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 116,270 100 144,363 100 32,424 100 353 5.2 - 14.5 - 7.5 - 15.1
Less than 50 lbs 4,590 3.9 210 0.1 87 0.3 442 19.1 0.7 15.1 - 18.5 - 16.2
50 - 99 lbs 1,852 1.6 146 0.1 50 0.2 324 23.2 0.3 18.7 - 21.6 - 18.4
100 - 499 lbs 6,216 5.3 1,036 0.7 234 0.7 237 16.2 0.8 14.6 0.2 20.9 0.1 19.4
500 - 749 lbs 2,452 2.1 725 0.5 122 0.4 169 12.4 0.2 20.7 0.1 17.4 0.1 18.6
750 - 999 lbs 1,832 1.6 529 0.4 107 0.3 201 11.4 0.1 20.6 0.1 20.9 0.1 12.0
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 22,893 19.7 8,064 5.6 1,946 6.0 240 6.8 1.2 10.1 0.8 10.0 0.7 9.8
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 65,208 56.1 84,684 58.7 17,662 54.5 221 6.8 1.9 17.2 3.0 6.7 3.4 14.1
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 6,620 5.7 26,009 18.0 2,535 7.8 95 14.3 0.8 22.1 2.3 13.7 1.2 15.5
More than 100,000 lbs 4,607 4.0 22,960 15.9 9,682 29.9 485 12.9 0.6 22.6 3.1 19.0 4.2 11.9

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 108,585 100 140,051 100 29,880 100 175 5.2 - 14.7 - 6.9 - 22.8
Less than 50 lbs 1,541 1.4 64 - 9 - S 32.5 0.5 24.7 - 26.2 - S
50 - 99 lbs 1,062 1.0 78 0.1 15 0.1 178 24.1 0.2 18.5 - 18.6 - 22.1
100 - 499 lbs 5,139 4.7 831 0.6 161 0.5 194 15.1 0.8 13.4 0.1 17.4 0.1 20.1
500 - 749 lbs 2,214 2.0 664 0.5 113 0.4 172 14.8 0.2 23.1 0.1 19.9 0.1 16.2
750 - 999 lbs 1,677 1.5 486 0.3 100 0.3 204 11.6 0.1 20.3 0.1 21.4 0.1 12.1
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 22,413 20.6 7,788 5.6 1,920 6.4 247 6.8 1.2 10.7 0.9 10.3 0.8 9.1
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 63,860 58.8 83,835 59.9 17,135 57.3 216 6.8 1.8 17.2 2.9 6.6 3.1 14.6
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 6,554 6.0 25,905 18.5 2,486 8.3 94 14.3 0.8 22.2 2.4 14.0 1.2 15.1
More than 100,000 lbs 4,125 3.8 20,400 14.6 7,941 26.6 455 12.9 0.6 24.0 2.9 18.1 3.8 13.6

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 104,283 100 121,956 100 22,157 100 160 5.4 - 15.0 - 5.4 - 19.0
Less than 50 lbs 1,484 1.4 62 0.1 7 - 78 34.2 0.6 25.9 - 13.1 - 44.8
50 - 99 lbs 1,046 1.0 78 0.1 15 0.1 176 24.6 0.2 18.6 - 18.7 - 22.0
100 - 499 lbs 5,057 4.8 829 0.7 161 0.7 194 15.3 0.8 13.4 0.2 17.5 0.1 20.1
500 - 749 lbs 2,209 2.1 664 0.5 113 0.5 171 14.9 0.2 23.1 0.1 19.9 0.1 16.2
750 - 999 lbs 1,673 1.6 486 0.4 100 0.5 203 11.6 0.1 20.3 0.1 21.4 0.1 12.1
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 22,319 21.4 7,725 6.3 1,913 8.6 248 6.8 1.1 10.2 1.1 10.3 0.9 9.0
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 63,044 60.5 82,995 68.1 16,942 76.5 216 6.8 1.9 17.1 2.6 6.6 2.1 14.5
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 6,009 5.8 24,993 20.5 2,332 10.5 92 13.1 0.7 21.2 2.5 14.7 1.5 14.9
More than 100,000 lbs 1,441 1.4 4,124 3.4 574 2.6 227 15.4 0.2 30.8 0.9 26.4 0.8 20.6

