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Detailed Description

Mode

Multimodal

Abstract

The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) is designed to provide data on the flow of goods and materials by mode of transport. The 1993 and 1997 CFS are a continuation of statistics collected in the Commodity Transportation Survey from 1963 through 1997, and includes major improvements in methodology, sample size and scope. Samples of 200,000 (1993 CFS) and 100,000 (1997 CFS) domestic establishments randomly selected from a universe of about 800,000 establishments engaged in mining, manufacturing, wholesale, auxiliary establishments (warehouses) of multi-establishment companies, and some selected activities in retail and service were used. For the 1997 CFS, each selected establishment reported a sample of abut 25 outbound shipments for a one-week period in each of four calendar quarters in 1997. This produced a total sample of over 5 million shipments. For each sampled 1997 CFS shipment, zip code of origin and destination, 5-digit Standard Classification of Transported Goods (SCTG) code, weight, value, and modes of transport, have been provided. Check box information on whether the shipment was containerized, a hazardous material, or an export was also obtained.

Source of Data

A sample of manufacturing, wholesale, and other establishments completed the questionnaire.

Attributes

Geographic Coverage of Data: National, Stratified by State and (for 1997 CFS) Metropolitan Area
Time Span of Data Source: 1993 and 1997
First Developed: 1993
Update Frequency: Every Five Years starting in 1997
Number of Records: Over Five Million (Estimated)
File Size: varies
File Format: dBase
Media: CD-ROM, Hardcopy

Significant Features and/or Limitations

The 1993 and 1997 CFS differ from previous surveys in their greatly expanded coverage of intermodalism. Earlier surveys reported only the principal mode. The 1993 survey reported all modes used for the shipment (for-hire truck, private truck, rail, inland water, deep sea water, pipeline, air, parcel delivery or U.S. Postal Service, other mode, unknown). Route distance for each mode for each shipment has been imputed from a Mode-Distance Table developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Distance, in turn, was used to compute ton-mileage by mode of transport.

Corresponding Printed Sources

1993 Commodity Flow Survey

1997 Commodity Flow Survey

Sponsoring Organization

Bureau of Transportation Statistics, U.S. Department of Transportation
Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce

Performing Organization

Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Availability

Bureau of Transportation Statistics, U.S. Department of Transportation.

Contact for Additional Information

U.S. Department of Commerce
Census Bureau
Services Division
Commodity Flow Survey Branch
(301) 457-2108