Freight Facts and Figures 2011

Figure 4-1. Productivity in Selected Transportation Industries: 1987-2009

Productivity has been relatively stable after years of improvement. Between 1987 and 2009, output-per-hour worked more than doubled in line-haul railroading but grew only 23 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. Note: Output per Employee, Index: 1987 = 100. In 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revised its data for air transportation output per hour worked to include both full-time and part-time workers. Prior to 2009, BLS assumed all air transportation workers were full-time employees.

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Data represented in the figure.

Table in Excel format

Output per Employee,¹ Index: 1987 = 100

	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Output per hour worked
Air transportation	100	100	97	96	99	104	108	118	120	125	128	124	123	125	119	130	144	162	174	183	186	183	184
Life-haul railroads	100	108	115	119	128	140	145	150	156	167	170	173	179	194	207	228	240	245	236	249	(R) 236	(R) 246	237
General freight trucking, long-distance	100	101	100	104	108	114	112	115	112	111	117	116	116	119	120	125	128	127	129	(R) 128	130	130	123
Postal service	100	99	99	104	103	105	108	108	108	106	110	112	113	116	117	117	119	121	122	122	123	122	123

Key: R = revised.

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.

Note:

In 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revised its data for air transportation output per hour worked to include both full-time and part-time workers. Prior to 2009, BLS assumed all air transportation workers were full-time employees.

Source:

U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, special tabulation, September 2000.

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