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Freight Facts and Figures 2006 [PDF 10.1mb]

Quality Assurance Statement

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I. THE NATION SERVED BY FREIGHT [PDF 306kb]

Tables

Table 1-1. Economic and Social Characteristics of the United States

Table 1-2. Population and Gross State Product (GSP) by Region

Figures

Figure 1-1. Economic and Population Projections

CHAPTER II. FREIGHT FLOWS [PDF 2.5mb]

Tables

Table 2-1. Shipments by Mode and Weight: 2002 and 2035

Table 2-2. Shipments by Mode and Value: 2002 and 2035

Table 2-3. Top Commodities: 2002

Table 2-4. Domestic Mode of International Shipments: 2002 and 2035

Table 2-5. Top 25 Trading Partners of the United States

Table 2-6. U.S. Merchandise Trade with Canada and Mexico by Transportation Mode

Table 2-7. U.S. Land Exports to and Imports from Canada and Mexico by Transportation Mode

Table 2-8. Incoming Truck Container Crossings by State, U.S.-Canadian Border

Table 2-9. Incoming Truck Container Crossings by State, U.S.-Mexican Border

Table 2-10. Incoming Rail Container Crossings by State, U.S.-Canadian Border

Table 2-11. Incoming Rail Container Crossings by State, U.S.-Mexican Border

Table 2-12. Top 25 Airports by Landed Weight of All-Cargo Operations

Table 2-13. U.S. Hazardous Materials Shipments by Transportation Mode: 2002

Table 2-14. U.S. Hazardous Materials Shipments by Hazard Class: 2002

Table 2-15. Domestic Freight Activity by Transportation Mode for Selected Countries: 2003

Figures

Figure 2-1. Highway Vehicle-Miles Traveled: 1980-2004

Figure 2-2: Highway Vehicle-Miles of Travel by Vehicle Type: 2004

Figure 2-3. Estimated Average Annual Daily Truck Traffic: 1998

Figure 2-4. Estimated Average Annual Daily Truck Traffic: 2020

Figure 2-5. Value of Merchandise Trade by Groups of Customs Districts: 1950-2005

Figure 2-6. U.S. International Merchandise Trade by Transportation Mode: 2005

Figure 2-7. Top 25 U.S. Foreign Trade Freight Gateways by Value: 2005

Figure 2-8. Top 25 Water Ports by Weight: 2004

Figure 2-9. Top 25 U.S. Container Ports by Containerized Cargo: 2005

CHAPTER III. THE FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM [PDF 1.6mb]

Tables

Table 3-1. Miles of Infrastructure by Transportation Mode

Table 3-2. Number of U.S. Vehicles, Vessels, and Other Conveyances

Table 3-3. Truck Miles by Products Carried: 2002

Table 3-4. Number and Vehicle-Miles Traveled of Trucks by Average Weight

Table 3-5. Commercial Vehicle Weight Enforcement Activities

Table 3-6. Semitrailer Length Limitations on National Truck Network by State

Table 3-7. Maximum Posted Speed Limits on Rural Interstates: 2006

Figures

Figure 3-1. Permitted Longer Combination Vehicles by State and Truck Configuration

Figure 3-2. National Highway System Estimated Peak Period Congestion: 1998

Figure 3-3. National Highway System Estimated Peak Period Congestion: 2020

CHAPTER IV. THE FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY [PDF 745kb]

Tables

Table 4-1. Economic Characteristics of Transportation and Warehousing in Freight Dominated Modes

Table 4-2. Economic Characteristics of Freight Railroads

Table 4-3. Employment in For-Hire Transportation Primarily Serving Freight

Table 4-4. Employment in Selected Freight Transportation and Freight-Transportation Related Occupations

Figures

Figure 4-1. Value Added by Freight Transportation to GDP by Mode

Figure 4-2. Productivity in Selected Transportation Industries: 1987-2004

CHAPTER V. SAFETY, ENERGY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION [PDF 1.3mb]

Tables

Table 5-1. Transportation Fatalities by Freight Transportation Mode

Table 5-2. Injured Persons by Freight Transportation Mode

Table 5-3. Transportation Accidents by Freight Transportation Mode

Table 5-4. Hazardous Materials Transportation Incidents

Table 5-5. Commercial Motor Carrier Compliance Review Activity by Safety Rating

Table 5-6. Roadside Safety Inspection Activity Summary by Inspection Type

Table 5-7. Fuel Consumption by Transportation Mode

Table 5-8. Single-Unit 2-Axle 6-Tire or More Truck Fuel Consumption and Travel

Table 5-9. Combination Truck Fuel Consumption and Travel

Table 5-10. Energy Intensities of Domestic Freight Modes

Table 5-11. Estimated National Average Vehicle Emissions Rates of Heavy-duty and Light-duty Vehicles

Table 5-12. Freight Nitrogen Oxides and Particulate Matter Emissions by Freight Transportation Mode: 2002

Table 5-13. Current and Future Nitrogen Oxides Emissions by Freight Transportation Mode

Table 5-14. Current and Future Particulate Matter Emissions by Freight Transportation Mode

Figures

Figure 5-1. Energy Consumption by Freight Transportation Mode: 2004

Figure 5-2. Monthly Diesel Prices

APPENDIX A. METRIC CONVERSION TABLES [PDF 1.9mb]

Tables

Table 2-1M: Shipments by Mode and Weight: 2002 and 2035

Table 2-3M: Top Commodities: 2002

Table 2-4M: Domestic Mode of International Shipments: 2002 and 2035

Table 2-6M: U.S. Merchandise Trade with Canada and Mexico by Transportation Mode

Table 2-12M: Top 25 Airports by Landed Weight of All-Cargo Operations

Table 2-13M: U.S. Hazardous Materials Shipments by Transportation Mode: 2002

Table 2-14M: U.S. Hazardous Materials Shipments by Hazard Class: 2002

Table 3-1M: Kilometers of Infrastructure by Transporation Mode

Table 3-3M: Truck Kilometers by Products Carried: 2002

Table 3-4M: Number and Vehicle-Kilometers Traveled of Trucks by Average Weight

Table 5-7M: Fuel Consumption by Transportation Mode

Table 5-8M: Single-Unit 2-Axle 6-Tire or More Truck Fuel Consumption and Travel

Table 5-9M: Combination Truck Fuel Consumption and Travel

Figures

Figure 2-6M. U.S. International Merchandise Trade by Transportation Mode: 2005

Technical Report Documentation Page

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration

Office of Freight Management and Operations
Phone: 202-366-9210
Fax: 202-366-3302
Web site: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight

November 2006
FHWA-HOP-07-033
EDL 14330

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