Tables 3-4 and 3-4M: Number and Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Vehicle-Kilometers Traveled (VKT) of Trucks by Average Weight (Including Vehicle and Load)1
The weight profile of heavy trucks on the road (those over 10,000 pounds) changed between 1987 and 2002 with greater use of trucks at both the lighter and heavier ends of the spectrum. Between 1987 and 2002, the number of light-heavy trucks (between 10,000 and 19,500 pounds) and heavy-heavy trucks (over 26,000 pounds) increased 86 percent and 42 percent respectively. Over the same period, the number of medium-heavy trucks (between 19,501 and 26,000 pounds) grew by only 19 percent. Trucks between 60,000 and 80,000 pounds average weight form the largest category in both number of trucks and vmt because in most cases 80,000 pounds is the maximum allowed on the highway system.
Table 3-4 (standard units)
Table in Excel format
Average weight (pounds) | 1987 Number (thousands) |
1987 VMT (millions) |
1992 Number (thousands) |
1992 VMT (millions) |
1997 Number (thousands) |
1997 VMT (millions) |
2002 Number (thousands) |
2002 VMT (millions) |
Percent change, 1987-2002 Number |
Percent change, 1987-2002 VMT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 3,624 | 89,972 | 4,008 | 104,987 | 4,701 | 147,876 | 5,415 | 145,624 | 49 | 62 |
Light-heavy | 1,030 | 10,768 | 1,259 | 14,012 | 1,436 | 19,815 | 1,914 | 26,256 | 86 | 144 |
Light-heavy 10,001 to 14,000 | 525 | 5,440 | 694 | 8,000 | 819 | 11,502 | 1,142 | 15,186 | 118 | 179 |
Light-heavy 14,001 to 16,000 | 242 | 2,738 | 282 | 2,977 | 316 | 3,951 | 396 | 5,908 | 64 | 116 |
Light-heavy 16,001 to 19,500 | 263 | 2,590 | 282 | 3,035 | 301 | 4,362 | 376 | 5,161 | 43 | 99 |
Medium-heavy | 766 | 7,581 | 732 | 8,143 | 729 | 10,129 | 910 | 11,766 | 19 | 55 |
Medium-heavy 19,501 to 26,000 | 766 | 7,581 | 732 | 8,143 | 729 | 10,129 | 910 | 11,766 | 19 | 55 |
Heavy-heavy | 1,829 | 71,623 | 2,017 | 82,832 | 2,536 | 117,930 | 2,591 | 107,602 | 42 | 50 |
Heavy-heavy 26,001 to 33,000 | 377 | 5,411 | 387 | 5,694 | 428 | 7,093 | 437 | 5,845 | 16 | 8 |
Heavy-heavy 33,001 to 40,000 | 209 | 4,113 | 233 | 5,285 | 257 | 6,594 | 229 | 3,770 | 10 | -8 |
Heavy-heavy 40,001 to 50,000 | 292 | 7,625 | 339 | 9,622 | 400 | 13,078 | 318 | 6,698 | 9 | -12 |
Heavy-heavy 50,001 to 60,000 | 188 | 7,157 | 227 | 8,699 | 311 | 12,653 | 327 | 8,950 | 74 | 25 |
Heavy-heavy 60,001 to 80,000 | 723 | 45,439 | 781 | 51,044 | 1,070 | 74,724 | 1,179 | 77,489 | 63 | 71 |
Heavy-heavy 80,001 to 100,000 | 28 | 1,254 | 33 | 1,529 | 46 | 2,427 | 69 | 2,950 | 144 | 135 |
Heavy-heavy 100,001 to 130,000 | 8 | 440 | 12 | 734 | 18 | 1,051 | 26 | 1,571 | 238 | 257 |
Heavy-heavy 130,001 or more | 4 | 185 | 5 | 227 | 6 | 312 | 6 | 329 | 43 | 78 |
1Excludes trucks with an average weight of 10,000 pounds or less.
Note: Weight includes the empty weight of the vehicle plus the average weight of the load carried.
