Office of Operations Freight Management and Operations

Freight Facts and Figures 2009

Figures 2-2 and 2-2M. U.S. International Merchandise Trade by Transportation Mode: 2008

Nearly 80 percent of freight tonnage in U.S. foreign trade moves by water, but air and truck transportation are nearly as important when freight value is considered.  By value, the water share drops to 48 percent, with air and truck accounting for 24 percent and 16 percent respectively. Rail and pipeline account for the balance.

 

Figure 2-2 (standard units)

Figure 2-2. Histogram. Data is described in text above and tables below.

[PDF 53KB]

 

Data represented in the figure.

Table in Excel format

Mode Billions of U.S. dollars
Total trade
Billions of U.S. dollars
Exports
Billions of U.S. dollars
Imports
Water 1,624 472 1,152
Air 806 388 417
Truck 554 279 276
Rail 140 51 89
Pipeline 88 6 82
Other, unknown, and miscellaneous  188 104 84
Total, all modes 3,400 1,300 2,100

 

Mode Millions of short tons
Total trade
Millions of short tons
Exports
Millions of short tons
Imports
Water 1,519 536 983
Air 8 4 4
Truck 182 94 88
Rail 148 62 85
Pipeline 99 4 95
Other, unknown, and miscellaneous  7 6 1
Total, all modes 1,962 705 1,257

Notes:

1 short ton = 2,000 pounds. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimated 2008 weight data for truck, rail, and pipeline modes using value-to-weight ratios derived from imported commodities. Totals for the most recent year differ slightly from the USDOT, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight Management and Operations, Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) due to variations in coverage and FAF conversion of values to constant dollars. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Sources:

Total, water and air data: U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division, U.S. Imports of Merchandise and U.S. Exports of Merchandise DVD's, December 2008.

Truck, rail, and pipeline data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transporation Statistics, Transborder Freight Data, available at www.bts.gov/transborder as of August 20, 2009.

Other, unknown and miscellaneous data: Special tabulation, August 2009.

 

Figure 2-2M (metric units)

Figure 2-2M. Histogram. Data is described in text above and tables below.

[PDF 51KB]

 

Data represented in the figure.

Table in Excel format

Mode Billions of U.S. dollars
Total trade
Billions of U.S. dollars
Exports
Billions of U.S. dollars
Imports
Water 1,624 472 1,152
Air 806 388 417
Truck 554 279 276
Rail 140 51 89
Pipeline 88 6 82
Other, unknown, and miscellaneous  188 104 84
Total, all modes 3,400 1,300 2,100

 

Mode Millions of metric tonnes
Total trade
Millions of metric tonnes
Exports
Millions of metric tonnes
Imports
Water 1,378 486 892
Air 7 3 4
Truck 165 85 80
Rail 134 57 77
Pipeline 89 3 86
Other, unknown, and miscellaneous 6 6 1
Total, all modes 1,780 640 1,140

Notes:

Notes: 1 metric tonne = 1.1023 short tons. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimated 2008 weight data for truck, rail, and pipeline modes using value-to-weight ratios derived from imported commodities. Totals for the most recent year differ slightly from the USDOT, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight Management and Operations, Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) due to variations in coverage and FAF conversion of values to constant dollars. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Sources:

Total, water and air data: U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division, U.S. Imports of Merchandise and U.S. Exports of Merchandise DVD's, December 2008.

Truck, rail, and pipeline data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transporation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, available at www.bts.gov/transborder as of August 20, 2009.

Other, unknown and miscellaneous data: Special tabulation, August 2009.

 

 


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