Pocket

Guide to

Transportation

1998

Bureau of Transportation Statistics
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), an

operating administration of the U.S. Department of

Transportation (DOT), is a national statistical agency, DOT’s

representative on the Federal Geographic Data Committee,

and the home of the National Transportation Library. BTS

compiles, analyzes, and makes accessible information about

the Nation’s transportation systems; collects information on

various aspects of transportation; and enhances the quality

and effectiveness of DOT’s statistical programs through

research, the development of guidelines, and the promotion

of improvements in data acquisition and use.

For additional copies of this guide or information about

BTS and its products and services, use the following

contacts:

Customer Service

Phone: 202-366-DATA

Fax: 202-366-3640

Internet: www.bts.gov

Email: orders@bts.gov

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

U.S. Department of Transportation

400 Seventh Street, S.W., Room 3430

Washington, DC 20590

Statistical Info Line: 1-800-853-1351

BTS98-S-02

December 1998
1

America’s transportation system has changed alongwith the nation’s society and economy.The following

table puts those changes in perspective:

Characteristic 1970 1996

Resident population 203,984,000 265,284,000

Land area (square miles)1 3,540 million 3,536 million

Total civilian labor force 83 million 134 million

Gross Domestic Product* $3.4 trillion $6.9 trillion

Median household income* $29,600 $32,000

Average household expenditures* 24,600 $30,800

Number of households 63,401,000 99,627,000

Average life expectancy 70.8 years 76.1 years

Labor force participation of women 46% 59.3%

Note: All dollar amounts are in 1992 chained dollars.

1 Land areas were derived from different base data and changed due to

construction of reservoirs, draining of lakes, etc.

* Converted from current dollars to 1992 chained dollars using implicit

deflators for disposable personal income or personal consumption

expenditures in table 699 of source publication.

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Statistical

Abstract of the United States: 1997, 117th edition (Washington, DC: 1997),

various tables; and www. census.gov. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of 

Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 1966, unpublished detailed 

table 1400,Aug. 6, 1998. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at 

www.cdc.gov/nchswww/fastats.

The statistics in this Pocket Guide to Transportation were

compiled by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics from

multiple sources. The guide is divided into four sections:

Transportation System Extent and Use 2

Transportation and the Economy 18

Transportation and Safety 23

Transportation, Energy, and the Environment 26
2 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 1.

The Transportation Network: 1996

Mode Components

Highway Public roads

46,036 miles of Interstate highway

112,467 miles of other National Highway System

roads

3,760,947 miles of other roads

Air Public-use airports

5,389 airports

Airports serving large certificated carriers

29 large hubs (72 airports), 417 million enplaned

passengers

31 medium hubs (55 airports), 89 million enplaned

passengers

60 small hubs (73 airports), 37 million enplaned

passengers

622 nonhubs (650 airports), 15 million enplaned

passengers

Rail Miles of track operated

126,682 miles by Class I freight railroads

19,660 miles by regional freight railroads

27,554 miles by local freight railroads

24,500 miles by Amtrak (passenger)

I Transportation System Extent and Use

America is moving! In 1996, the U.S. transportation system served 265 million people and 6 million

businesses and supported 4.4 trillion passenger-miles and

3.7 trillion ton-miles.The data presented in this section

confirm that local and long-distance passenger travel and

freight activity continue to grow. Many factors are influencing this growth: population increases, vehicle availability,

the expanding economy, and higher consumer incomes.
Transportation System Extent and Use 3

Mode Components

Urban Transit Directional route-miles serviced*

Bus: 158,310

Commuter rail: 3,682

Heavy rail: 1,478

Light rail: 638

Stations

Commuter rail: 823

Heavy rail: 989

Light rail: 513

Water 26,000 miles of navigable waterways

275 locks

329 miles of ferry service*

Ports

Great Lakes: 362 terminals

507 berths

Inland: 1,811 terminals

Ocean: 1,578 terminals

2,672 berths

Pipeline Oil

Crude lines: 114,000 miles of pipe (1995)

Product lines: 86,500 miles of pipe (1995)

Gas

Transmission: 259,400 miles of pipe

Distribution: 952,100 miles of pipe

* Directly operated service. Does not include contracted service.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

Transportation Statistics Annual Report 1998, BTS98-S-01 (Washington, DC: 1998),

table 1-1.
4 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 2.

