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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 72,107 100 52,343 100 8,706 100 403 12.3 - 7.4 - 9.7 - 13.2
Less than 50 lbs 4,193 5.8 79 0.2 32 0.4 551 15.1 1.5 21.1 - 22.7 0.1 11.6
50 - 99 lbs 882 1.2 55 0.1 14 0.2 257 25.4 0.4 18.9 - 27.8 0.1 14.0
100 - 499 lbs 2,940 4.1 452 0.9 85 1.0 168 11.5 0.7 12.5 0.2 20.9 0.2 21.4
500 - 749 lbs 792 1.1 144 0.3 38 0.4 258 12.5 0.2 20.7 0.1 22.1 0.1 17.0
750 - 999 lbs 576 0.8 142 0.3 25 0.3 181 12.5 0.1 16.4 0.1 18.2 - 20.2
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 21,549 29.9 3,987 7.6 579 6.6 173 39.1 7.1 27.7 1.5 11.1 0.8 18.6
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 33,906 47.0 22,109 42.2 4,514 51.8 209 19.5 5.9 9.2 3.5 10.8 3.9 15.4
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 6,143 8.5 20,248 38.7 1,540 17.7 66 22.8 2.1 13.2 3.7 25.2 4.2 15.5
More than 100,000 lbs 1,126 1.6 5,127 9.8 1,879 21.6 323 24.3 0.3 30.1 3.0 36.9 5.5 25.7

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 51,984 100 49,231 100 7,619 100 208 14.3 - 6.5 - 9.3 - 17.4
Less than 50 lbs 1,188 2.3 35 0.1 5 0.1 227 22.7 0.6 30.7 - 35.7 - 25.6
50 - 99 lbs 534 1.0 37 0.1 6 0.1 154 32.1 0.3 24.1 - 43.0 - 19.0
100 - 499 lbs 2,156 4.1 312 0.6 74 1.0 231 19.1 0.8 19.3 0.1 24.7 0.2 11.8
500 - 749 lbs 719 1.4 137 0.3 34 0.4 245 15.0 0.3 22.0 0.1 20.7 0.1 18.9
750 - 999 lbs 560 1.1 139 0.3 24 0.3 175 13.1 0.2 17.1 0.1 19.6 0.1 21.3
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 8,048 15.5 2,411 4.9 568 7.5 226 8.4 2.0 9.9 0.6 11.6 1.0 9.5
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 31,955 61.5 21,354 43.4 3,689 48.4 184 21.1 3.7 9.8 3.6 8.1 3.9 14.5
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 5,973 11.5 20,072 40.8 1,476 19.4 64 23.4 2.2 13.1 4.0 26.9 4.6 17.8
More than 100,000 lbs 851 1.6 4,734 9.6 1,744 22.9 310 23.6 0.6 31.0 3.0 38.2 5.8 31.3

