Freight Facts and Figures 2009

Introduction

Freight Facts and Figures 2009 is a snapshot of the volume and value of freight flows in the United States, the physical network over which freight moves, the economic conditions that generate freight movements, the industry that carries freight, and the safety, energy, and environmental implications of freight transportation. This snapshot helps decision makers, planners, and the public understand the magnitude and importance of freight transportation in the economy. An electronic version of this publication is available at www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight.

Chapter 1 summarizes basic demographic and economic characteristics of the United States that contribute to the demand for raw materials, intermediate goods, and finished products.  Chapter 2 identifies the freight that is moved and the trading partners who move it.  Chapter 3 describes the freight transportation system; volumes of freight moving over the system; the amount of truck, train, and other activities required to move the freight; and the performance of the system. Chapter 4 highlights the transportation industry that operates the system. Chapter 5 covers the safety aspects, energy consumption, and environmental implications of freight transportation.

Many of the tables and figures in this report are based on the Economic Census, which is conducted once every five years.  While results of the 2007 Economic Census are being released, the most recently published complete set of data is for 2002.

Several of the tables and maps are based on the Freight Analysis Framework (FAF), version 2, which builds on the Economic Census, to estimate all freight flows to, from, and within the United States except shipments between foreign countries that are transported through the United States. Shipments to and from Puerto Rico are counted with Latin America. FAF forecasts to 2035 were made prior to the recent economic downturn and will be revised as part of FAF, version 3, in 2010.

FAF covers all modes of transportation. The truck, rail, and water categories include shipments transported by only one mode. Air includes shipments weighing more than 100 pounds moved by air or by air and truck. Intermodal includes all other shipments transported by more than one mode, such as bulk products moved by water and pipeline and mixed cargo hauled by truck and rail. Intermodal also includes shipments weighing less than 100 pounds sent via postal and courier services. Pipeline includes a small quantity of shipments moved by unknown modes. Visit www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/faf for more information.

 

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