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 59,913 100 60,686 100 16,918 100 515 10.3 - 14.6 - 5.9 - 6.9
Less than 50 lbs 248 0.4 12 - 5 - 456 47.6 0.2 46.1 - 17.2 - 33.9
50 - 99 lbs 359 0.6 19 - 11 0.1 599 29.7 0.2 24.0 - 24.9 - 9.2
100 - 499 lbs 1,699 2.8 163 0.3 125 0.7 743 15.8 0.6 19.7 0.1 20.0 0.1 5.5
500 - 749 lbs 694 1.2 100 0.2 83 0.5 808 14.7 0.2 23.0 - 23.3 0.1 7.9
750 - 999 lbs 656 1.1 103 0.2 71 0.4 685 15.0 0.1 22.3 - 27.8 0.1 8.6
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 10,270 17.1 2,082 3.4 1,229 7.3 644 12.6 0.9 15.2 0.7 14.1 0.9 2.9
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 40,854 68.2 36,722 60.5 13,141 77.7 395 11.0 1.5 10.8 2.8 6.9 1.6 7.1
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 4,477 7.5 18,872 31.1 1,718 10.2 90 14.0 0.8 28.4 3.5 13.8 1.3 17.6
More than 100,000 lbs 656 1.1 2,613 4.3 536 3.2 444 25.5 0.3 42.7 1.5 26.4 1.2 17.3

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 44,370 100 61,271 100 5,239 100 60 5.6 - 20.8 - 14.2 - 19.8
Less than 50 lbs 1,236 2.8 50 0.1 2 - 36 41.4 0.9 29.9 - 25.7 - 17.7
50 - 99 lbs 687 1.5 59 0.1 3 0.1 57 30.5 0.4 22.4 - 33.0 - 24.8
100 - 499 lbs 3,359 7.6 666 1.1 36 0.7 54 19.3 1.3 16.1 0.4 15.6 0.2 29.8
500 - 749 lbs 1,516 3.4 564 0.9 31 0.6 56 18.0 0.6 24.4 0.3 17.5 0.1 27.2
750 - 999 lbs 1,017 2.3 383 0.6 29 0.6 75 14.7 0.3 21.6 0.2 26.9 0.2 27.2
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 12,049 27.2 5,643 9.2 684 13.1 121 9.2 2.0 13.1 1.8 18.4 1.7 12.4
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 22,189 50.0 46,273 75.5 3,802 72.6 83 8.1 3.0 25.8 5.3 16.0 4.2 17.8
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 1,532 3.5 6,121 10.0 613 11.7 99 24.6 1.1 17.9 3.0 34.7 3.1 16.5
More than 100,000 lbs 785 1.8 1,511 2.5 39 0.7 31 33.1 0.6 23.4 1.1 32.0 0.3 30.6

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 3,184 100 16,531 100 7,710 100 451 16.3 - 25.3 - 18.4 - 16.6
Less than 50 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
50 - 99 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
100 - 499 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
500 - 749 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
750 - 999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1,000 - 9,999 lbs S S S S 5 0.1 S S S S S 34.6 0.2 S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 402 12.6 258 1.6 190 2.5 622 25.4 4.0 21.5 0.9 40.6 0.9 30.9
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 144 4.5 253 1.5 151 2.0 627 28.1 1.7 14.9 0.6 18.2 1.2 29.0
More than 100,000 lbs 2,581 81.1 15,965 96.6 7,365 95.5 489 18.2 4.0 26.1 1.4 18.8 1.3 15.1

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 196 100 6 100 5 100 993 41.7 - 46.9 - 44.7 - 11.5
Less than 50 lbs S S S S S S 1,001 S S S S S S 14.2
50 - 99 lbs 17 8.4 S S - 4.3 955 26.1 6.4 S S 48.2 11.5 25.1
100 - 499 lbs 82 41.7 S S 1 13.0 519 36.9 8.6 S S 47.4 7.7 28.9
500 - 749 lbs S S S S S S 822 S S S S S S 39.4
750 - 999 lbs 4 2.2 S S S S 2,254 21.4 17.8 S S S S 22.7
1,000 - 9,999 lbs S S S S S S 1,092 S S S S S S 17.0
10,000 - 49,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Pipeline5

