Pocket

Guide to

Transportation

Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Bureau of Transportation Statistics

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BTS99-06R

December 1999
1

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

table puts those changes in perspective:

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics compiled the data in

this guide from multiple sources. The guide is divided into

five sections:

Transportation System Extent 2

Transportation and Safety 4

Mobility 10

Transportation and the Economy 25

Transportation, Energy, and the Environment 32

Characteristic 1970 1998

Resident population (thous.) 203,984 270,299

Total area (thous.sq. mi.) 3,619 a3,718 (1990)

Total civilian labor force (thous.) 82,771 137,673

Gross Domestic Productb $3.4 trillion $7.6 trillion

Median household incomeb $29,600 34,500 (1997)

Average household expendituresb N 31,100 (1997)

Number of households (thous.) 63,401 102,528

Average life expectancy (years) 70.8 76.5 (1997)

Labor force participation by women 46% 60%

a 1990 data reflect the inclusion of the Great Lakes, inland water, and coastal

water. 1970 data include inland water only. The Census Bureau tabulates

area (square miles) data for the decennial census years only. b Converted from current dollars to 1992 chained dollars using implicit

deflators constructed from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer

Price Index and the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ chained-type 

price index.

Key: N = data do not exist.

Note: All dollar amounts are 1992 chained dollars.

Sources: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of 

the United States: 1998 (Washington, DC: 1998); and www. census.gov.

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure

Survey, 1997, unpublished detailed table 1100, Oct. 7, 1998. Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/fastats.htm.
2 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 1

The Transportation Network

Mode Components

Highway Public roads

(1998) 46,334 miles of Interstate highway

113,757 miles of other National Highway System

roads

3,760,876 miles of other roads

Air Public-use airports

(1998) 5,352 airports

Airports serving large certificated carriers

29 large hubs (77 airports), 442 million enplaned

passengers

31 medium hubs (53 airports), 92 million enplaned

passengers

56 small hubs (73 airports), 38 million enplaned

passengers

584 nonhubs (613 airports), 17 million enplaned

passengers

Rail Miles of road operated

(1998) 119,813 miles by Class I freight railroadsa

21,356 miles by regional freight railroads

28,629 miles by local freight railroads

24,500 miles by Amtrak (passenger, FY98)

I Transportation System Extent and Use

The U.S. transportation system is an extensive, interrelated network of public and private roads, airports,

railroads, transit routes, waterways, terminals, ports, and

pipelines. Millions of people and businesses rely on this 

ever-expanding system to get to work, take vacation trips,

conduct business, and ship goods here and abroad. It links

regions and connects small and large cities and urban and

rural areas.
Transportation System Extent and Use 3

Mode Components

Urban transit Directional route-miles servicedb

(1997) Bus: 155,817

Trolley bus: 420

Commuter rail: 4,417

Heavy rail: 1,527

Light rail: 659

Stations

Commuter rail: 864

Heavy rail: 997

Light rail: 530

Water 26,000 miles of navigable waterways

(1997) 276 locks

328 miles of ferry service b

Ports handling more than 10 million tons

Great Lakes: 340 terminals

483 berths

Inland: 1,812 terminals

Ocean: 1,574 terminals

2,675 berths

Pipeline Oil

Crude lines: 114,000 miles of pipe (1996)

Product lines: 86,500 miles of pipe (1996)

Gas

Transmission: 256,500 miles of pipe (1997)

Distribution: 955,300 miles of pipe (1997)

a Includes 574 miles of road operated by U.S. Class I freight railroads in Canada. b Directly operated service. Does not include contracted service.

Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation

Statistics (BTS), Transportation Statistics Annual Report 1999 (Washington, DC:

1999), table 1-1; USDOT, BTS, National Transportation Statistics 1999

(Washington DC: 1999), various tables;Association of American Railroads,

Railroad Facts, 1999 edition (Washington, DC: 1999); and USDOT, Federal

Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 1998 (Washington, DC: 1999).
4 Pocket Guide to Transportation

2 Transportation and Safety

The highest priority of the U.S. Department of

Transportation is to promote safety. Although 

progress has been made in reducing fatalities, transportation remains the leading cause of accidental deaths and

injuries in the United States. In 1998, about 95 percent 

of transportation fatalities and an even higher percentage

of injuries occurred on the nation’s roadways.

