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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

Freight Analysis Framework

Monday, September 23, 2024

Create Visualizations with the Data Tabulation Tool!

Bandwidth plot of flows from one state to foreign countries

Click here to access the FAF5 Data Tabulation Tool

Additional tool by our partners at FHWA is available here

About the Freight Analysis Framework

The Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) database has estimates of US freight flows. Data are available for states and metropolitan areas. Flows include all modes of transportation and 42 commodity types. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) produces the FAF with support from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). We build FAF with data from many sources. Inputs include the Commodity Flow Survey (CFS), foreign trade data, and data from agriculture, extraction, utility, construction, service, and other sectors.

FAF5 has three types of freight flows: weight, value and activity. Weight is in thousands of tons, value is in millions of 2017 constant dollars, and activity is in millions of ton-miles. Users can download .csv and Microsoft Access files below.

Update - Latest version - FAF5.6.1 now includes preliminary annual estimates for 2023. FAF 5.6.1 has estimates of weight, value, and activity by origin and destination regions, commodity type, and mode for:

  • Base year (2017)
  • Annual estimates (2018–2022)
  • Preliminary annual estimates (2023)
  • Forecast year estimates (2025–2050)
  • State-level historical trend estimates (1997–2012)

FAF5.6.1 is available now and includes the preliminary annual estimates for 2023. Updated annual estimates for 2023 will be available in early 2025. In addition, FAF 5.6.1 includes improved estimates of foreign trade flows by ground modes across the California/Mexico border and by water through the FAF region named Rest of Minnesota for 2018 to 2021. FAF 5.6.1 also integrates updated foreign water cargo totals from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for 2021 and 2022. US coal imports and exports were adjusted to better align with data from the Energy Information Administration for 2018-2023.

FAF5 Network Data

Summary Statistics and Products

Documentation and Webinars

Related Information

Recommended Citations for FAF Datasets

  • FAF1 to FAF3 citation: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). (1997-2007) Freight Analysis Framework, FAF-1-3 [datasets].
  • FAF4 citation:  U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). (2012) Freight Analysis Framework, FAF4 [datasets].
  • FAF5 citation for 2017-2050 data:
    • U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). (2017) Freight Analysis Framework, FAF5 [datasets]. https://doi.org/10.21949/1529116 
  • FAF5 citation for historical reprocessed 1997-2012 data:
    • U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). (2017) Freight Analysis Framework, FAF5 [datasets]. https://doi.org/10.21949/1529108 

Previous Versions

Read about previous FAF5 versions and FAF's version numbering and view FAF4 data and documentation.

Inquiries about FAF can be directed to faf@dot.gov. For other inquiries, contact 202-366-DATA(3282) or answers@dot.gov.

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