Transportation Indicators
Highlights - January 2002
NOTE: The final issue of this report was December 2002. These reports are provided
as a historical reference. A minimal number of indicators are being updated in the
White House Economic Statistics Briefing Room.
Highlights
File Formats
Tonnage shipped in U.S. inland waterways was nearly 12 percent higher in December 2001 than December 2000.
Producer prices for crude petroleum in December 2001 were 45 percent lower
than in December 2000, while producer prices for petroleum products were 36 percent
lower. However, world crude oil prices have increased recently— rising 2 percent in
the first week of January 2002 and another 2 percent the following week.
Producer prices for highway and street construction declined nearly 4 percent from December 2000 to December 2001 — their lowest level in almost 10 years.
Employment in air transportation fell 2 percent
between November and December 2001. Since August 2001, 114,000 jobs have been lost
in air transportation. There was also a 2-percent decline in aircraft and parts
manufacturing between November and December 2001.
Profits of for-hire transportation industries declined 73 percent in the third quarter of 2001, to less than one-quarter billion dollars (seasonally adjusted).
Manufacturers’ new orders for transportation equipment declined 17 percent between October and November 2001, while total
manufacturing new orders declined just 3 percent.
Production units of domestic light-truck assemblies rose 11
percent in November 2001 and 4 percent in December. Production assemblies of medium
and heavy trucks declined 11 percent in November 2001, but increased 10 percent in December.
Production of domestic car assemblies increased 5 percent in December.
The validity of these statements has not been statistically
tested. BTS is designing a statistical monitoring process in order to
apply statistical quality control techniques to the indicators data.