Number of Vehicles

Mode 1970 1980 1990 1995 1996

Air carriers 2,690 2,818 4,727 5,567 5,961

General aviation 125,618 202,487 196,800 182,605 187,312

Passenger cars and 

motorcyclesr1 92,067,655 127,294,783 137,959,958 132,283,966 133,599,578

Other 2-axle,

4-tire vehiclesr 14,210,591 27,875,934 48,274,555 65,738,322 68,933,798

Trucks:

Single-unitr 3,681,405 4,373,784 4,486,981 5,023,670 5,264,554

Combinationr 905,082 1,416,869 1,708,895 1,695,751 1,741,854

Busesr2 377,562 528,789 626,987 685,503 696,609

Passenger rail:

Amtrak

Cars N 2,128 r1,863 r1,722 1,730

Locomotives N 419 318 r313 299

Commuter railcars 

and locomotives N 4,500 4,415 4,565 p4,665

Transit3 10,548 10,654 11,332 11,156 p11,341

Class I rail:

Freight cars 1,423,921 1,168,114 658,902 583,486 570,865

Locomotives 27,077 28,094 18,835 18,812 19,269

Other freight cars 360,260 542,713 553,359 635,441 669,708

Inland water vesselsr,4,5 25,832 38,788 39,445 39,641 41,104

Oceangoing ships

(1,000+ gross tons)r 1,579 864 636 509 495

Recreational boats 7,400,000 8,600,000 10,996,253 11,735,000 11,877,938

N Data do not exist. r Revised. p Preliminary.

1In July 1997, the U.S. DOT/FHWA issued revised data,reassigning some

vehicles from “passenger car” to “other 2-axle, 4-tire.” 2Includes municipally owned transit, commercial, federal, and school buses. 3Includes light

and heavy rail. 4See glossary, page 31. 5About 3 percent of barges

included here are deep draft and thus not considered inland water vessels.

Note: Does not include demand response, ferry boat, aerial tramway, automated guideway transit, cablecar, inclined plane, monorail, and vanpool.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

National Transportation Statistics 1998, table 1-25, at www.bts.gov/ntda/nts.
Transportation System Extent and Use 5

Figure 1.

Households by Number of Vehicles

Percent

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration,

National Personal Transportation Survey, Our Nation’s Travel (Washington, DC:

1997).

0

10

20

30

40

50

 8

32

40

19

 9

33

38

19

13

34 34

19

15

35

34

16

21

48

26

 5

1969 1977 1983 1990 1995

0 vehicles 1 vehicle 2 vehicles 3+ vehicles
6 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 3.

Vehicle Miles

(In millions)

Mode 1970 1980 1990 1995r 1996

Air carriers 

(domestic) 2,068 2,523 3,963 4,629 4,811

General aviation 3,207 5,204 r4,830 3,795 3,524

Passenger cars and 

motorcycles 920,000 1,122,000 1,418,000 1,448,000 1,478,000

Other 2-axle,

4-tire vehicles1 123,000 291,000 r575,000 790,000 815,000

Trucks:

Single unit 27,100 39,800 r51,900 62,700 64,000

Combination 35,100 68,700 r94,300 115,500 118,800

Buses2 4,500 6,100 r5,700 6,400 6,500

Other3 N 15 324 543 p662

Rail:

Transit4 441 403 561 572 p580

Commuter N 179 213 238 p242

Class 1 freight* 29,890 29,277 26,159 30,383 31,715

Intercity/Amtrak*5 690 235 r301 292 U

N Data are nonexistent. U Data are unavailable. r Revised. p Preliminary.

* Car-miles.

1 In July 1997, the U.S. DOT/FHWA issued revised vehicle-miles data,

reassigning some vehicle-miles from “passenger car” to “other 2-axle, 4-tire.”

2 Includes municipally owned transit, commercial, federal, and school buses.

3 Includes demand response, ferry boat, and other transit not specified;

1980 data include “other” only.

4 Includes light and heavy rail.

5 Amtrak began operations in 1971.

Note:“Passenger cars and motorcycles” and “Other 2-axle, 4-tire vehicles” 

have been rounded to the nearest billion; trucks and buses have been

rounded to the nearest 100 million.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

National Transportation Statistics 1998, table 1-9, at www.bts.gov/ntda/nts.
Transportation System Extent and Use 7

Table 4.

Passenger–Miles

(In millions)

Mode 1970 1980 1990 1995r 1996

Air carriers 108,400 204,400 345,900 403,900 434,700

General aviation 9,100 14,700 13,000 10,500 10,600

Passenger cars 

and motorcycles1 1,837,000 2,014,000 2,141,000 2,298,000 2,345,000

Other 2-axle,

4-tire vehicles 192,000 439,000 896,000 1,256,000 1,296,000

Trucks:

Single-unit 27,100 39,800 51,900 62,700 64,000

Combination 35,100 68,700 94,300 115,500 118,800

Buses2 N N 121,400 136,100 138,500

Other3 N 390 841 1,140 p1,193

Rail:

Transit4 N 10,981 12,071 11,460 p12,450

Commuter 4,600 6,500 7,100 8,200 p8,400

Intercity/Amtrak4 6,200 4,500 6,000 5,500 5,100

N Data do not exist. r Revised. p Preliminary.

1 In July 1997, the U.S. DOT/FHWA issued revised passenger-miles data,

reassigning some vehicles from “passenger car” to “other 2-axle, 4-tire.”

2 Includes municipally owned transit, federal, commercial, and school buses.

3 Includes demand response, ferry boat, and other transit not specified; 1980

data include ferry boat and “other” only.