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 50,128 100 45,939 100 5,983 100 145 15.0 - 8.2 - 9.3 - 11.5
Less than 50 lbs 991 2.0 32 0.1 3 - 70 20.9 0.4 31.6 - 28.4 - 12.3
50 - 99 lbs 438 0.9 36 0.1 S S 130 36.3 0.3 24.8 - S S 19.2
100 - 499 lbs 2,037 4.1 308 0.7 70 1.2 217 19.7 0.8 19.2 0.1 25.8 0.3 13.4
500 - 749 lbs 711 1.4 137 0.3 34 0.6 243 15.2 0.3 22.0 0.1 21.3 0.2 19.1
750 - 999 lbs 549 1.1 139 0.3 24 0.4 171 13.9 0.2 17.2 0.1 21.3 0.1 19.9
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 8,028 16.0 2,408 5.2 565 9.4 226 8.5 2.2 10.0 0.7 11.6 1.4 9.6
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 31,490 62.8 21,177 46.1 3,564 59.6 181 21.4 3.6 9.9 4.1 8.0 4.6 14.7
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 5,751 11.5 19,955 43.4 1,423 23.8 62 24.8 2.3 13.0 3.5 26.5 4.6 17.6
More than 100,000 lbs 134 0.3 1,747 3.8 S S S 36.5 0.2 42.4 1.9 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 34,580 100 25,820 100 4,589 100 325 21.7 - 12.7 - 9.9 - 10.2
Less than 50 lbs S S S S 2 - S S S S S 39.1 - S
50 - 99 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
100 - 499 lbs 1,072 3.1 93 0.4 57 1.2 576 29.1 1.1 26.3 0.1 26.9 0.4 9.4
500 - 749 lbs 324 0.9 43 0.2 27 0.6 622 18.2 0.2 23.0 0.1 22.6 0.2 14.1
750 - 999 lbs 242 0.7 35 0.1 19 0.4 538 19.8 0.2 26.2 - 25.3 0.1 7.3
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 4,918 14.2 1,084 4.2 427 9.3 422 17.0 3.4 14.3 1.2 16.0 1.9 7.0
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 23,527 68.0 10,369 40.2 2,814 61.3 290 30.9 5.6 10.1 5.1 9.8 5.1 10.5
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 3,886 11.2 12,730 49.3 1,011 22.0 69 26.1 3.1 18.0 4.4 28.2 4.7 17.9
More than 100,000 lbs S S 1,442 5.6 S S S S S 46.9 2.2 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 15,548 100 20,120 100 1,394 100 53 12.5 - 12.5 - 10.2 - 8.4
Less than 50 lbs 642 4.1 19 0.1 1 0.1 35 18.7 0.9 22.2 - 22.5 - 8.1
50 - 99 lbs 233 1.5 24 0.1 1 0.1 47 30.3 0.4 24.0 - 28.8 - 13.2
100 - 499 lbs 965 6.2 215 1.1 13 1.0 59 14.8 1.0 24.2 0.3 33.3 0.2 13.5
500 - 749 lbs 386 2.5 94 0.5 7 0.5 71 23.8 0.8 26.5 0.1 26.6 0.2 10.3
750 - 999 lbs 306 2.0 104 0.5 5 0.3 47 22.4 0.3 22.2 0.2 22.1 0.1 19.3
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 3,110 20.0 1,324 6.6 138 9.9 96 11.1 3.0 12.7 0.9 16.5 2.6 9.5
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 7,963 51.2 10,809 53.7 750 53.8 72 20.5 5.1 19.0 4.6 13.2 4.7 17.9
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 1,865 12.0 7,225 35.9 412 29.6 50 24.8 3.3 15.6 3.9 24.6 5.3 35.0
More than 100,000 lbs 78 0.5 305 1.5 S S S 46.2 0.4 47.3 1.4 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 1,266 100 913 100 540 100 636 29.8 - 26.5 - 23.5 - 22.2
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 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 S S S S S S S S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 459 36.2 175 19.1 123 22.8 713 34.4 13.6 30.8 13.4 21.4 11.6 38.5
50,000 - 99,999 lbs 222 17.5 117 12.8 53 9.8 454 19.0 8.4 19.3 5.4 18.1 7.3 1.7
More than 100,000 lbs 572 45.2 619 67.8 361 66.9 589 35.8 12.6 24.1 8.9 23.7 8.1 25.1

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 150 100 S S S S 396 33.2 - S S S S 17.6
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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs 145 96.8 S S S S 427 31.9 1.4 S S S S 7.4

Shallow 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 150 100 S S S S 396 33.2 - S S S S 17.6
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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More than 100,000 lbs 145 96.8 S S S S 427 31.9 1.4 S S S S 7.4

