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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 6. Hazardous Material Shipment Characteristics by Hazard Class and Mode of Transportation: 2012

Monday, July 13, 2015

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(Estimates are based on data from the 2012 Commodity Flow Survey. Because of rounding, estimates may not be additive)

Hazard class and mode of transportation Value Tons Ton-miles (1) Average miles per shipment
2012
(million dollars)		 Percent of total 2012
(thousands)		 Percent of total 2012
(millions)		 Percent of total
Class 1, Explosives
All modes 18,397 100.0 4,045 100.0 1,012 100.0 840
Single modes 16,761 91.1 3,984 98.5 947 93.6 594
Truck (2) 16,013 87.0 3,973 98.2 933 92.2 576
 For-hire truck 12,355 67.2 1,069 26.4 699 69.1 989
 Private truck 3,657 19.9 2,904 71.8 234 23.1 59
Rail S S 6 0.2 S S S
Water 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Inland water 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Great Lakes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Deep sea 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Multiple waterways 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Air (includes truck and air) S S 4 0.1 7 0.7 1,483
Pipeline (3) 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Multiple modes 1,637 8.9 61 1.5 65 6.4 903
Parcel, U.S. Postal Service, or courier 1,422 7.7 45 1.1 42 4.2 901
Truck and rail 214 1.2 15 0.4 23 2.2 1,692
Truck and water S S S S S S S
Rail and water 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other multiple modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Class 2, Gases
All modes 125,054 100.0 164,794 100.0 33,157 100.0 57
Single modes 122,166 97.7 163,282 99.1 32,239 97.2 46
Truck (2) 75,245 60.2 103,884 63.0 13,705 41.3 41
 For-hire truck 22,394 17.9 19,111 11.6 6,813 20.5 126
 Private truck 52,851 42.3 84,773 51.4 6,892 20.8 32
Rail 13,733 11.0 16,799 10.2 12,261 37.0 718
Water 9,976 8.0 13,667 8.3 2,466 7.4 202
 Inland water 7,039 5.6 9,522 5.8 1,934 5.8 203
 Great Lakes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Deep sea S S S S 112 0.3 S
 Multiple waterways 1,972 1.6 1,710 1.0 421 1.3 240
Air (includes truck and air) S S S S S S 1,529
Pipeline (3) 22,883 18.3 28,892 17.5 S S S
Multiple modes 2,888 2.3 1,511 0.9 918 2.8 614
Parcel, U.S. Postal Service, or courier 1,992 1.6 31 Z 17 0.1 618
Truck and rail 504 0.4 1,092 0.7 887 2.7 S
Truck and water S S S S S S 2,314
Rail and water S S S S S S 12
Other multiple modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Class 3, Flammable and combustible liquid
All modes 2,016,681 100.0 2,203,490 100.0 204,573 100.0 93
Single modes 1,998,982 99.1 2,181,291 99.0 176,274 86.2 60
Truck (2) 1,246,903 61.8 1,293,909 58.7 57,705 28.2 53
 For-hire truck 758,361 37.6 784,017 35.6 34,892 17.1 98
 Private truck 488,542 24.2 509,892 23.1 22,812 11.2 33
Rail 38,071 1.9 46,100 2.1 37,085 18.1 969
Water 200,788 10.0 251,357 11.4 48,196 23.6 196
 Inland water 156,690 7.8 199,234 9.0 22,293 10.9 S
 Great Lakes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Deep sea 34,553 1.7 41,964 1.9 17,467 8.5 855
 Multiple waterways 9,545 0.5 10,158 0.5 8,436 4.1 687
Air (includes truck and air) 1,047 0.1 S S 81 Z 951
Pipeline (3) 512,173 25.4 589,816 26.8 S S S
Multiple modes 17,700 0.9 22,200 1.0 S S 534
Parcel, U.S. Postal Service, or courier 2,349 0.1 112 Z 61 Z 529
Truck and rail 10,228 0.5 14,101 0.6 13,527 6.6 944
Truck and water S S S S S S S
Rail and water 1,808 0.1 S S 1,222 0.6 826
Other multiple modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Class 4, Flammable solid; spontaneously combustible material; dangerous when wet material
All modes 5,415 100.0 11,321 100.0 5,804 100.0 565
Single modes 5,167 95.4 11,263 99.5 5,664 97.6 521
Truck (2) 3,445 63.6 6,758 59.7 1,026 17.7 210
 For-hire truck 2,578 47.6 5,614 49.6 974 16.8 276
 Private truck 868 16.0 1,144 10.1 52 0.9 74
Rail 1,352 25.0 3,719 32.9 4,607 79.4 928
Water S S S S 27 0.5 129
 Inland water S S S S 15 0.3 S
 Great Lakes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Deep sea 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Multiple waterways S S S S S S S
Air (includes truck and air) S S S S S S 1,229
Pipeline (3) S S S S S S S
Multiple modes 248 4.6 57 0.5 140 2.4 604
Parcel, U.S. Postal Service, or courier S S S S S S 599
Truck and rail 111 2.0 53 0.5 137 2.4 2,557
Truck and water 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Rail and water 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other multiple modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Class 5, Oxidizers and organic peroxides
All modes 7,562 100.0 12,025 100.0 5,479 100.0 437
Single modes 7,353 97.2 11,799 98.1 5,299 96.7 274
Truck (2) 5,616 74.3 6,946 57.8 2,000 36.5 245
 For-hire truck 3,385 44.8 3,769 31.3 1,510 27.6 511
 Private truck 2,232 29.5 3,177 26.4 490 8.9 69
Rail 1,694 22.4 4,603 38.3 3,260 59.5 714
Water S S S S S S S
 Inland water S S S S S S S
 Great Lakes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Deep sea S S S S S S S
 Multiple waterways 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Air (includes truck and air) S S Z Z S S S
Pipeline (3) 32 0.4 151 1.3 S S S
Multiple modes 208 2.8 226 1.9 180 3.3 756