4 Includes light and heavy rail.

5 Amtrak began operation in 1971.

Note:“Passenger cars and motorcycles” and “Other 2-axle, 4-tire vehicles” 

have been rounded to the nearest billion; trucks and buses have been

rounded to the nearest 100 million.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

National Transportation Statistics 1998, table 1-10, at www.bts.gov/ntda/nts.
8 Pocket Guide to Transportation

49 Per person in households with 2 or more adults, youngest child aged 6–151

48 Per person in households with incomes over $50,000

47 Persons aged 30–49

45 Drivers; per person in households with incomes between $25,000 and 

$49,000, no children1

44 Males

41 Whites; per person in housholds with incomes between $25,000 and 

$49,000

39 U.S average (mean)

35 Single adult household with youngest child under 61

34 Females; Hispanics

31 Blacks

29 Per person in households with incomes under $25,000; Asians

25 Persons over 65; persons aged 5–15

22 Nondrivers

17 Persons over 75

1 Per adult 20 years or older. Note: Some numbers may not differ statistically.

Source:U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration,

Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey, Our Nation’s Travel (Washington, DC: 1997).

Figure 2.

Person-Miles Traveled per Day: 1995

(On average)
Transportation System Extent and Use 9

Figure 3.

Long-Distance Trips per Person: 1995

(Trips of over 100 miles one way)

1 Not statistically different from per person in households earning 

over $50,000.

2 Not statistically different from whites.

3 Not statistically different from persons over 65.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation

Statistics,American Travel Survey data, October 1997.

Per person in households with income

under $25,000

Persons under age 18

Hispanics

Asians and Pacific Islanders3

Persons over 65

Women

Per person, married couples

with children under 18

U.S. average

Men2

Whites

Per person in households with income

between $25,000 and $50,000

Per person, married couples

without children

Persons aged 45–541

Per person in households with income

over $50,000

1.6

2.3

1.9 Blacks

2.2

2.8

2.9

3.5

3.7

4.0

4.5

4.4

4.7

5.2

6.0

6.3
10 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 5.

Population and Long-Distance Travel: 1977 and 1995

(Trips of over 100 miles one way)

Characteristic 1977 1995

Resident population (thous.) 220,239 262,755 19.3

Total trips (thous.) 539,289 1,042,615 93.3

Domestic 521,427 1,001,319 92.0

International 17,862 41,296 131.2

Trips per capita 2.45 3.97 62.0

Domestic 2.37 3.81 61.0

International 0.08 0.16 93.8

Mean trip length 

(domestic only) 733 826 12.6

U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

American Travel Survey data, October 1997; U.S. Department of Commerce,

Bureau of the Census, National Travel Survey:Travel During 1977 (Washington,

DC: 1979); U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Statistical

Abstract of the United States: 1997 (Washington, DC: 1998).

% change

1977–95
Transportation System Extent and Use 11

Table 6.

Long-Distance Trips per Person by Age and Purpose:

1977 and 1995

(Trips of over 100 miles one way)

Age and reason for trip 1977 1995

18 to 24 years:

Business 0.3 0.4 60.0

Visit friends or relatives 0.9 1.5 61.5

Leisure 0.7 1.2 69.8

Personal business and other 0.4 0.7 96.6

25 to 34 years:

Business 0.8 1.0 21.5

Visit friends or relatives 1.2 1.5 30.7

Leisure 0.9 1.1 34.3

Personal business and other 0.5 0.5 0.6

35 to 44 years:

Business 1.2 1.7 45.7

Visit friends and relatives 1.0 1.2 24.2

Leisure 0.8 1.4 82.8

Personal business and other 0.7 0.6 -17.5

45 to 54 years:

Business 0.9 1.9 98.1

Visit friends and relatives 1.0 1.5 45.0

Leisure 0.6 1.7 178.8

Personal business and other 0.8 0.9 10.1

55 to 64 years:

Business 0.6 1.2 115.1

Visit friends and relatives 1.1 1.6 48.1

Leisure 0.6 1.7 184.0

Personal business and other 0.5 0.8 49.9

65 years and over:

Business 0.2 0.4 108.6

Visit friends or relatives 0.7 1.1 64.6

Leisure 0.3 0.9 195.5

Personal business and other 0.4 0.5 46.0

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

American Travel Survey data, October 1997.

% change

1977–95
12 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Figure 4.

Long-Distance Person-Trips by Mode: 1977 and 1995

Trips of over 100 miles one way 

(thousands)

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

American Travel Survey data, October 1997; U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau

of the Census, National Travel Survey,Travel During 1977 (Washington, DC: 1979).

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

825,798

187,836

21,403 5,055

442,006

65,662

14,959 4,094

1977 1995

Personal-use Airplane Bus Train vehicle

Percent change: 1977–95

Personal-use vehicle: 87

Airplane 186

Bus 43

Train 23
Transportation System Extent and Use 13

Table 7.

