Freight Facts and Figures 2013
Table 5-11. Energy Intensities of Domestic Freight Transportation Modes: 2007-2011
Energy intensity is the amount of energy used to produce a given level of output or activity, in this case vehicle-miles and ton-miles. In recent years, the energy intensity of trucking has remained relatively stable, while rail and water have improved somewhat.
Table 5-11
 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highway1 (BTU per vehicle mile) | 21,238 | 21,008 | 21,024 | (R) 21,499 | 21,698 |
| Railroad (Class I) (BTU per freight car mile) | 14,846 | 14,573 | 13,907 | 13,733 | 14,043 |
| Railroad (Class I) (BTU per ton mile) | 320 | 305 | 291 | 289 | 298 |
| Domestic Water (BTU per ton mile) | 225 | 252 | 225 | 217 | NA |
Key: BTU = British thermal unit; NA = not available; R = revised.
1Includes heavy single-unit and combination trucks. Heavy single-unit trucks are trucks that have two axles and at least six tires or a gross vehicle weight rating exceeding 10,000 pounds. Based on a new methodology, FHWA revised its annual vehicle miles traveled, number of vehicles, and fuel economy data beginning with 2007. Energy intensity data is based on FHWA fuel use methodology. Information on the new methodology is available at www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm. Data in this table should not be compared to those in pre-2011 editions of Freight Facts and Figures.
Source:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Transportation Energy Data Book: Edition 31 (Oak Ridge, TN: annual issues), table 2.15, available at cta.ornl.gov/data/index.shtml as of September 20, 2013.
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