Trucks Hauled Over 73 Percent of Shipments Nationwide

Trucks accounted for 73.1% of the total value of commodities shipped in 2012 with a worth of more than $10 trillion, according to a U.S. Census Bureau survey. The Commodity Flow Survey is conducted every five years in conjunction with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

The survey provides information on the origin and destination, value, weight, mode of transportation, distance, and ton-miles of commodities shipped. It found that 55.9% of all shipments traveled less than 50 miles. For-hire truck shipments traveled an average of 508 miles while private truck shipments averaged 58 miles.

The entirety of U.S. shipments reached $13.8 trillion in 2012, an increase of 2.2 trillion since the previous survey in 2007. The total value increased by 18.5% in five years, but shipments declined by almost 10%.

The information is used by policymakers and transportation planners in federal, state and local agencies to assess the demand for transportation facilities and services. It is also used to determine energy use, safety risk and environmental concerns. The survey samples approximately 100,000 establishments that were selected based on geographic location and industry.

 For more information on the survey, click here.