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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
Total3,62489,9724,008104,9874,701 147,876 5,415145,6244962
Light-heavy1,03010,7681,25914,0121,43619,8151,91426,25686144
Light-heavy
10,001 to 14,000
5255,4406948,00081911,5021,14215,186118179
Light-heavy
14,001 to 16,000
2422,7382822,9773163,9513965,90864116
Light-heavy
16,001 to 19,500
2632,5902823,0353014,3623765,1614399
Medium-heavy7667,5817328,14372910,12991011,7661955
Medium-heavy
19,501 to 26,000
7667,5817328,14372910,12991011,7661955
Heavy-heavy1,82971,6232,01782,8322,536117,9302,591107,6024250
Heavy-heavy
26,001 to 33,000
3775,4113875,6944287,0934375,845168
Heavy-heavy
33,001 to 40,000
2094,1132335,2852576,5942293,77010-8
Heavy-heavy
40,001 to 50,000
2927,6253399,62240013,0783186,6989-12
Heavy-heavy
50,001 to 60,000
1887,1572278,699311 12,6533278,9507425
Heavy-heavy
60,001 to 80,000
72345,43978151,0441,07074,7241,17977,4896371
Heavy-heavy
80,001 to 100,000
281,254331,529462,427692,950144135
Heavy-heavy
100,001 to 130,000
844012734181,051261,571238257
Heavy-heavy
130,001 or more
41855227631263294378

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
Total3,624144,7964,008168,9604,701 237,9835,415 234,359 49 62
Light-heavy1,03017,3291,25922,5511,436 31,8901,91442,25486144
Light-heavy
4,536 to 6,350
5258,75469412,87581918,5101,14224,440118179
Light-heavy
6,351 to 7,257
2424,4072824,7913166,3593969,50864116
Light-heavy
7,258 to 8,845
2634,1682824,885301 7,021 3768,3064399
Medium-heavy76612,20073213,10472916,302910 18,935 19 55
Medium-heavy
8,846 to 11,793
76612,20073213,10472916,30291018,9351955
Heavy-heavy1,829115,2662,017133,3052,536189,7912,591173,1694250
Heavy-heavy
11,794 to 14,969
3778,7083879,163428 11,414 4379,407168
Heavy-heavy
14,969 to 18,144
2096,6192338,50525710,6122296,06710-8
Heavy-heavy
18,144 to 22,680
29212,27133915,48540021,04731810,7799-12
Heavy-heavy
22,680 to 27,216
18811,51822713,99931120,36232714,4047425
Heavy-heavy
27,216 to 36,287
72373,12778182,1471,070120,2561,179124,7076371
Heavy-heavy
36,288 to 45,359
282,018332,460463,906694,747144135
Heavy-heavy
45,360 to 58,967
8708121,181181,691262,528238257
Heavy-heavy
58,967 or more
42985365650265304378

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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