Office of Operations Freight Management and Operations

Freight Facts and Figures 2010

Figures 2-2 and 2-2M. U.S. International Merchandise Trade by Transportation Mode: 2009

Nearly 80 percent of freight tonnage in U.S. foreign trade moves by water, but air and truck transportation are also important when freight value is considered. By value, the water share drops to 47 percent, with air and truck accounting for 28 percent and 18 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. Notes: 1 short ton = 2,000 pounds. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimated 2009 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.

[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 1,623 368 795
Air 701 334 367
Truck 455 232 223
Rail 96 35 60
Pipeline 49 3 46
Other, unknown, and miscellaneous  37 24 13
Total, all modes 2,501 997 1,504

 

Mode Millions of short tons
Total trade
Millions of short tons
Exports
Millions of short tons
Imports
Water 1,324 498 826
Air 7 3 4
Truck 155 80 75
Rail 108 47 61
Pipeline 99 3 95
Other, unknown, and miscellaneous  5 5 <1
Total, all modes 1,699 637 1,062

Sources:

Total, water and air data: U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division, FT920 - U.S. Merchandise Trade: Selected Highlights (Washington, DC: January 2010).

Truck, rail, and pipeline data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, North American Transborder Freight Data, available at http://www.bts.gov/programs/international/transborder/ as of August 15, 2010.

Other, unknown and miscellaneous data: Special tabulation, August 2010.

 

Figure 2-2M (metric units)

Figure 2-2M. Histogram. Data is described in text above and tables below. 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 2009 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.

[PDF 61KB]

 

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 1,163 368 795
Air 701 334 367
Truck 455 232 223
Rail 96 35 60
Pipeline 49 3 46
Other, unknown, and miscellaneous 37 24 13
Total, all modes 2,501 997 1,504

 

Mode Millions of metric tonnes
Total trade
Millions of metric tonnes
Exports
Millions of metric tonnes
Imports
Water 1,202 452 750
Air 6 3 3
Truck 141 72 68
Rail 98 43 55
Pipeline 89 3 86
Other, unknown, and miscellaneous 5 5 <1
Total, all modes 1,541 578 963

Sources:

Total, water and air data: U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division, FT920 - U.S. Merchandise Trade: Selected Highlights (Washington, DC: January 2010).

Truck, rail, and pipeline data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, North American Transborder Freight Data, available at http://www.bts.gov/programs/international/transborder/ as of August 15, 2010.

Other, unknown and miscellaneous data: Special tabulation, August 2010.

 


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