The Freight Analysis Framework (FAF), produced through a partnership between BTS and FHWA, integrates data from a variety of sources to create a comprehensive picture of freight movement among states and major metropolitan areas by all modes of transportation. Starting with data from the 2012 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) and international trade data from the Census Bureau, FAF incorporates data from agriculture, extraction, utility, construction, service, and other sectors.

FAF version 4 (FAF4) provides estimates for tonnage and value by regions of origin and destination, commodity type, and mode. Data are available for the base year of 2012, the recent years of 2013-2015, and forecasts from 2020 through 2045 in 5-year intervals. Data may be accessed through the Data Extraction Tool, downloaded as a complete database, or in summary files.

Throughout 2016, releases of additional FAF4 products will provide state-to-state flows for previous base years 1997, 2002, and 2007; truck flows assigned to the highway network for 2012 and 2045; and domestic ton-miles and distance bands.
 

Data Tabulation Tool
The Data Tabulation Tool allows users to create and download customized FAF4 summary tables.
 

Data Files
Regional Database of tonnage and value by FAF region of origin and destination, commodity type, and mode. Data are also available for optimistic (“high”) and pessimistic (“low”) growth scenarios. Values are in millions of constant dollars (2012), and weights are in thousand tons.

• FAF4 Regional Database for 2012-2015 and forecasts up to 2045 in zipped Microsoft Access format (mid-range estimates only) [ FAF4.2_access.zip  101MB]
• FAF4 Regional Database for 2012-2015 and forecasts up to 2045 in zipped Microsoft Access format (including high and low estimates) [ FAF4.2_access_HiLoForecasts.zip  215MB]
• FAF4 Regional Database for 2012-2015 and forecasts up to 2045 in zipped CSV format (mid-range estimates only) [ FAF4.2_data.zip  100MB]
• FAF4 Regional Database for 2012-2015 and forecasts up to 2045 in zipped CSV format (including high and low estimates) [ FAF4.2_data_HiLoForecasts.zip  217MB]

State Database of tonnage and value by state of origin and destination, commodity type, and mode. Data are also available for optimistic (“high”) and pessimistic (“low”) growth scenarios. Values are in millions of constant dollars (2012), and weights are in thousand tons.

• FAF4 State Database for 2012-2015 and forecasts up to 2045 in zipped Microsoft Access format (mid-range estimates only) [ FAF4.2_state_access.zip  37MB]
• FAF4 State Database for 2012-2015 and forecasts up to 2045 in zipped Microsoft Access format (including high and low estimates) [ FAF4.2_state_access_HiLoForecasts.zip  77MB]
• FAF4 State Database for 2012-2015 and forecasts up to 2045 in zipped CSV format (mid-range estimates only) [ FAF4.2_state_data.zip  37MB]
• FAF4 State Database for 2012-2015 and forecasts up to 2045 in zipped CSV format (including high and low estimates) [ FAF4.2_state_data_HiLoForecasts.zip  79MB]
   

Network Database and Flow Assignment

The FAF Network Assignment estimates freight volumes and truck movements over the nation's highway network. The network is available in both ESRI and TransCAD formats.
 

Schedule of Releases

Version 4.4 (Winter 2017)

• Historical data for 1997, 2002, and 2007

Version 4.3 (Fall 2016)

• Domestic ton-miles, distance bands, and values in current dollars.

Further versions of FAF4 will provide data revisions, and BTS is working on a new annual estimate methodology that will create comparable time series data.

FAF4 Documentation
FAF4 Users Guide
FAF4 Base Matrix Development
FAF4 Forecast Report
FAF4 Version Descriptions
FAF4 and 2012 CFS Domestic Area Definitions
 

FAF Quarterly Webinar
Please join BTS and the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Office of Freight Management and Operations for periodic webinars on FAF. The date of the next webinar is upcoming.

Archived Webinars

• April 10, 2014 – "How the FAF Can Help You"
• June 26, 2014 – "Using Freight Analysis Framework Data in Economic Analysis"
• November 5, 2014 – "Using Freight Analysis Framework Data for Freight Planning"
• April 29, 2015 – "Using FAF Data for Freight Planning"
• September 15, 2015 – “Leveraging Other Datasets with the FAF: A Case Study on California's Statewide Freight Model”
• December 11, 2015 – Introduction to FAF4

Related Information
FAF3 data and documentation are archived here.

Information on FAF1 and FAF2 available upon request from faf@dot.gov.