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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 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 46,656 100 64,169 100 13,174 100 244 14.4 - 20.0 - 16.1 - 14.7
Less than 50 lbs 2,180 4.7 36 0.1 14 0.1 316 12.6 0.9 15.7 - 20.9 - 24.1
50 - 99 lbs 590 1.3 31 - 8 0.1 273 12.4 0.3 16.0 - 14.9 - 23.0
100 - 499 lbs 2,517 5.4 265 0.4 47 0.4 186 6.9 1.0 15.9 0.2 12.6 0.1 16.8
500 - 749 lbs 817 1.8 158 0.2 27 0.2 174 16.4 0.3 24.3 0.1 15.5 - 22.7
750 - 999 lbs 739 1.6 359 0.6 28 0.2 76 20.7 0.3 43.7 0.1 24.7 0.1 35.2
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 7,963 17.1 3,275 5.1 545 4.1 152 18.5 2.7 19.5 2.1 14.3 1.4 16.8
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 16,010 34.3 27,030 42.1 4,874 37.0 190 12.0 4.1 30.6 7.6 14.6 7.3 18.7
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 9,946 21.3 18,546 28.9 1,869 14.2 101 44.5 6.7 35.6 6.9 31.7 6.2 25.7
More than 100,000 lbs 5,895 12.6 14,469 22.5 5,762 43.7 592 32.6 2.6 32.3 6.8 33.4 9.6 15.3

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 41,938 100 62,454 100 11,747 100 147 15.7 - 20.3 - 14.6 - 10.0
Less than 50 lbs 542 1.3 14 - 2 - 146 14.0 0.5 27.0 - 21.4 - 26.1
50 - 99 lbs 291 0.7 20 - 2 - 117 16.2 0.2 21.7 - 16.3 - 41.2
100 - 499 lbs 1,969 4.7 226 0.4 36 0.3 163 7.5 1.1 14.8 0.2 11.9 0.1 15.5
500 - 749 lbs 690 1.6 141 0.2 22 0.2 156 17.2 0.4 25.7 0.1 17.4 - 21.3
750 - 999 lbs 706 1.7 357 0.6 26 0.2 71 21.7 0.4 44.1 0.1 26.7 0.1 35.3
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 7,676 18.3 3,229 5.2 520 4.4 149 18.5 2.8 19.9 2.2 14.4 1.4 16.3
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 14,492 34.6 26,665 42.7 4,549 38.7 173 10.6 4.4 30.5 7.6 13.9 7.4 20.3
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 9,941 23.7 18,542 29.7 1,868 15.9 101 44.6 7.0 35.6 7.0 31.7 6.6 25.7
More than 100,000 lbs 5,632 13.4 13,260 21.2 4,721 40.2 586 34.1 2.8 33.9 6.6 33.6 9.7 15.9

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 36,664 100 49,595 100 7,134 100 138 14.0 - 23.5 - 11.1 - 9.8
Less than 50 lbs 442 1.2 14 - 2 - 127 18.3 0.5 27.6 - 25.0 - 18.8
50 - 99 lbs 273 0.7 20 - 2 - 112 17.9 0.2 21.9 - 17.4 - 42.5
100 - 499 lbs 1,858 5.1 225 0.5 35 0.5 158 7.9 1.1 14.8 0.2 10.9 0.1 16.2
500 - 749 lbs 686 1.9 141 0.3 22 0.3 155 17.1 0.4 25.7 0.1 17.6 - 21.0
750 - 999 lbs 627 1.7 356 0.7 25 0.4 69 21.7 0.3 44.2 0.2 26.3 0.1 36.1
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 7,581 20.7 3,225 6.5 517 7.2 148 18.5 3.5 19.9 2.2 14.6 1.3 16.3
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 14,437 39.4 26,462 53.4 4,522 63.4 173 10.5 4.4 30.2 6.4 13.7 5.9 20.2
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 9,934 27.1 18,516 37.3 1,867 26.2 101 44.6 7.4 35.6 7.7 31.7 6.5 25.7
More than 100,000 lbs S S 637 1.3 142 2.0 230 S S 33.4 0.9 30.8 0.7 47.8

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 21,168 100 19,288 100 4,619 100 420 16.3 - 24.2 - 11.1 - 11.5
Less than 50 lbs 155 0.7 2 - 1 - 444 28.1 0.3 46.1 - 38.0 - 15.1
50 - 99 lbs 96 0.5 3 - 1 - 424 29.6 0.2 28.5 - 26.1 - 16.1
100 - 499 lbs 1,062 5.0 47 0.2 26 0.6 534 15.5 1.2 17.7 0.1 15.6 0.1 9.1
500 - 749 lbs 454 2.1 31 0.2 16 0.4 520 21.8 0.7 20.9 - 19.3 0.1 13.5
750 - 999 lbs 317 1.5 33 0.2 17 0.4 505 29.7 0.4 25.6 0.1 23.6 0.1 17.2
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 4,357 20.6 630 3.3 378 8.2 592 26.8 4.0 21.6 1.5 21.0 1.5 7.6
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 8,213 38.8 9,648 50.0 3,142 68.0 368 11.0 5.3 23.1 7.7 12.0 5.3 18.9
50,000 - 99,999 lbs S S 8,630 44.7 943 20.4 108 S S 49.0 8.8 38.0 5.8 41.5
More than 100,000 lbs S S 265 1.4 95 2.1 371 S S 34.1 0.5 35.1 0.7 26.2

