U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Program

Fact #419: April 10, 2006
Freight Ton-Mile Trends by Mode

The U.S. total domestic freight ton-miles in 1980 were 3.4 trillion ton-miles; by 2004, that number had grown to 4.5 trillion ton-miles. The growth occurred in three major modes – air, truck, and railroad. Air freight ton-miles grew to 3.5 times that of 1980 air freight, despite the sharp decline in 2001 and 2002. Truck freight ton-miles grew over 2 times the 1980 level. Water is the only mode that showed a decline in ton-miles since 1980.

Growth in U.S. Domestic Freight Ton-Miles by Mode, 1980-2004
Graph showing trends since 1980 of freight ton-miles by mode such as air, truck, railroad, pipeline, and water. For more information, see the table below.

Supporting Information

Growth in U.S. Domestic Freight Ton-Miles by Mode, 1980-2004
(index: 1980 = 100)
  Mode of Transportation
Year Air Truck Railroad Water Pipeline Total
1980 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
1981 105.2 100.2 99.1 100.8 95.8 99.0
1982 106.2 102.7 86.9 96.2 92.9 94.0
1983 121.3 107.0 90.2 99.8 89.2 95.8
1984 134.3 112.3 96.6 96.3 92.1 98.4
1985 138.6 113.8 94.0 96.9 90.3 97.6
1986 151.7 116.8 95.6 94.7 90.6 98.1
1987 179.1 123.1 102.1 97.1 92.9 102.4
1988 192.8 127.2 110.1 96.5 95.9 106.0
1989 211.0 131.6 112.2 88.5 95.3 105.1
1990 215.3 135.9 114.2 90.4 95.0 106.9
1991 205.8 138.9 111.8 92.0 95.2 107.3
1992 227.1 142.6 117.9 92.9 97.5 110.5
1993 238.4 148.8 121.8 85.7 98.9 111.2
1994 248.6 158.4 131.0 88.4 99.4 116.4
1995 262.8 165.7 141.3 87.6 101.9 121.1
1996 284.3 170.3 147.8 83.0 104.6 123.2
1997 287.2 178.0 149.3 76.7 104.5 123.4
1998 292.1 182.7 155.4 73.0 104.3 124.9
1999 299.6 188.6 161.3 71.1 103.9 127.0
2000 326.7 191.3 165.9 70.1 101.0 127.8
2001 274.5 194.6 171.6 67.4 99.2 128.7
2002 285.9 199.7 172.3 66.4 101.6 130.2
2003 311.9 201.0 172.1 65.8 100.3 129.9
2004 350.0 208.0 178.6 64.1 100.9 132.8

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics: 1990-2003 data from the Journal of Transportation and Statistics, vol 8 no.1, 2005, Scott M Dennis, "Improved Estimates of Ton-Miles," pp 23-44; other data are special tabulations from BTS using the same methodology.

 

Return to 2006 Facts of the Week