Commodity Flow Survey Data for 50 States Now Available on CD-ROM

Contact DOT 18-97 BTS Product Line 202-366-DATA

Friday, February 7, 1997 -- The Department of Transportation s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today announced the availability of results from the Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) for all 50 States on CD-ROM.

The CFS printed reports contain 7 tables describing the value and weight of commodities shipped by each state in 1993 by type of commodity, means of transportation, state of destination and other characteristics.

The CD-ROM also contains four new tables on state of destination and mode of transportation for state of origin, state of destination and commodity for state of origin, commodity and shipment size for state of origin, and commodity and distance shipped for state of origin. The national summary is available on the BTS Internet site.

The CFS is the first comprehensive effort to determine where and how goods are shipped in the United States since 1977. The data provide insight into the movement of goods, and are useful for transportation planners, economic development agencies, and others interested in supporting domestic and foreign trade.

The CFS represents a major partnership between DOT and the Department of Commerce s Bureau of the Census. Census collected data each quarter from nearly 200,000 business establishments. BTS helped design the survey, provided funding, and is developing a series of data products and interpretive reports to turn the data into useful information.

The CD-ROM is in dBASE format and includes a built-in software package called GO, which operates in a DOS environment. This software allows you to download files in a dBASE format or in a spreadsheet. Technical documentation also is included on the CD-ROM.

Summaries of the data from each state also can be obtained from BTS through the Internet at www.bts.gov or through the Bureau s Fax-on-Demand Service at (800) 671-8012. To access the data through the BTS website, select the BTS Products and Services button, and then click on Commodity Flow Survey for CFS data and reports, announcements of future CFS products, and material related to plans for the next CFS in 1997.

The CD-ROM and printed copies of the state reports also are available by contacting BTS by telephone at (202) 366-DATA, FAX at (202) 366-3640, or by writing to the Bureau at BTS/DOT, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 25090.