Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
Printable Version

Table 7
Value and Weight of U.S. International Merchandise Trade by Mode of Transportation: 1997 and 2001

Excel | CSV

Mode Total trade Exports Imports
1997 2001 1997 2001 1997 2001
Value: Billions of current U.S. dollars            
Water 626 718 225 199 401 520
Air 433 519 220 251 213 267
Truck 323 395 167 192 157 204
Rail 70 93 19 23 51 69
Pipeline 14 26 0.2 0.5 14 26
Other, unknown, and miscellaneous 92 121 57 65 35 57
Total, all modes 1,557 1,873 688 731 870 1,142
Modal shares in percent            
Water 40.2 38.4 32.7 27.2 46.1 45.5
Air 27.8 27.7 32.0 34.4 24.5 23.4
Truck 20.8 21.1 24.3 26.3 18.0 17.8
Rail 4.5 4.9 2.7 3.2 5.9 6.1
Pipeline 0.9 1.4 0.04 0.1 1.6 2.3
Other, unknown, and miscellaneous 5.9 6.5 8.3 8.9 4.0 5.0
Total, all modes 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Weight: Millions of short tons1            
Water 1,144 1,276 408 361 736 915
Air 6 6 3 3 3 3
Truck 176 180 92 89 85 92
Rail 84 97 22 22 62 75
Pipeline 75 79 3 4 72 75
Other, unknown, and miscellaneous 76 4 27 2 49 2
Total, all modes 1,561 1,643 554 481 1,007 1,162
Modal shares in percent            
Water 73.3 77.7 73.5 75.1 73.1 78.7
Air 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.3 0.3
Truck 11.3 11.0 16.6 18.5 8.4 7.9
Rail 5.4 5.9 4.0 4.6 6.2 6.5
Pipeline 4.8 4.8 0.5 0.8 7.2 6.5
Other, unknown, and miscellaneous 4.9 0.2 4.9 0.4 4.8 0.2
Total, all modes 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

1 BTS estimated the export weight for truck, rail, pipeline, and other and unknown based on value-to-weight ratios from the import data. This was necessary because export weights for surface modes are not currently reported. Weight for water and air exports and imports are reported.

NOTE: Excludes imports valued at less than $1,250. Import value is based on U.S. general imports, customs values basis. Excludes exports valued at less than $2,500. Export value is FAS (free alongside ship) and represents the value of exports at the port of export, including the transaction price and the inland freight, insurance, and other charges. Due to the way in which U.S. trade data are collected, the modal shares represent single modes in use at U.S. ports of entry or exit even though more than one mode may be used in transporting the goods from point of origin to destination.

SOURCES: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, May 2002; based on: total, water, and air data-U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division, U.S. Exports of Merchandise CD and U.S. Imports of Merchandise CD, December 2001; truck, rail, pipeline, and other and unknown data-U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Transborder Surface Freight Data, 1997 and 2001; and special tabulations.



RITA's privacy policies and procedures do not necessarily apply to external web sites. We suggest contacting these sites directly for information on their data collection and distribution policies.