Office of Operations Freight Management and Operations

Freight Facts and Figures 2012

Table 2-2. Value of Shipments by Transportation Mode: 2007, 2011, and 20401

The value of freight moved is expected to increase faster than the weight, rising from $882 per ton in 2007 to $1,376 per ton in 2040 when controlling for inflation. Exports at $2,015 per ton and imports at $2,445 per ton are significantly higher than domestic shipments at $799 per ton in 2007. Exports and imports accounted for 11 percent of the tons and 19 percent of the value in 2007 and are forecast to make up an even greater share of freight moving throughout the United States in the future, reaching 19 percent of the tons and 31 percent of the value by 2040.

Table in Excel format

Billions of 2007 dollars

Empty cell. 2007 2011 2040
Total Domestic Exports2 Imports2 Total Domestic Exports2 Imports2 Total Domestic Exports2 Imports2
Total 16,651 13,457 1,196 1,997 16,804 13,200 1,285 2,319 39,265 27,131 5,303 6,831
Truck 10,780 10,225 267 287 10,573 9,921 266 386 21,465 19,315 985 1,166
Rail 512 374 45 93 515 380 47 88 898 555 148 195
Water 340 158 15 167 279 151 19 108 337 138 46 153
Air, air & truck 1,077 151 422 505 1,219 158 420 641 5,043 834 1,997 2,212
Multiple modes & mail 2,877 1,639 394 844 3,099 1,658 473 968 9,925 5,203 1,911 2,811
Pipeline 723 658 4 61 779 693 5 81 776 605 17 154
Other & unknown 341 252 48 41 341 239 55 47 821 482 199 139

1Many 2007 and 2040 numbers in this table were revised as a result of Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) database improvements in FAF version 3.4.

2Data do not include imports and exports that pass through the United States from a foreign origin to a foreign destination by any mode.

Notes:

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding. The 2010 data are provisional estimates, which are based on selected modal and economic trend data. All truck, rail, water, and pipeline movements that involve more than one mode, including exports and imports that change mode at international gateways, are included in multiple modes & mail to avoid double counting. As a consequence, rail and water totals in this table are less than other published sources.

Source:

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight Management and Operations, Freight Analysis Framework, version 3.4, 2012.

 


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