John Frittelli
Specialist in Transportation Policy
The U.S. freight system is a complex network including four principal modes of transportation:
Specialist in Transportation Policy
The U.S. freight system is a complex network including four principal modes of transportation:
- The National Truck Network comprises 209,000 miles of highways that can accommodate large trucks, including the 47,000-mile Interstate Highway System. • Railroads, largely in private ownership, carry freight on 140,000 miles of track.
- Barge and ship lines utilize 12,000 miles of shallow-draft inland waterways and about 3,500 inland and coastal port terminal facilities.
- Air carriers provide cargo service to more than 5,000 public use airports, including more than 100 airports that handle all-cargo aircraft.
About two-fifths of freight within the United States, measured in ton-miles,
moves by truck, and another two-fifths moves by rail (Figure 1).
About 11% moves by multiple modes. Measured in ton-miles, air
transportation is a minor mode because it is expensive to ship goods this way. Goods
moving by air tend to be of high value compared to their weight. About
three-quarters of U.S. imports and exports, measured by weight, arrive or
depart by ship. Most of the rest goes by truck (10%), rail (8%), or
pipeline (5%). International air shipments account for less than 1% of U.S.
foreign trade by weight, but 37% by value.1
Date of Report: December 27, 2012
Number of Pages: 9
Order Number: R42764
Price: $19.95
To Order:
Date of Report: December 27, 2012
Number of Pages: 9
Order Number: R42764
Price: $19.95
To Order:
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