S S S 38.0 1.2 30.1 5.0 S S S
1,000 - 9,999 lbs S S S S 2 0.7 S S S S S 40.3 0.6 S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs S S 101 69.2 234 86.8 2,230 S S 28.1 10.4 27.7 6.8 12.4
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs 7 0.6 S S S S 895 39.8 11.2 S S S S 42.9

Truck and water

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total 189 100 30 100 S S S 44.7 - 44.8 - S S S
Less than 50 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
50 - 99 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
100 - 499 lbs S S - 1.0 S S S S S 48.4 8.5 S S S
500 - 749 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
750 - 999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
1,000 - 9,999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 134 70.8 23 77.6 S S 2,140 46.0 11.0 47.2 8.4 S S 49.4
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S

Other and unknown modes

Shipment Weight Value Tons Ton-miles2 Average miles
per shipment		 Value Tons Ton-miles Average miles per shipment CV
2007
(million $)		 Percent of total 2007
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2007
(millions)		 Percent of
total		 CV3 Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of % CV Standard Error of %
Total 5,778 100 2,375 100 144 100 152 27.5 - 26.1 - 28.6 - 38.5
Less than 50 lbs 680 11.8 23 1.0 1 1.0 170 34.3 5.4 40.3 0.5 40.0 0.8 36.4
50 - 99 lbs 171 3.0 11 0.5 S S S 50.0 1.7 36.8 0.2 S S S
100 - 499 lbs S S S S 2 1.5 S S S S S 38.0 1.6 S
500 - 749 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
750 - 999 lbs 8 0.1 S S - 0.1 S 41.1 0.2 S S 35.0 0.1 S
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 2,789 48.3 S S S S S 41.1 7.7 S S S S S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs S S 403 17.0 66 45.6 S S S 46.5 5.1 34.7 10.1 S
50,000 - 99,999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
More than 100,000 lbs 431 7.5 1,069 45.0 13 9.1 40 39.4 6.2 17.2 9.0 46.3 5.5 25.6

KEY: S = Estimate does not meet publication standards because of high sampling variability or poor response quality. - = Zero or Less than half the unit shown; thus, it has been rounded to zero.

1 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) geographic areas were drawn from a subset of Combined Statistical Areas (CSAs) and Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MeSAs) as defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). However, CFS metropolitan areas are divided into their state parts when they include more than one state. In addition, the CFS also utilizes a unique geography referred to as, "remainder of state," to represent those areas of a state not contained within a separately published metropolitan area for the CFS (as opposed to not part of any Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA) as defined by OMB). Because of the differences in the CFS geography, as compared to OMB defined geography, caution should be exercised when comparing CFS estimates to other estimates of similar geography.
2 Ton-miles estimates are based on estimated distances traveled along a modeled transportation network.
3 Coefficient of Variation.
4 ""Truck"" as a single mode includes any shipment that was made by private truck only, by for-hire truck only, or by a combination of private and for-hire truck.
5 Estimates for pipeline exclude shipments of crude petroleum.

NOTES: Value-of-shipment estimates are reported in current prices. Estimated measures of sampling variability for each estimate known as coefficients of variation (CV) are also provided in these tables. More information on sampling error, confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, sample design, and definitions may be found at http://www.bts.gov/publications/commodity_flow_survey/
Rows are not shown if all cells for that particular mode have no data. For example, since Denver-Aurora-Boulder by "Water" has no data for any shipment weight group, the entire mode of "Water" for that area was removed from this table. However, if a mode has at least one row of data for one of the shipment weight groups, then the entire mode is shown even though there may be rows absent of data within that mode. For example, Denver-Aurora-Boulder by "Other and unknown modes" has a row absent of data for the shipment size of "More than 100,000 lbs" but does have data for the other shipment weight groups under that mode so it will be shown in its entirety.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 Economic Census: Transportation Commodity Flow Survey, December 2009.