Office of Operations Freight Management and Operations

Freight Facts and Figures 2012

Tables 2-4 and 2-4M. Top Commodities: 2011

The top 10 commodities by weight are comprised entirely of bulk products and accounted for 65 percent of total tonnage but only 19 percent of the value of goods moved in 2011. The top 10 commodities by value accounted for 57 percent of total value and 16 percent of all tons. The leading commodities by weight include gravel, cereal grains, natural gas, coke, and asphalt. The leading commodities by value are time-sensitive goods, including machinery, electronics, and motorized vehicles.

Table 2-4 (standard units)

Table in Excel format

Millions of Tons
Total, all commodities 17,622
Gravel 1,612
Cereal grains 1,574
Coal 1,507
Non-metallic mineral products 1,413
Waste/scrap 1,187
Natural gas, coke, asphalt1 1,011
Gasoline 989
Crude petroleum 799
Fuel oils 781
Natural sands 571

 

Billions of Dollars
Total, all commodities 16,804
Machinery 2,078
Electronics 1,289
Motorized vehicles 1,237
Mixed freight 980
Pharmaceuticals 815
Textiles/leather 710
Miscellaneous manufactured products 677
Gasoline 663
Plastics/rubber 611
Articles of base metal 589

1This group includes coal and petroleum products not elsewhere classified such as liquefied natural gas, coke, asphalt, and other products of coal and petroleum refining, excluding gasoline, aviation fuel, and fuel oil.

Source:

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight Management and Operations, Freight Analysis Framework, version 3.4, 2012.

 

Table 2-4M (metric units)

Table in Excel format

Millions of Metric Tonnes
Total, all commodities 15,987
Gravel 1,462
Cereal grains 1,428
Coal 1,367
Non-metallic mineral products 1,282
Waste/scrap 1,077
Natural gas & related1 917
Gasoline 897
Fuel oils 725
Natural sands 708
Crude petroleum 518

 

Billions of Dollars
Total, all commodities 16,804
Machinery 2,078
Electronics 1,289
Motorized vehicles 1,237
Mixed freight 980
Pharmaceuticals 815
Textiles/leather 710
Gasoline 677
Miscellaneous manufactured products 663
Plastics/rubber 611
Articles of base metal 589

1This group includes coal and petroleum products not elsewhere classified such as liquefied natural gas, coke, asphalt, and other products of coal and petroleum refining, excluding gasoline, aviation fuel, and fuel oil.

Note:

1 metric tonne = 1.1023 short tons.

Source:

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight Management and Operations, Freight Analysis Framework, version 3.4, 2012.

 


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