Table 2

Fatalities by Transportation Mode

Mode 1970 1980 1990 1995 1998P

Large air carrier 146 1 39 168 1

Commuter air N 37 7 9 0

On-demand air taxi N 105 50 52 45

General aviation 1,310 1,239 765 734 621

Highwaya 52,627 51,091 44,599 41,817 41,171

Railroadb 785 584 599 567 577

Transitc N N 339 274 U

Waterborne

Vessel casualties 178 206 85 46 31

Nonvessel casualties 420 281 101 137 76

Recreational boating 1,418 1,360 865 829 813

Gas and hazardous 

liquid pipeline 30 19 9 21 18

a Includes occupants, nonoccupants, and motor vehicle fatalities at railroad

crossings. b 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. c Fatalities resulting from all reportable incidents, not just accidents. Includes

commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, motor bus, demand responsive, van

pool, and automated guideway.

Key: N = data do not exist or are not cited because of reporting changes;

P = preliminary; U = unavailable.

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

Transportation Statistics Annual Report 1999, BTS99-03 (Washington, DC: 1999),

table 4-1.
Transportation and Safety 5

Table 3

Distribution of Transportation Fatalities: 1997

Category Number Percent

Total 44,381 100.0

Passenger car occupants 22,199 50.0

Light-truck occupants 10,249 23.1

Pedestrians struck by motor vehicles 5,321 12.0

Motorcyclists 2,116 4.8

Recreational boaters 821 1.8

Pedalcyclists struck by motor vehicles 814 1.8

Large-truck occupants 723 1.6

General aviation 660 1.5

Railroadsa 602 1.4

Other and unknown motor vehicle occupants 420 0.9

Other nonoccupants struck by motor vehiclesb 153 0.3

Heavy-rail transit 77 0.1

Commuter air 46 0.1

Waterborne transportation 46 0.1

Grade crossings (not involving motor vehicles) 42 0.1

Air taxis 39 0.1

Bus occupants (school, intercity,transit) 18 0.04

Transit buses (not related to accidents)c 9 0.02

Gas distribution pipelines 9 0.02

Air carriers 8 0.02

Demand responsive transit (not related to accidents) 5 0.01

Gas transmission pipelines 1 <0.01

Light-rail transit 3 <0.01

Redundant with above:

Grade crossings, with motor vehicles 419 NA

Transit bus, accident-related 100 NA

Commuter rail 79 NA

Passengers on railroad trains 6 NA

Demand responsive, accident-related 2 NA

a Includes fatalities on and outside trains, except at grade crossings. b Excludes pedalcyclists and pedestrians.

c Not included under highway submodes.

Key: NA = not applicable.

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

Transportation Statistics Annual Report 1999, BTS99-03 (Washington, DC: 1999),

table 4-2.
6 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 4a

Occupants Killed in 2-Vehicle Crashes and 

Pedestrians/Pedalcyclists Killed in Single-Vehicle 

Crashes by Vehicle Type and Alcohol 

Involvement (AI): 1998

Passenger Light Large 

Vehicle type cars trucks trucks Buses

Passenger cars 3,804 5,503 2,096 102

(AI) 858 1,233 325 16

Light trucks 1,422 1,187 40

(AI) 368 182 10

Large trucks 105 9

(AI) 4 0

Buses 0

(AI) 0

Motorcycles

(AI)

Other/unknown

(AI)

Notes: Alcohol involvement pertains to either or both drivers in two-vehicle 

crashes and in the case of pedestrians or pedalcyclists killed in singlevehicle crashes, either the motor vehicle driver and/or the pedestrian 

or pedalcyclist. Alcohol results are determined from positive blood 

alcohol concentration (BAC) tests and police-reported AI.