Top 20 U.S. Passenger Airports

(Enplaned passengers on large, certificated air carriers, in thousands)

1996 1986

Total Total

enplaned enplaned % change

Rank Airport passengers Rank passengers 1986-96

1 Chicago (O’Hare), IL 30,526 1 24,794 23

2 Atlanta (Hartsfield), GA 30,372 2 21,377 42

3 Dallas/Ft.Worth,TX 26,623 3 19,094 39

4 Los Angeles, CA 22,722 4 17,696 28

5 San Francisco, CA 16,287 7 12,354 32

6 Denver, CO 15,246 5 16,087 -5

7 Phoenix (Sky Harbor),AZ 14,807 15 7,720 92

8 Detroit (Wayne Co.) MI 14,117 13 8,206 72

9 Las Vegas (McCarran),NV 14,054 24 5,329 164

10 St. Louis(Lambert–

St. Louis),MO 13,547 9 9,825 38

11 Newark,NJ 12,916 6 14,405 -10

12 Minneapolis/St.Paul,MN 12,616 14 7,982 58

13 Miami, FL 11,906 12 8,589 39

14 Houston 

(Intercontinental),TX 11,622 20 6,560 77

15 Seattle-Tacoma,WA 11,489 18 6,652 73

16 Orlando, FL 10,828 21 5,947 82

17 Boston (Logan),MA 10,653 10 9,696 10

18 Charlotte (Douglas

Municipal),NC 10,008 22 5,687 76

19 New York 

(John F.Kennedy),NY 9,703 11 9,125 6

20 New York

(La Guardia),NY 9,594 8 10,429 -8

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration,

FAA Statistical Handbook of Aviation.
14 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 8.

Top U.S.-Canadian Border Land-Passenger

Gateways: 1996

Land gateway Number entering the U.S.

Personal Vehicles

Total, U.S.-Canadian land gateways 39,536,634

Detroit,MI 8,324,004

Buffalo-Niagara Falls,NY 7,574,485

Blaine,WA 4,666,856

Port Huron,MI 2,074,940

Sault Ste.Marie,MN 1,616,296

Passengers in Personal Vehicles

Total, U.S.-Canadian land gateways 100,443,651

Detroit,MI 23,510,684

Buffalo-Niagara Falls,NY 16,516,951

Blaine,WA 11,387,402

Port Huron,MI 5,391,721

Sault Ste.Marie,MN 5,325,033

Passengers on Buses

Total, U.S.-Canadian land gateways 3,871,163

Buffalo-Niagara Falls,NY 1,418,675

Blaine,WA 479,278

Detroit,MI 564,349

Champlain-Rouses Pt.,NY 288,043

Sault Ste.Marie,MN 121,902

Pedestrians

Total, U.S.-Canadian land gateways 614,169

Buffalo-Niagara Falls,NY 263,872

Sumas,WA 57,907

Calais,ME 41,978

Bar Harbour and Portland,ME1 35,057

International Falls-Ranier,MN 33,990

1 Gateway is a pedestrian/ferry combination crossing.

Note: Data reflect all personal vehicles and passengers that entered the

United States across the U.S.-Canadian border,regardless of nationality.

Source: U.S. Department of Treasury, U.S. Customs Service, Office of Field

Operations, Operations Management Database, 1998.
Transportation System Extent and Use 15

Table 9.

Top U.S.-Mexican Border Land-Passenger

Gateways: 1996

Land gateway Number entering the U.S.

Personal Vehicles

Total, U.S.-Mexican land gateways 75,588,988

San Ysidro/Otay Mesa, CA 17,160,270

El Paso,TX 15,095,553

Laredo,TX 6,792,925

Calexico, CA 6,138,688

Brownsville,TX 6,073,623

Passengers in Personal Vehicles

Total, U.S.-Mexican land gateways 203,998,973

San Ysidro/Otay Mesa, CA 42,863,607

El Paso,TX 41,483,220

Hildago,TX 19,221,425

Calexico, CA 18,296,272

Laredo,TX 16,932,272

Passengers on Buses

Total, U.S.-Mexican land gateways 2,755,287

SanYsidro/Otay Mesa, CA 1,095,147

Hildago,TX 737,697

Laredo,TX 531,402

Brownsville,TX 111,400

El Paso,TX 105,757

Pedestrians

Total, U.S.-Mexican land gateways 42,540,584

San Ysidro/Otay Mesa, CA 9,392,652

Calexico, CA 7,373,815

Nogales,AZ 4,417,030

El Paso,TX 4,405,140

Brownsville,TX 3,801,203

Note: Data reflect all personal vehicles and passengers that entered the

United States across the U.S.-Mexican border,regardless of nationality.

Data for San Ysidro are U.S. Customs combined totals for San Ysidro,

San Diego, and Otay Mesa.

Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Customs Service, Office of Field

Operations, Operations Management Database, 1998.
16 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 10.