Sources: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 2002 Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey: United States (Washington, DC: 2004), available at http://www.census.gov/svsd/www/02vehinv.html as of July 1, 2005; U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 1992 Truck Inventory and Use Survey: United States (Washington, DC: 1995), available at http://www.census.gov/svsd/www/97vehinv.html as of July 1, 2005.
Table 3-4M (metric units)
Table in Excel format
Average weight (kilograms) | 1987 Number (thousands) |
1987 VKT (millions) |
1992 Number (thousands) |
1992 VKT (millions) |
1997 Number (thousands) |
1997 VKT (millions) |
2002 Number (thousands) |
2002 VKT (millions) |
Percent change, 1987-2002 Number |
Percent change, 1987-2002 VKT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 3,624 | 144,796 | 4,008 | 168,960 | 4,701 | 237,983 | 5,415 | 234,359 | 49 | 62 |
Light-heavy | 1,030 | 17,329 | 1,259 | 22,551 | 1,436 | 31,890 | 1,914 | 42,254 | 86 | 144 |
Light-heavy 4,536 to 6,350 | 525 | 8,754 | 694 | 12,875 | 819 | 18,510 | 1,142 | 24,440 | 118 | 179 |
Light-heavy 6,351 to 7,257 | 242 | 4,407 | 282 | 4,791 | 316 | 6,359 | 396 | 9,508 | 64 | 116 |
Light-heavy 7,258 to 8,845 | 263 | 4,168 | 282 | 4,885 | 301 | 7,021 | 376 | 8,306 | 43 | 99 |
Medium-heavy | 766 | 12,200 | 732 | 13,104 | 729 | 16,302 | 910 | 18,935 | 19 | 55 |
Medium-heavy 8,846 to 11,793 | 766 | 12,200 | 732 | 13,104 | 729 | 16,302 | 910 | 18,935 | 19 | 55 |
Heavy-heavy | 1,829 | 115,266 | 2,017 | 133,305 | 2,536 | 189,791 | 2,591 | 173,169 | 42 | 50 |
Heavy-heavy 11,794 to 14,969 | 377 | 8,708 | 387 | 9,163 | 428 | 11,414 | 437 | 9,407 | 16 | 8 |
Heavy-heavy 14,969 to 18,144 | 209 | 6,619 | 233 | 8,505 | 257 | 10,612 | 229 | 6,067 | 10 | -8 |
Heavy-heavy 18,144 to 22,680 | 292 | 12,271 | 339 | 15,485 | 400 | 21,047 | 318 | 10,779 | 9 | -12 |
Heavy-heavy 22,680 to 27,216 | 188 | 11,518 | 227 | 13,999 | 311 | 20,362 | 327 | 14,404 | 74 | 25 |
Heavy-heavy 27,216 to 36,287 | 723 | 73,127 | 781 | 82,147 | 1,070 | 120,256 | 1,179 | 124,707 | 63 | 71 |
Heavy-heavy 36,288 to 45,359 | 28 | 2,018 | 33 | 2,460 | 46 | 3,906 | 69 | 4,747 | 144 | 135 |
Heavy-heavy 45,360 to 58,967 | 8 | 708 | 12 | 1,181 | 18 | 1,691 | 26 | 2,528 | 238 | 257 |
Heavy-heavy 58,967 or more | 4 | 298 | 5 | 365 | 6 | 502 | 6 | 530 | 43 | 78 |
1Excludes trucks with an average weight of 10,000 pounds or less.
Note: Weight includes the empty weight of the vehicle plus the average weight of the load carried; 1 mile = 1.61 kilometers; 1 pound = 0.45 kilogram.
Sources: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 2002 Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey: United States (Washington, DC: 2004), available at http://www.census.gov/svsd/www/02vehinv.html as of July 1, 2005; U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 1992 Truck Inventory and Use Survey: United States (Washington, DC: 1995), available at http://www.census.gov/econ/www/viusmain.html as of July 1, 2004.
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