Table 4b

Total Fatalities in Traffic Crashes: 1998

Drivers/occupants killed in 2-vehicle crashes 15,724

Pedestrians killed in single-vehicle crashes 4,795

Pedalcyclists killed in single-vehicle crashes 737

Subtotal 21,256

Drivers/occupants killed in single-vehicle crashes 16,671

Drivers/occupants killed in more than two-vehicle crashes 2,964

Pedestrians/pedalcyclists killed in multiple-vehicle crashes 449

Others/unknown 131

Total fatalities 41,471

Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)

Database; USDOT, NHTSA, Traffic Safety Facts 1998 (Washington, DC:

October 1999).
Transportation and Safety 7

Other/ 

Motorcycles unknown Pedalcyclists Pedestrians

520 142 356 2,444 14,967

172 26 94 879

439 114 268 1,651 5,121

145 27 76 628

85 34 55 286 574

20 5 6 50

8 4 15 78 105

1 0 1 10

50 13 6 21 90

19 3 1 9

47 37 315 399

12 6 109

Figure 1

Fatalities in Alcohol-Related Crashes

Total fatalities in traffic crashes

Fatalities in alcohol-related crashes

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

19851990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Safety

Administration, Traffic Safety Facts 1998 (Washington, DC: October 1999),

table 13.

19851990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
8 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Figure 2

Fatality Rates for Selected Modes

Passenger car occupants

Per 100 million vehicle-miles

1975 80 85 90 1995

0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

1964 70 75 80 85 90 1995

Air carriers (5-year moving averages)

(Log scale)

Per 100 million aircraft-miles

Per 100,000 departures

0.1

1

10

100

1975 80 85 90 1995

General aviation

Per 100,000 aircraft-hours flown

Motorcycle riders

Per 100 million vehicle-miles

Light-truck occupants

Per 100 million vehicle-miles

1975 80 85 90 1995

0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

Large-truck occupants

Per 100 million vehicle-miles

1975 80 85 90 1995

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

1975 80 85 90 1995

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

Note: For Part 121 air carriers, a 5-year moving average was used to track

fatality rates because of the year-to-year fluctuation in fatalities.The

departure data and hence the denominator of the rates are not strictly

comparable between pre- and post-1977 eras, but the difference is small.

Sources: For original sources see: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of

Transportation Statistics, Transportation Statistics Annual Report 1999

(Washington, DC: 1999), figure 4-1.
Transportation and Safety 9

Table 5

Injuries by Transportation Mode

Mode 1970 1980 1990 1995 1998P

Air carriera 107 19 R29 25 28

Commuter carriera N 14 11 25 2

On-demand air taxia N 43 36 14 11

General aviationa 715 R681 R402 395 332

Highwayb N N 3,231,000 3,465,000 3,192,000

Railroadc 17,934 58,696 22,736 12,546 10,156

Transitd N N 54,556 57,196 U

Waterborne 

Vessel casualties 105 180 175 145 83

Nonvessel casualties U U U 1,916 357

Recreational boating 780 2,650 3,822 4,141 4,613

Gas and liquid pipeline 254 192 76 64 75

a Injuries classified as serious. See glossary. b Includes passenger car occupants,motorcyclists, light-duty and large trucks,

bus occupants, pedestrians, pedalcyclists, occupants of unknown vehicle

types, and other nonmotorists. c Injuries resulting from train accidents,train and nontrain incidents, and occupational illness. Includes Amtrak. d Injuries resulting from all reportable incidents, not just from accidents.

Includes commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, motor bus, demand responsive,

van pool, and automated guideway.

Key: N = data do not exist; R = revised; U = unavailable.

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

National Transportation Statistics 1999 (Washington, DC: 1999).
10 Pocket Guide to Transportation

3 Mobility

The U.S. transportation network provides a highdegree of personal mobility and freight activity. In

1997, the transportation network supported 4.6 trillion

passenger-miles and about 4 trillion ton-miles.The data

in this section confirm that local and long-distance travel

and freight shipments continue to grow. Several factors

influence this growth: greater vehicle availability,reduced

travel costs, population increases, an expanding economy,

and higher consumer incomes.

