Figure 1-1. Economic and Population Projections

Demand for freight transportation grows with increases in population and economic activity. Over the next ten years the U.S. economy, as measured by GDP, is projected to increase by 32 percent and the U.S. population by 9 percent. Transportation and warehousing employment is expected to increase by 12 percent over this period, about the same as employment as a whole.

Data represented in the figure
Table in Excel format

	2004	2014	Percent change
Population (thousands)	293,655	319,668	9
Transportation and warehousing (thousands)	4,250	4,756	12
Employment (thousands)	145,612	164,540	13
Gross domestic product (GDP) ($2004 billions)	11,629	15,371	32

Sources:
Population: U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2006 (Washington, DC: 2005), available at http://www.census.gov/statab/www/ as of March 23, 2006.

Employment: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment by Major Industry Division, 1994, 2004, and projected 2014, available at www.bls.gov as of March 23, 2006.

GDP: Congressional Budget Office, The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2005-2014, CBO's Economic Projections for 2004 through 2014, available at http://www.cbo.gov as of March 23, 2006.