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 440 100 11 100 9 100 983 36.7 - 34.5 - 35.6 - 6.5
Less than 50 lbs 197 44.7 S S S S 1,000 47.9 12.2 S S S S 10.2
50 - 99 lbs S S S S S S 727 S S S S S S 12.0
100 - 499 lbs S S S S S S 899 S S S S S S 27.9
500 - 749 lbs S S - 2.0 S S 1,656 S S 45.5 12.1 S S 34.2
750 - 999 lbs S S S S S S 1,859 S S S S S S 17.8
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 2 0.4 S S S S 812 34.5 2.4 S S S S 34.8
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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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 5,925 100 1,195 100 1,040 100 722 14.8 - 22.6 - 29.5 - 5.3
Less than 50 lbs 2,954 49.8 42 3.5 27 2.6 739 20.0 9.8 22.5 3.2 22.2 2.7 5.7
50 - 99 lbs 341 5.8 17 1.4 8 0.8 494 23.7 1.3 23.5 1.1 21.3 0.7 10.7
100 - 499 lbs 260 4.4 25 2.1 11 1.0 449 22.5 1.2 26.5 1.2 27.9 1.1 14.6
500 - 749 lbs S S 6 0.5 S S 594 S S 41.9 0.4 S S 34.5
750 - 999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
1,000 - 9,999 lbs 5 0.1 S S 1 0.1 S 46.1 0.3 S S 36.1 0.4 S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 1,878 31.7 701 58.7 804 77.3 1,150 38.5 9.9 39.0 11.5 38.8 10.6 14.6
50,000 - 99,999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
More than 100,000 lbs 248 4.2 364 30.4 135 13.0 435 46.0 2.4 33.0 13.3 29.3 10.3 18.9

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 3,625 100 91 100 51 100 721 17.8 - 18.4 - 20.3 - 5.4
Less than 50 lbs 2,954 81.5 42 45.9 27 53.4 739 20.0 8.2 22.5 6.2 22.2 6.8 5.7
50 - 99 lbs 341 9.4 17 19.1 8 16.3 494 23.7 1.6 23.5 1.6 21.3 1.0 10.7
100 - 499 lbs 259 7.2 25 27.2 11 20.8 449 22.5 5.7 26.5 5.9 27.9 4.1 14.6
500 - 749 lbs S S 5 6.0 S S 645 S S 48.0 2.5 S S 30.8
750 - 999 lbs S S S S S S 664 S S S S S S 13.6
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 2,251 100 987 100 933 100 1,019 34.2 - 27.1 - 33.3 - 12.6
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 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 4 0.2 S S S S 402 42.9 1.2 S S S S 47.7
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 1,841 81.8 694 70.3 791 84.8 1,141 38.5 10.9 38.3 11.4 38.5 9.5 17.4
50,000 - 99,999 lbs S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
More than 100,000 lbs 248 11.0 256 26.0 112 12.0 454 46.2 17.8 31.5 16.7 30.5 17.1 19.6

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 45 100 S S S S 2,263 43.1 - S S S S 24.8
Less than 50 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
50 - 99 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
100 - 499 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
500 - 749 lbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
750 - 999 lbs S S S S S S 1,926 S S S S S S 38.2
1,000 - 9,999 lbs S S S S S S 3,521 S S S S S S 40.1
10,000 - 49,999 lbs S S S S S S 1,976 S S S S S S 18.8
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

Rail 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 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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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 S S S S 47 100 S S S S S 46.4 - S
Less than 50 lbs 52 0.4 2 0.1 S S 64 22.9 5.7 29.5 3.2 S S 40.8
50 - 99 lbs 6 - 1 - - - S 32.6 5.5 37.5 5.3 47.7 7.1 S
100 - 499 lbs 525 3.7 115 6.0 1 1.1 S 43.4 14.1 46.5 13.3 32.3 8.1 S
500 - 749 lbs 2 - S S S S S 37.9 0.5 S S S S S
750 - 999 lbs S S 1 0.1 S S S S S 39.6 0.5 S S S
1,000 - 9,999 lbs S S S S 10 20.3 S S S S S 48.8 12.0 S
10,000 - 49,999 lbs 73 0.5 55 2.9 22 45.9 405 19.4 13.5 25.8 13.3 31.1 14.2 28.2
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

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.