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 15,496 100 30,306 100 2,515 100 57 21.7 - 29.1 - 28.1 - 8.0
Less than 50 lbs 287 1.8 11 - 1 - 60 28.9 0.9 32.1 - 23.2 - 13.3
50 - 99 lbs 177 1.1 17 0.1 1 - 61 20.7 0.4 26.3 - 35.9 - 14.9
100 - 499 lbs 796 5.1 179 0.6 10 0.4 58 15.6 1.5 18.7 0.3 20.7 0.3 15.2
500 - 749 lbs 232 1.5 110 0.4 6 0.2 50 18.0 0.3 32.8 0.2 24.3 0.2 17.1
750 - 999 lbs 311 2.0 322 1.1 8 0.3 25 27.6 0.5 48.9 0.3 33.0 0.3 43.9
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 3,225 20.8 2,595 8.6 139 5.5 49 16.6 3.9 25.2 2.8 20.0 3.2 10.2
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 6,225 40.2 16,814 55.5 1,379 54.8 71 22.4 5.7 35.6 6.5 37.6 7.4 13.2
50,000 - 99,999 lbs S S 9,886 32.6 S S 94 S S 43.4 7.5 S S 15.4
More than 100,000 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S

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 2,283 100 7,489 100 4,585 100 576 29.6 - 30.9 - 27.4 - 24.4
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 S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 6 0.3 27 0.4 - - 10 1.1 4.7 2.5 4.2 13.5 0.4 13.6
More than 100,000 lbs 2,215 97.0 7,257 96.9 4,556 99.4 633 31.3 13.2 33.2 13.3 27.8 15.2 24.1

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 399 100 4 100 S S 937 41.1 - 33.9 - S S 8.5
Less than 50 lbs 100 25.2 - 7.4 - 5.6 907 21.6 12.5 27.7 9.9 24.1 10.2 25.4
50 - 99 lbs 18 4.6 - 3.9 - 2.6 796 33.4 1.3 29.4 1.2 33.5 2.0 24.2
100 - 499 lbs S S 1 28.1 1 26.1 1,060 S S 48.4 6.5 45.6 7.1 11.7
500 - 749 lbs 4 1.0 - 4.1 - 3.6 1,116 45.7 3.1 30.1 6.0 47.3 8.3 33.1
750 - 999 lbs S S 1 24.2 1 24.8 1,259 S S 24.0 18.6 40.7 17.6 18.6
1,000 - 9,999 lbs S S 1 32.4 S S 1,154 S S 36.8 12.7 S S 23.3
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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
10,000 - 49,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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 2,707 100 1,316 100 1,138 100 416 17.1 - 42.5 - 44.4 - 25.0
Less than 50 lbs 1,519 56.1 18 1.4 12 1.1 399 18.0 2.9 18.5 5.9 20.7 3.6 27.9
50 - 99 lbs 283 10.5 9 0.6 6 0.5 700 21.2 1.2 16.9 3.0 19.5 3.5 10.1
100 - 499 lbs 441 16.3 20 1.6 10 0.9 510 13.9 3.1 19.6 6.1 22.7 4.1 14.0
500 - 749 lbs S S 6 0.5 S S 658 S S 41.4 1.1 S S 17.2
750 - 999 lbs S S 1 0.1 S S S S S 43.6 1.2 S S S
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 30 1.1 2 0.2 S S S 43.5 1.2 46.6 4.9 S S S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs S S 50 3.8 55 4.8 S S S 39.0 14.4 49.3 17.0 S
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs 263 9.7 1,209 91.9 1,040 91.5 651 27.5 4.1 33.7 4.9 37.7 8.3 22.1

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 2,319 100 54 100 33 100 414 16.1 - 19.3 - 21.5 - 25.1
Less than 50 lbs 1,518 65.4 18 33.3 12 37.2 398 18.0 3.2 18.5 2.9 20.7 4.0 27.9
50 - 99 lbs 283 12.2 9 15.7 6 17.7 700 21.2 1.3 16.9 1.0 19.5 1.9 10.1
100 - 499 lbs 441 19.0 20 37.6 10 30.6 509 14.0 3.0 19.6 2.9 22.6 2.8 14.1
500 - 749 lbs S S 6 11.8 S S 657 S S 41.5 2.6 S S 17.3
750 - 999 lbs S S 1 1.6 S S 522 S S 47.7 2.6 S S 38.5
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 S S S S 695 S S S S S S 22.5
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 S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
500 - 749 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
750 - 999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1,000 - 9,999 lbs S S S S S S 711 S S S S S S 49.1
10,000 - 49,999 lbs S S S S S S 896 S S S S S S 34.5
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs 162 88.7 910 95.5 S S 630 49.5 11.7 49.5 14.1 S S 20.0

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 205 100 S S S S 3,956 29.1 - S S S S 23.4
Less than 50 lbs S S S S S S 7,184 S S S S S S 14.8
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 S S - - S S S S S 48.9 4.9 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 S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
50,000 - 99,999 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs S S 299 96.7 455 94.2 1,523 S S 6.6 2.5 9.3 4.9 11.7

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 2,011 100 399 100 S S S 41.0 - 44.2 - S S S
Less than 50 lbs 119 5.9 4 1.0 - 0.1 S 47.1 5.5 31.4 1.3 42.9 2.7 S
50 - 99 lbs 16 0.8 3 0.7 - - S 32.6 2.9 38.7 2.2 48.9 5.4 S
100 - 499 lbs 106 5.3 S S 1 0.2 S 48.4 5.2 S S 32.8 3.4 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 492 S S S S S S 34.5
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 258 12.8 44 10.9 16 5.5 S 49.1 9.0 36.3 9.0 49.7 13.9 S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs S S S S S S 801 S S S S S S 18.6
50,000 - 99,999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
More than 100,000 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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.