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Freight Facts and Figures 2009

Tables 2-1 and 2-1M. Weight of Shipments by Transportation Mode: 2002, 2008, and 2035

The U.S. transportation system moved, on average, 53 million tons worth $36 billion each day in 2002. The Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) estimates that tonnage increased by 11.2 percent by 2008, reaching 58.9 million tons per day. Nearly 10 percent of this tonnage is imports and exports. Growth between 2002 and the FAF provisional estimate for 2008 is slightly lower than the forecasted growth rates through 2035.

Table 2-1 (standard units - millions of tons)

Table in Excel format

Empty cell. 2002 Total 2002 Domestic 2002 Exports3 2002 Imports3 2008 Total 2008 Domestic 2008 Exports3 2008 Imports3 2035 Total 2035 Domestic 2035 Exports3 2035 Imports3
Total 19,328 17,670 525 1,133 21,496 19,387 868 1,242 37,211 33,667 1,112 2,432
Truck 11,539 11,336 106 97 13,243 13,040 114 88 22,813 22,230 262 320
Rail 1,879 1,769 32 78 2,007 1,861 61 85 3,525 3,292 57 176
Water 701 595 62 44 632 520 62 50 1,041 874 114 54
Air, air & truck 11 3 3 5 13 3 5 5 61 10 13 38
Intermodal1 1,292 196 317 780 1,661 175 618 869 2,598 334 660 1,604
Pipeline & unknown2 3,905 3,772 4 130 3,940 3,787 8 145 7,172 6,926 5 240

1Intermodal includes U.S. Postal Service and courier shipments and all intermodal combinations, except air and truck. Intermodal also includes oceangoing exports and imports that move between ports and interior domestic locations by modes other than water.

2Pipeline and unknown shipments are combined because data on region-to-region flows by pipeline are statistically uncertain.

3Data do not include imports and exports that pass through the United States from a foreign origin to a foreign destination by any mode.

Notes:

The 2008 data are provisional estimates, which are based on selected modal and economic trend data. Methods used to develop these estimates have improved over time, and as a consequence, previously released annual provisional estimates are superseded by the 2008 estimates in this table. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Sources:

2002 and 2035: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight Management and Operations, Freight Analysis Framework, version 2.2, 2007.

2008: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight Management and Operations, Freight Analysis Framework, 2008 provisional estimates, 2009.

 

Table 2-1M (metric units - millions of metric tonnes)

Table in Excel format

Empty cell. 2002 Total 2002 Domestic 2002 Exports3 2002 Imports3 2008 Total 2008 Domestic 2008 Exports3 2008 Imports3 2035 Total 2035 Domestic 2035 Exports3 2035 Imports3
Total 17,534 16,030 476 1,028 19,501 17,587 787 1,127 33,758 30,543 1,009 2,206
Truck 10,468 10,284 96 88 12,014 11,830 104 80 20,696 20,167 238 291
Rail 1,704 1,605 29 71 1,821 1,689 56 77 3,198 2,987 52 160
Water 636 539 57 40 573 472 56 45 945 793 103 49
Air, air & truck 10 3 3 5 12 3 4 5 56 9 12 35
Intermodal1 1,172 178 287 707 1,507 159 560 788 2,357 303 599 1,455
Pipeline & unknown2 3,543 3,422 4 118 3,574 3,436 7 132 6,506 6,284 5 218

1Intermodal includes U.S. Postal Service and courier shipments and all intermodal combinations, except air and truck. Intermodal also includes oceangoing exports and imports that move between ports and interior domestic locations by modes other than water.

2Pipeline and unknown shipments are combined because data on region-to-region flows by pipeline are statistically uncertain.

3Data do not include imports and exports that pass through the United Stateds from a foreign origin to a foreign destination by any mode.

Notes:

1 metric tonne = 1.1023 short tons. The 2008 data are provisional estimates, which are based on selected modal and economic trend data. Methods used to develop these estimates have improved over time, and as a consequence, previously released annual provisional estimates are superseded by the 2008 estimates in this table. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Sources:

2002 and 2035: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight Management and Operations, Freight Analysis Framework, version 2.2, 2007.

2008: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight Management and Operations, Freight Analysis Framework, 2008 provisional estimates, 2009.

 

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