Parcel, U.S. Postal Service, or courier 96 1.3 S S S S 754
Truck and rail 107 1.4 211 1.8 146 2.7 996
Truck and water S S S S S S S
Rail and water 3 Z 10 0.1 29 0.5 2,909
Other multiple modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Class 6, Toxic materials and infectious substances
All modes 15,196 100.0 7,612 100.0 3,607 100.0 513
Single modes 13,718 90.3 7,582 99.6 3,584 99.4 502
Truck (2) 7,485 49.3 1,987 26.1 650 18.0 302
 For-hire truck 4,453 29.3 1,041 13.7 601 16.7 640
 Private truck 3,031 19.9 946 12.4 49 1.4 53
Rail 3,457 22.8 3,072 40.4 2,376 65.9 766
Water 2,382 15.7 2,502 32.9 539 14.9 232
 Inland water 2,382 15.7 2,502 32.9 539 14.9 232
 Great Lakes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Deep sea 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Multiple waterways 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Air (includes truck and air) 390 2.6 S S S S 1,011
Pipeline (3) S S S S S S S
Multiple modes S S 29 0.4 23 0.6 528
Parcel, U.S. Postal Service, or courier S S 17 0.2 6 0.2 528
Truck and rail 19 0.1 12 0.2 17 0.5 1,189
Truck and water S S S S S S S
Rail and water 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other multiple modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Class 7, Radioactive material
All modes 12,288 100.0 S S 39 100.0 34
Single modes 11,601 94.4 S S 37 93.6 30
Truck (2) 11,223 91.3 S S 35 90.5 28
 For-hire truck 3,497 28.5 19 3.3 S S 222
 Private truck S S S S S S 27
Rail 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Water 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Inland water 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Great Lakes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Deep sea 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Multiple waterways 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Air (includes truck and air) S S S S S S 1,004
Pipeline (3) 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Multiple modes 687 5.6 26 4.5 3 6.4 S
Parcel, U.S. Postal Service, or courier 687 5.6 26 4.5 3 6.4 S
Truck and rail 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Truck and water 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Rail and water 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other multiple modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Class 8, Corrosive material
All modes 75,850 100.0 125,287 100.0 37,784 100.0 264
Single modes 73,720 97.2 124,036 99.0 36,211 95.8 156
Truck (2) 57,265 75.5 75,420 60.2 14,037 37.2 129
 For-hire truck 27,757 36.6 36,386 29.0 10,754 28.5 334
 Private truck 29,508 38.9 39,034 31.2 3,283 8.7 56
Rail 12,641 16.7 28,389 22.7 16,769 44.4 610
Water 2,328 3.1 13,369 10.7 3,241 8.6 376
 Inland water 2,278 3.0 12,767 10.2 2,462 6.5 213
 Great Lakes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Deep sea S S S S S S S
 Multiple waterways 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Air (includes truck and air) 375 0.5 S S S S 1,189
Pipeline (3) 1,111 1.5 6,781 5.4 S S S
Multiple modes 2,130 2.8 1,251 1.0 1,574 4.2 765
Parcel, U.S. Postal Service, or courier 996 1.3 54 Z 35 0.1 757
Truck and rail 996 1.3 1,120 0.9 1,301 3.4 1,513
Truck and water 138 0.2 78 0.1 237 0.6 1,731
Rail and water 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other multiple modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Class 9, Miscellaneous hazardous material
All modes 57,981 100.0 51,006 100.0 16,068 100.0 530
Single modes 55,276 95.3 49,083 96.2 15,373 95.7 383
Truck (2) 42,826 73.9 37,981 74.5 6,468 40.3 249
 For-hire truck 36,114 62.3 31,261 61.3 5,754 35.8 280
 Private truck 6,713 11.6 6,721 13.2 714 4.4 69
Rail 8,243 14.2 8,299 16.3 8,485 52.8 1,012
Water S S 2,087 4.1 396 2.5 154
 Inland water S S 1,843 3.6 357 2.2 135
 Great Lakes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
 Deep sea S S S S S S S
 Multiple waterways S S S S S S S
Air (includes truck and air) 1,012 1.7 14 Z 16 0.1 1,224
Pipeline (3) S S S S S S S
Multiple modes 2,705 4.7 S S 694 4.3 1,229
Parcel, U.S. Postal Service, or courier 1,155 2.0 12 Z 8 Z 1,236
Truck and rail 1,159 2.0 387 0.8 539 3.4 1,011
Truck and water S S S S S S 1,352
Rail and water S S S S 122 0.8 S
Other multiple modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Other modes 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0

KEY: S = Withheld because estimate did not meet publication standards.

Z = Rounds to zero.

(1) Ton-miles estimates are based on estimated distances traveled along a modeled transportation network. See “Mileage Calculations” section for additional information.

(2) “Truck” as a single mode includes shipments that were made by only private truck or only for-hire truck.

(3) Estimates for Pipeline exclude shipments of crude petroleum (SCTG 16).

NOTES: Value-of-shipments estimates have not been adjusted for price changes. Appendix B tables provide estimated measures of sampling variability. The Introduction and appendixes give information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, sample design and definitions. Links to this information on the Internet may be found at <www.census.gov/econ/cfs>.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Economic Census: Transportation Commodity Flow Survey, December 2014.