U.S. Freight Shipments by Transportation Mode:

1993

Mode Tons Ton-miles Value 

Number % Number % Dollars %

(millions) (millions) (billions)

Total1 12,157 100.0 3,627,919 100.0 $6,124 100.0

Truck (for-hire 

and private) 6,386 52.5 869,536 24.0 4,403 71.9

Water 2,128 17.5 886,085 24.4 251 4.1

Rail 1,544 12.7 942,561 26.0 247 4.0

Pipeline 1,343 11.0 592,900 16.3 180 2.9

Air (includes 

truck and air) 3 0.03 4,009 0.1 139 2.3

Intermodal total2 208 1.7 235,856 6.5 660 10.8

Parcel, postal, and 

courier services 19 0.2 13,151 0.4 563 9.2

Truck and rail 41 0.3 37,675 1.0 83 1.4

Other intermodal

combinations3 149 1.2 185,030 5.1 13 0.2

Unknown 544 4.5 96,972 2.7 243 4.0

1 Commodity Flow Survey plus Oak Ridge National Laboratory estimates for

water and pipelines.

2 A combination of parcel, postal, and courier services; truck and rail;

and other intermodal combinations, including truck and water and rail 

and water. Excludes truck and air combination, which is added to air

transportation.

3 Includes truck and water,rail and water, and other combinations.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

Transportation Statistics Annual Report 1997, BTS97-S-01 (Washington, DC:

1997), table 9-5.
Transportation System Extent and Use 17

Table 11.

Top 20 U.S. Ports

(Million tons) 

1996 1990

% change

Rank Port Total tons Rank Total tons 1990–96

1 South Louisana, LA 189.8 1 194.2 -2.3

2 Houston,TX 148.2 3 126.2 17.4

3 New York,NY & NJ 131.6 2 140.0 -6.0

4 New Orleans, LA 83.7 6 62.7 33.4

5 Baton Rouge, LA 81.0 5 78.1 3.7

6 Corpus Christi,TX 80.5 7 62.0 29.7

7 Valdez, AK 77.1 4 96.0 -19.6

8 Plaquemine, LA 66.9 8 56.6 18.2

9 Long Beach, CA 58.4 10 52.4 11.4

10 Texas City,TX 56.4 12 48.1 17.3

11 Pittsburgh, PA 50.9 19 35.5 43.3

12 Mobile, AL 50.9 15 41.1 23.6

13 Tampa, FL 49.3 11 51.6 -4.4

14 Norfolk Harbor, VA 49.3 9 53.7 -8.3

15 Lake Charles, LA 49.1 16 40.9 20.1

16 Los Angeles, CA 45.7 13 46.4 -1.4

17 Baltimore,MD 43.6 18 39.5 10.2

18 Philadelphia, PA 41.9 14 41.8 0.1

19 Duluth-Superior,

MN & WI 41.4 17 40.8 1.6

20 Port Arthur,TX 37.2 20 30.7 21.1

Source: U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, Waterborne Commerce of the United

States, Calendar Years 1990 and 1995 (New Orleans, LA: 1991 and 1997),

part 5, table 5-2.
18 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Figure 5.

U.S. Gross Domestic Product by Major Societal

Function: 1996

1Includes all other categories,such as entertainment, personal care, personal

insurance, and pensions.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

Transportation Statistics Annual Report 1998, BTS98-S-01 (Washington, DC:

1998), table 2-3.

Other1

(31.1%)

Education

(6.9%)

Health care

(14.4%)

Transportation

H (11.1%) ousing

(24.4%)

Food

(12.2%)

II Transportation and the Economy

Transportation not only gives us personal mobility,it enables us to transport goods quickly throughout the Nation.Transportation’s share of the Gross

Domestic Product (GDP) has held steady at about 11

percent since 1989, and contributed $847 billion to a

$7.64 trillion GDP in 1996.
Transportation and the Economy 19

Figure 6.

Average Household Expenditures by Major

Category: 1996

(In 1996 dollars)

Apparel and

services

(5%)

Other

(15%)

Personal

insurance 

and pensions

(9%)

Health 

care

(5%)

Transportation

(19%)

$6,382

Housing

(32%)

Food 

(14%)

Private

vehicle

expenditures

$5,955

Public

transportation

expenditures

$427

Other vehicle expenditures

$2,058

Gasoline and motor oil

$1,082

Vehicle purchases

$2,815

Airline fares $271

Intercity bus fares $16

Mass transit fares $55

Local transportation on 

out-of-town trips $14

Taxi fares $16

Intercity train fares $34

Ship fares $20

School bus $1

Average income (before taxes) $38,014

Average annual expenditures $33,797

Note: May not add to 100 due to rounding.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor,

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer

Expenditure Survey, 1996, unpublished

detailed table 1400, Aug. 6, 1998.
20 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 12.

U.S. Merchandise Trade by Mode and Region: 1996

(In billions of 1996 dollars)

Mode and region Value of imports Value of exports

U.S.-Canada border:

Truck $98.4 102.7

Rail 39.8 15.7

Pipeline 12.8 0.2

U.S.-Mexico border:

Truck 48.4 44.1

Rail 12.3 5.1

Pipeline NS .NS

Atlantic Coast:

Waterborne1 140.8 98.3

Pacific Coast:

Waterborne2 187.5 82.6

Gulf Coast:

Waterborne 57.4 54.4

Great Lakes:

Waterborne 3.4 3.1

All air freight 185.9 196.2

NS Not significant. 1 Contain data for Puerto Rico and the U.S.Virgin Islands.

