Box B - How the 2002 National Freight Composite Estimates Were Derived
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Box B - How the 2002 National Freight Composite Estimates Were Derived
The composite estimates include data from the Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) and data from sectors not covered in the CFS. The estimates were derived for each mode of transportation and at the 2-digit Standard Classification of Transported Goods (SCTG) level. Below is a brief description of the coverage, methods, and sources for these data:
Commodity Flow Survey Data
| Component | Coverage, methods, and sources |
|---|---|
| In-scope sectors | Covers domestic and export shipments by manufacturing, mining, wholesale trade, and selected retail sectors. Based on published results of the 2002 CFS as reported by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau. |
Noncommodity Flow Survey Data Included in the Composite Estimates
(a) Out-of-scope: sectors in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) not covered in the 2002 CFS
| Component | Coverage, methods, and sources |
|---|---|
| Imports | Covers official U.S. merchandise imports trade by mode and commodity. Value and weight information derived from trade data. Ton-miles derived as a sum of tonnage multiplied by estimated shipment travel distance for each mode. |
| Farm-based | Covers farm-based agricultural shipments that occur prior to storage in off farm facilities (e.g., grain elevators) or processing plants (e.g., fruit and live stock distribution centers). Estimates based on the 2002 Census of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2004 Agricultural Statistics. |
| Fisheries | Covers fishery shipments that go from fishing vessels to processing/distribution centers, excluding farm-raised fish which is covered by the CFS. Based on tonnage data from the 2002 Fisheries of the United States by the National Marine Fisheries Service and vehicle mileage data from the Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS). |
| Crude petroleum | Covers crude petroleum shipments by oil and gas extraction industries. Based on data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) Petroleum Supply Annual 2002, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and Shifts in Petroleum Transportation published by the Association of Oil Pipelines. |
| Natural gas | Covers natural gas shipments by oil and gas extraction industries. Based on data from EIA's Natural Gas Annual and the information from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. |
| Municipal solid waste | Covers waste collected by municipalities, such as household trash, cardboard boxes, consumer appliances, newspapers, and yard trimmings. Excludes wastes such as sludge, agricultural wastes, and industrial wastes. Based on data from various state and municipal agencies and information from the BioCycle Journal of Composting and Organics Recycling. |
| Logging | Logging is out of scope for the 2002 CFS because of the change from the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Estimates based on data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Statistics, the Rail Waybill Sample, and the Waterborne Commerce of United States. |
| Publishing | In 2002, publishing became out of scope because of the change from the Standard Industryial Classification (SIC) to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Estimates based on data from the Economic Census and average miles per shipment information from the 1997 CFS. |
| Construction | Covers shipments of companies engaged in construction of residential and commercial buildings, utility systems, road and bridge construction, and specialty trade contractors. Estimates based on the Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS), the Economic Census, and average miles per shipment information by commodity from the 1997 CFS. |
| Services | Covers shipments from service sector companies engaged in, for example, accommodation and food, rental and leasing, repair and maintenance, and scientific and technical services. Estimates based on the VIUS, the Economic Census, and average miles per shipment information by commodity from the 1997 CFS. |
(b) In-scope: sectors are in the CFS but coverage is incomplete
| Component | Coverage, methods, and sources |
|---|---|
| Retail | Covers retail companies, including motor vehicle and parts dealers; furniture, home goods, electronic and appliance, building materials, clothing, etc. stores; and general merchandise stores. |
| Exports | Represents the net difference between official U.S. merchandise exports and the exports measured in the CFS by mode and commodity. Based on U.S.-international merchandise trade. |
| Petroleum products | Represents the net difference between petroleum products measured in the CFS and reported by the Association of Oil Pipe Lines and the Energy Information Administration. |
(c) Other
| Component | Coverage, methods, and sources |
|---|---|
| Household and office moves | Covers movement of household goods and used institutional or commercial furniture and equipment. Data from the Economic Census and the American Moving and Storage Association. |
| In-transit | Covers shipments from a foreign country passing through the United States to another foreign country, for example, shipments from Canada to Mexico via the United States. Based on U.S.-international merchandise trade data. |
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Adapted from the technical reports developed during estimation of the out-of-scope sectors and the composite estimates, October 2005.