Freight Facts and Figures 2008

Figure 4-2. Productivity in Selected Transportation Industries: 1987-2006

Productivity has improved in all modes, particularly railroads. Between 1987 and 2006, output-per-hour worked more than doubled in line-haul railroading but grew only 37 percent in long-distance, general-freight trucking. Line-haul railroads do not include switching and terminal operations or short-distance (or local) railroads. Long-distance, general-freight trucking establishments exclude local trucking and truck operators that require specialized equipment, such as flatbeds, tankers, or refrigerated trailers.

Figure 4-1. Line graph. Data is described in text above and table below.

[PDF 259KB]

Data represented in the figure.

Table in Excel format

Output per Employee,¹ Index: 1987 = 100

Output per hour worked	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Air transportation	100	101	98	96	96	100	104	112	118	122	123	120	121	121	113	126	139	155	167	176
Line-haul railroads	100	108	115	119	128	140	145	150	156	167	170	173	179	194	207	224	241	248	235	242
General-freight trucking, long-distance	100	101	100	104	108	114	112	115	112	111	117	116	116	119	120	125	129	129	(R) 132	131
Postal Service	100	99	99	104	103	105	108	108	108	106	110	112	113	116	117	117	119	121	122	122

¹Based on the number of paid hours. Real gross domestic product (GDP) in the business and nonfarm business sectors is the basis of the output components of the productivity measures. These output components are based on and are consistent with the National Income and Product Accounts, including the GDP measure, prepared by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Source:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Industry Productivity, available at www.bls.gov/lpc/ as of May 22, 2008.

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