Table 5-10. Energy Intensities of Domestic Freight Transportation Modes: 1980-2005
Energy intensity is the amount of energy used in producing a given level of output or activity, in this case vehicle miles and ton miles. Since 1980 the energy intensity of both trucking and freight rail has improved. However, over the same period, domestic freight water transportation, measured by Btu per ton-mile, has become less energy efficient.
Table in Excel format | Historical data
 |
1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2004 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highway (Btu per vehicle-mile) | 24,757 | 22,795 | 23,448 | 20,540 | 20,539 |
| Railroad (Class I) (Btu per freight car-mile) | 18,742 | 16,619 | 14,917 | 15,274 | 15,152 |
| Railroad (Class I) (Btu per ton-mile) | 597 | 420 | 352 | 341 | 337 |
| Domestic water (Btu per ton-mile) | 358 | 387 | 473 | 510 | 514 |
Key: Btu = British thermal unit
Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Transportation Energy Data Book: Edition 25 (Oak Ridge, TN: 2007).
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