2 Contain data for Hawaii and Alaska.

Note: Excludes data for imports that are valued at less than $1,250, and

exports that are valued at less than $2,500. Import value is for U.S.

general imports, custom value basis. Export value is FAS (free alongside

ship) and represents the value of exports at the port of export, including the transaction price and inland freight, insurance, and other charges.

Values for truck, rail, and pipeline trade contain data for transshipments

(shipments that entered or exited the United States through U.S.

Customs ports even when the actual origin or final destination was

other than the United States).Values for waterborne data include merchandise shipped through the United States in transit from one foreign

country to another and for merchandise shipped through inland ports in

the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf, and Great Lakes regions.

Sources:Truck, rail, and pipeline data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau

of Transportation Statistics,Transborder Surface Freight Data. Waterborne data:

U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration, Office of Statistical

and Economic Analysis, U.S. Waterborne Exports and General Imports, 1996. Air

freight data: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade

Division, FT920: U.S. Merchandise Trade: Selected Highlights, 1996.
Transportation and the Economy 21

Table 13.

Top Foreign Trade Freight Gateways: 1996

(Billions of 1996 dollars)

Rank Port Exports Imports Total trade

1 Port of Long Beach, CA (w) $23.3 $63.7 $87.0

2 Port of Detroit,MI (l) 44.2 41.1 85.3

3 JFK International Airport (a) 38.5 42.1 80.6

4 Port of Los Angeles, CA (w) 15.8 57.0 72.8

5 San Francisco International

Airport (a) 33.8 37.2 71.0

6 Port of New York,NY and NJ (w) 22.2 44.8 67.0

7 Los Angeles International 

Airport, CA (a) 32.6 29.1 61.7

8 Port of Buffalo-Niagara

Falls,NY (l) 31.1 27.6 58.7

9 Port of Laredo,TX (l) 18.2 20.7 38.9

10 Port of Seattle,WA (w) 11.6 22.5 34.1

11 Port of Houston,TX (w) 19.4 14.7 34.1

12 Port of Port Huron,MI (l) 11.1 22.2 33.3

13 Chicago O’Hare International

Airport (a) 17.9 14.9 32.8

14 Port of Oakland, CA (w) 10.9 15.9 26.8

15 Port of Charleston, SC (w) 12.4 13.6 26.0

16 Port of Norfolk,VA (w) 13.7 10.9 24.6

17 Port of El Paso,TX (l) 9.3 12.8 22.1

18 Port of Tacoma,WA (w) 4.6 15.9 20.5

19 Port of Baltimore,MD (w) 7.9 11.4 19.3

20 Miami International Airport, FL (a) 12.5 6.3 18.8

Sources:

(a) Air: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade

Division, Special Tabulation.

(w) Maritime and Great Lakes: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the

Census, Foreign Trade Division. U.S.Waterborne Exports and General Imports,

Annual 1996 (Washington, DC: July 1997).

(l) Surface: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation

Statistics,Transborder Surface Freight Data, 1997.
22 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 14.

Employment in Transportation and Related

Industries

(In thousands)

1970 1980 1990 1995 1996

Total transportation and related

industries employment r8,724 8,803 10,150 10,554 10,261

For-Hire Transport Sector

Total r2,649 3,175 3,732 4,099 4,210

Air 352 453 745 788 1,122

Local and inter-urban 

passenger transit 203 265 338 424 440

Pipeline 150 236 223 194 186

Railroad 634 532 279 239 231

Transportation services 115 198 345 413 417

Trucking and warehousing 1,083 1,280 1,625 1,867 1,641

Water 212 211 177 174 173

Equipment Manufacturing

Total 1,949 1,995 2,073 1,865 1,862

Other Related Industries

Total 3,415 2,962 3,672 3,929 4,090

Automotive and home 

supply stores N 261 337 373 381

Automotive repair

services, and parking;

gasoline service stations 997 1,132 1,516 1,667 1,754

Highway and street 

construction 331 268 239 227 235

Motor vehicle 

wholesalers/retailers and 

other automotive retailers 2,087 1,301 1,535 1,662 1,720

Government Employment2

Total 711 671 673 661 399

N Data do not exist. r Revised.

1 Includes only liquid and natural gas transmission pipelines.

2 Includes only U.S. DOT.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

National Transportation Statistics 1998, table 2-23 at www.bts.gov/ntda/nts.
Transportation and the Economy 23

Table 15.

Federal, State, and Local Transportation Revenues

and Expenditures

(In millions)

1985 1990 1994 1995

Current dollars

Revenues:

Federal 18,388 21,532 25,553 30,223

State 24,355 34,629 42,861 44,846

Local 9,294 13,740 17,565 18,647

Expenditures:

Federal (less grants) 27,705 30,166 38,672 39,930

Federal grants to 

states and localities 18,227 19,786 23,721 25,034

State and local 46,810 69,703 85,407 89,359

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

Government Transportation Financial Statistics, FY 1985-95, (Washington, DC:

forthcoming).

