Trucks Carried Most of the Load, Hauling 70.9% of 2017 Total Tonnage
- The U.S. shipments of goods in 2017 reached 12.5 billion tons, an increase of 1.2 billion tons or 10.4% since the previous Commodity Flow Survey was conducted in 2012, according to the latest estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. The total value of shipments nationwide over the five-year span increased $0.7 trillion or 4.8% to $14.5 trillion (not seasonally adjusted).
For the first time, the 2017 Commodity Flow Survey included three new tables detailing the breakdown of tonnage by mode of transportation - by truck, by rail and by water. For each of these modes, the majority of the tonnage was shipped using a single mode of transportation. There were 9.4 billion tons of goods shipped using a truck for any part of the distance, with 8.8 billion tons or 93.7% traveling exclusively by truck and not by a combination of truck and other modes. There were 1.9 billion tons shipped by rail, with 1.3 billion tons or 66.8% traveling entirely by rail. Of the 1.1 billion tons shipped by water, 0.8 billion tons or 75.4% traveled solely by water.
Additional highlights:
* The South region shipped 5.2 billion tons, or 41.6%, of U.S. shipments of goods in 2017 valued at $5.4 trillion. The Midwest followed with 3.9 billion tons or 31.0% of goods shipped, valued at $3.9 trillion.
* Manufacturing establishments shipped 4.7 billion tons of commodities worth $5.7 trillion in 2017. Wholesale establishments shipped 4.4 billion tons of commodities worth $6.8 trillion.
* Trucks as a single domestic mode of transportation hauled approximately 70.9%, or 8.8 billion tons of the total tonnage. These shipments accounted for 71.6%, or $10.4 trillion of the total value of commodities shipped in 2017.
* An estimated 57.9% of all tonnage traveled less than 50 miles in 2017.
* Hazardous material shipments weighed 3.0 billion tons and accounted for $1.7 trillion in 2017.
The Commodity Flow Survey was initiated in 1993. Since 1997, the Commodity Flow Survey has been conducted every five years as part of the Census Bureau’s economic census. The survey, a partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, is the primary source of national, state and selected metropolitan area statistics on domestic freight shipments. It provides information on the origin and destination, value, weight, mode of transportation, distance, and ton-miles of commodities shipped.
The Commodity Flow Survey provides estimates for the nation, the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and selected metropolitan areas.
Commodity Flow Survey statistics are used by policymakers and transportation planners in various federal, state and local agencies for assessing the demand for transportation facilities and services, energy use and safety risk, and environmental concerns. A sample of approximately 100,000 establishments are selected based on geographic location and industry.
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Source: U.S. Department of Census Bureau