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 S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S 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 S S S S S S S S S S S S S S

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 5,472 100 3,174 100 2,271 100 724 20.8 - 26.7 - 25.1 - 7.0
Less than 50 lbs 2,772 50.7 120 3.8 78 3.4 735 18.8 2.7 18.0 4.3 18.4 3.5 7.7
50 - 99 lbs 716 13.1 52 1.6 34 1.5 635 28.9 2.0 28.6 1.2 28.7 0.9 12.3
100 - 499 lbs 849 15.5 102 3.2 S S 664 40.1 2.3 46.9 2.2 S S 7.2
500 - 749 lbs 37 0.7 S S S S 674 31.6 0.3 S S S S 19.9
750 - 999 lbs 56 1.0 S S S S S 47.8 0.4 S S S S S
1,000 - 9,999 lbs S S S S 10 0.4 S S S S S 48.2 0.6 S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 515 9.4 357 11.2 308 13.6 705 28.9 2.7 48.0 3.8 27.5 4.6 45.4
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 26 0.5 61 1.9 40 1.7 647 35.9 0.9 27.7 0.5 34.2 0.8 9.6
More than 100,000 lbs 436 8.0 2,437 76.8 1,717 75.6 714 25.1 3.3 32.1 8.5 29.8 8.6 12.6

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 4,424 100 293 100 196 100 725 24.1 - 29.4 - 28.7 - 7.0
Less than 50 lbs 2,772 62.7 120 40.9 78 39.8 735 18.8 3.7 18.0 4.9 18.4 6.0 7.7
50 - 99 lbs 715 16.2 52 17.8 34 17.4 635 29.0 1.9 28.6 2.5 28.7 4.2 12.3
100 - 499 lbs 844 19.1 99 33.9 S S 668 40.4 2.4 48.3 3.7 S S 7.7
500 - 749 lbs 37 0.8 S S S S 674 31.6 0.4 S S S S 19.9
750 - 999 lbs 56 1.3 S S S S S 47.8 0.5 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 826 100 2,786 100 1,995 100 569 27.1 - 30.3 - 28.4 - 24.1
Less than 50 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
50 - 99 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
100 - 499 lbs 5 0.6 3 0.1 1 0.1 S 39.2 7.3 42.9 1.8 36.2 1.3 S
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 317 38.4 S S 248 12.4 S 43.4 5.7 S S 33.8 5.9 S
50,000 - 99,999 lbs S S S S S S 654 S S S S S S 33.3
More than 100,000 lbs 430 52.0 2,431 87.3 1,714 85.9 715 26.0 6.5 32.3 4.9 29.9 6.2 12.8

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 222 100 96 100 81 100 S 37.3 - 30.7 - 24.1 - S
Less than 50 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
50 - 99 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
100 - 499 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
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 198 89.1 64 67.3 60 73.7 S 41.8 9.0 31.0 8.7 27.3 8.0 S
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 10 4.4 20 21.3 S S 639 24.5 18.0 37.4 15.8 S S 10.1
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 2,213 100 1,138 100 273 100 S 16.5 - 12.7 - 20.5 - S
Less than 50 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
50 - 99 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
100 - 499 lbs 227 10.3 103 9.0 1 0.5 S 43.5 2.5 42.6 3.9 41.2 0.3 S
500 - 749 lbs S S 50 4.4 S S S S S 38.8 1.7 S S S
750 - 999 lbs 99 4.5 S S - 0.1 S 47.1 2.3 S S 30.7 - S
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 415 18.7 253 22.2 16 6.0 S 29.2 6.9 42.7 6.5 30.1 3.0 S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 833 37.6 492 43.2 219 80.4 476 23.7 8.6 17.4 8.5 25.9 7.5 16.6
50,000 - 99,999 lbs S S S S S S 206 S S S S S S 41.7
More than 100,000 lbs 46 2.1 S S S S 209 44.9 7.9 S S S S 40.9

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.