Note: Statistics in this table are based on data from the U.S. Department of

Commerce, Bureau of the Census, which uses different definitions and

accounting methods than those used by some modal administrations of

the U.S. Department of Transportation. For example,revenues in this

table are limited to gasoline taxes, tolls, and other sources that are collected directly from transportation users. Revenue statistics published

by the Federal Highway Administration also include other items such as

investment income and other taxes and fees.
24 Pocket Guide to Transportation

III Transportation and Safety

Transportation has been the cause of roughly half

of all accidental deaths in the United States over

the last 26 years. Crashes involving motor vehicles

account for about 95 percent of all transportation

fatalities and most injuries. Despite this enormous toll,

transportation safety has improved: there were far

fewer fatalities in 1996 than in 1970, even though 

vehicle-miles of travel doubled.

Table 16.

Fatalities by Transportation Mode

Mode 1970 1980 1990 1995 1996

Large air carrier 146 1 39 168 380

Commuter air N 37 7 9 14

On-demand air taxi N 105 50 52 63

General aviation 1,310 1,239 r765 r734 631

Motor vehicles1 52,627 51,091 44,599 41,817 41,907

Rail2 785 584 599 567 551

Transit N N 339 274 264

Waterborne 178 206 85 46 50

Recreational boating 1,418 1,360 865 829 709

Gas and hazardous 

liquid pipeline r30 19 9 21 20

N Data do not exist or are not cited because of reporting changes.

r Revised.

1 Includes occupants and nonoccupants and motor vehicle fatalities at

railroad crossings.

2 Includes fatalities from nontrain incidents, as well as train incidents and

accidents.Also includes train occupants and nonoccupants, except motor

vehicle occupants at grade crossings.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

Transportation Statistics Annual Report 1998, BTS98-S-01 (Washington, DC:

1998), table 3-1.
Transportation and Safety 25

Table 17.

Distribution of Transportation Fatalities: 1996

Category Number Percent

Total 44,505 100.0

Passenger car occupants 22,416 50.4

Light-truck occupants 9,901 22.2

Pedestrians struck by motor vehicles 5,412 12.2

Motorcyclists 2,160 4.9

Pedalcyclists struck by motor vehicles 761 1.7

Recreational boaters 709 1.6

General aviation 631 1.4

Large-truck occupants 621 1.4

Railroads1 551 1.2

Other and unknown motor vehicle occupants 460 1.0

Air carriers 380 0.9

Other nonoccupants struck by motor vehicles2 153 0.3

Heavy-rail transit 74 0.2

Grade crossings (not involving motor vehicles) 73 0.2

Air taxis 63 0.1

Waterborne transportation 50 0.1

Bus occupants (school, intercity,transit) 21 <0.1

Transit buses (not related to accidents)3 19 <0.1

Gas distribution pipelines 14 <0.1

Commuter air 14 <0.1

Demand response transit (not related to accidents) 8 <0.1

Hazardous liquid and gas pipelines 6 <0.1

Light-rail transit 6 <0.1

Undetermined motor vehicle occupants 2 <0.1

Redundant with above:

Grade crossings, with motor vehicles 415 NA

Transit bus, accident-related 82 NA

Commuter rail 72 NA

Passengers on railroad trains 12 NA

Demand response, accident-related 3 NA

NA Not applicable.

1 Includes fatalities on and outside trains, except at grade crossings.

2 Excludes pedalcyclists and pedestrians.

3 Not included under highway submodes.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,

Transportation Statistics Annual Report 1998, BTS98-S-01(Washington, DC:

1998), table 3-4.
26 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Figure 7.

Fatality Rates for Selected Modes

1960 65 70 75 80 85 90 1995 1964 70 76 82 88 1994

General Aviation (noncommercial)

Per 100,000 aircraft-hours flown

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Passenger Cars: Occupants

Per 100 million vehicle-miles

Railroad*

Per 100 million train-miles

Air Carriers (5-year moving averages)

(log scale)

Motorcycles: Riders

Per 100 million vehicle-miles

Large Trucks: Occupants

Per 100 million vehicle-miles

Per 100 million aircraft miles

Per 100,000 departures

Five-year intervals, 1975–90

Light Trucks: Occupants

Per 100 million vehicle-miles

1975 80 85 90 1995

0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.

2.5

3.0

Five-year intervals, 1975–90

1975 80 85 90 1995

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

0

20

40

60

80

0.1

1

10

100

1975 78 81 84 87 90 93 1996

0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

1975 78 81 84 87 90 93 1996

Five-year intervals, 1975–90

*Passengers, employees, contractors and other 

nontresspassers, and tresspassers (excludes

grade-crossing fatalities) 

1975 80 85 90 1995

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

SOURCES: General aviation—For 1960–74,

data include air taxi. Data from U.S.

Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation

Administration, FAA Statistical Handbook of

Aviation (Washington, DC: 1960–74). For

1975– 96: National Transportation Safety

Board, Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data,

General Aviation (Washington, DC:Annual volumes). For all other modes: U.S. Department

of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation

Statistics, National Transportation Statistics

1998, at www.bts.gov/ntda/nts.
Transportation, Energy, and the Environment 27

Figure 8.

U.S. Petroleum Production and Consumption

Quadrillion Btu

Source: S.C. Davis and D.N. McFarlin, Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

Transportation Energy Data Book, Edition 18, ORNL-6898 (Oak Ridge,TN: 1998).

0

5

10

15

20

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1996

U.S. production

Transportation consumption

Total U.S. consumption









Transportation oil gap

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1996

IV Transportation, Energy, and the Environment

The U.S. transportation system provides manybenefits, but also produces undesirable byproducts,

such as air and water pollution, noise,solid waste, damage

to wildllife habitats and ecosystems, and the potential for

global climate change.While other sectors have moved

away from oil over the last 20 years, transportation

remains almost entirely dependent on petroleum—much

of it imported—as its energy source. Greenhouse gas

emissions from transportation are increasing because of

growing freight activity and passenger travel,slowing of

energy efficiency improvements, and America’s continuing

reliance on fossil fuels.
28 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Figure 9.

Transportation’s Share of U.S. Petroleum Use:

1950–96

Million barrels per day

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Transport

Utilities

Industry

Buildings

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 1995

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, Annual

Energy Review 1996, DOE/EIA-0384(96) (Washington, DC: 1997), table 5.12.
Transportation, Energy, and the Environment 29

Figure 10.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Energy

Consumption: 1980-96

Million metric tons of carbon

Industrial

Commercial

Transportation

Residential

100

200

300

400

500

1980 1985 1990 1996p

Note:Tons of carbon can be converted to tons of carbon dioxide gas by multiplying by 3.667. One ton of carbon equals 3.667 tons of carbon dioxide

gas.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, Annual

Energy Review 1997, DOE/EIA-0384(97), (Washington, DC: July 1998),

table 12.2 and figure 12.2.
30 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Figure 11.

U.S.Transportation-Related Air Emissions:

1970–96

Index (1970=1.0, 1990 =1.0 for PM-2.5)

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.4

1.2

NOx

PM-10

PM-2.5

CO

VOC

Lead

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1996

Key: NOx = oxides of nitrogen; PM-10 and PM-2.5= airborne particulates of

less than 10 microns or 2.5 microns,respectively; CO = carbon monoxide;

VOC = volatile organic compounds.

Note:Transportation emissions include all onroad mobile sources and the

following nonroad mobile sources:recreational vehicles and boats, airport

service equipment, aircraft, commercial marine vessels, and railroads.

Other nonroad sources,such as lawnmowers and farming equipment, are

not included. Lead estimates include onroad mobile sources only.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and

Standards, National Air Quality and Emission Trends, 1900 to 1996 (Research

Triangle Park, NC: 1996).
Transportation System Extent and Use 31

Glossary

Air carrier—Certificated providers of scheduled and nonscheduled services.

Class I railroad—A railroad with an annual gross operating revenue in excess of $250 million (based on 1991 dollars).

Commuter rail—Local and regional passenger train operations

between a central city and adjacent suburbs.

Directional route miles—The sum of the mileage in each direction over which transit vehicles travel while in revenue service.

Fatality—For purposes of compiling DOT safety statistics, any

injury that results in death within 30 days of a transportation

crash or incident.

General aviation—All civil aviation operations other than

scheduled air services and nonscheduled air transportation

operations.

Inland water vessels—Includes self-propelled dry cargo and

offshore support vessels, passenger carriers, and vehicular and

railroad car ferries,railroad cars, tankers, and towboats; and

non-self-propelled dry cargo and tanker barges, and railroad 

car floats operating on the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts,

Mississippi River System, Gulf Intracostal Waterway, and Great

Lakes System.

Other 2-axle, 4-tire vehicles—Includes vans, pickup trucks, and

sport/utility vehicles.

Passenger-mile—One passenger transported one mile. One

vehicle traveling 3 miles carrying 5 passengers generates 

15 passenger miles.

Personal-use vehicles—Cars, pickup trucks, or vans; other small

trucks;rental cars, trucks, or vans;recreational vehicles or

motor homes; or motorcycles or mopeds.

Ton-miles—A unit of measure equal to the movement of one ton

over one mile.

Truck:

Single unit—A large truck on a single frame with at least 2 axles

and 6 tires. Excludes “other 2-axle, 4-tire vehicles” noted above.

Combination—A power unit (truck or truck tractor) and one

or more trailing units.

Vehicle-mile—One vehicle traveling one mile.

Glossary
32 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Statistics published in this Pocket Guide to Transportation

come from a number of different sources. Some statistics

are based on samples and are subject to sampling variability. Statistics may also be subject to errors,such as omission, duplication, and errors in reporting,recording, and

processing data. For more information about the accuracy

of statistics in this publication,refer to the sources listed.

U. S. Department of Transportation