Modal Shares
Preliminary 2002 data show that trucking continued its dominance of our nation's freight transportation system. In 2002, trucks hauled about 64 percent of the value, 58 percent of the tonnage, and 32 percent of the ton-miles of total shipments (see figure), a slightly lower percentage of the value than in 1993, but more of the tons and ton-miles. Measured by ton-miles, trucking was followed by rail at 28 percent and water and pipeline with 16 percent each. The relative modal shares of ton-miles depend on how "intermodal" shipments are measured. Rail moves a slightly larger share when intermodal truck-rail shipments are counted in its totals. In general, trucking dominated shipment distances of less than 500 miles while rail dominated the longer distance shipments.
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