BTS updates ton-miles of freight by mode

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics on Friday, Oct. 10, updated a special tabulation of ton-miles of freight by mode for 2006. BTS says the updated estimates for air, truck, rail, water and pipelines were developed using a more comprehensive approach than was used in prior estimates.

The special tabulation shows that freight ton-miles increased 1.4 percent from 2005 to 2006. Ton-miles by rail increased 6.9 percent from 2005 to 2006, the most of any mode.

The new tabulation, with modal numbers through 2006, can be found here.