Table 6

Per Capita Passenger Travel and Freight

Transportation

Number

Passenger travel (1995)

Local trips per person,a annual 1,568

Local trips per person,a daily 4.3

Long-distance tripsb per person, annual 3.9

Local miles per person,a annual 14,115

Local miles per person,a daily 39

Long-distance miles per person, annual domestic only 3,129 

Freight transportation (1997)

Tons per person, annual 52

Ton-miles per person, annual 14,958 

a Persons aged 5 and over. b Each time a person goes to a destination at least

100 miles away from home and returns.

Notes: Data used for local travel are from the Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey travel-day file and include trips of all lengths made by

respondents on a single day; about 95% of these daily trips were 30 miles

or less. Per capita calculations are based on population estimates within

each survey, not from the Census Bureau estimate reported in the table.

Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Highway

Administration, Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey, Our Nation's Travel

(Washington, DC: 1997.); U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 1997

Commodity Flow Survey: United States Preliminary (Washington, DC: 1999);

USDOT, Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS),American Travel Survey data,

October 1997, person trip and demographic files; plus additional estimates

prepared for the BTS by Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Mobility 11

Table 7

Number of Aircraft,Vehicles, and Vessels

Mode 1970 1980 1990 1995 1997

Air carriers 2,690 2,818 4,727 5,567 7,616

General aviation 125,618 202,487 196,800 182,605 192,400

Passenger carsa 89,243,557 121,600,843 133,700,496 128,386,775 129,748,704

Motorcycles 2,824,098 5,693,940 4,259,462 3,897,191 3,826,373

Other 2-axle,

4-tire vehicles 14,210,591 27,875,934 48,274,555 65,738,322 70,224,082

Trucks: Single-unit 3,681,405 4,373,784 4,486,981 5,023,670 5,293,358

Combination 905,082 1,416,869 1,708,895 1,695,751 1,789,968

Busesb 377,562 528,789 626,987 685,503 697,548

Passenger rail:

Amtrak—Cars N 2,128 1,863 1,722 1,728

Locomotives N 419 318 313 332

Commuter railcars 

and locomotives N 4,500 4,415 4,565 4,943

Transitc 10,548 10,654 11,332 11,156 11,471

Class I rail:

Freight cars 1,423,921 1,168,114 658,902 583,486 568,493

Locomotives 27,077 28,094 18,835 18,812 19,684

Other freight cars 360,260 542,713 553,359 635,441 701,926

Nonself-propelled 19,377 31,662 31,209 31,360 33,011

vesselsd,e

Self-propelled vesselsd,e 6,455 7,126 8,236 8,281 8,408

Oceangoing shipse

(1,000 gross tons 

and over) 1,579 864 636 509 477

Recreational boats 7,400,000 8,577,857 10,996,253 11,734,710 12,312,982

a In July 1997, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway

Administration, issued revised data,reassigning some vehicles from 

“passenger car” to “other 2-axle, 4-tire.” b Includes municipally owned

transit, commercial, federal, and school buses. c Includes light and heavy

rail. d See glossary, page 36. e U.S. flag vessels.

Key: N = data do not exist.

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

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

National Transportation Statistics 1999 (Washington, DC: 1999).
12 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 8

Vehicle-Miles

(Millions)

Mode 1970 1980 1990 1995 1997

Air carriers 2,068 2,523 3,963 4,629 4,911

General aviation 3,207 5,204 4,830 3,795 3,877

Passenger cars 917,000 1,112,000 1,408,000 1,438,000 1,502,000

Motorcycles 3,000 10,200 9,600 9,800 10,100

Other 2-axle,

4-tire vehiclesa 123,000 291,000 575,000 790,000 850,000

Trucks:

Single-unit 27,100 39,800 51,900 62,700 66,800

Combination 35,100 68,700 94,300 115,500 124,500

Busesb 4,500 6,100 5,700 6,400 6,800

Other3 N 15 324 543 P670

Rail:

Transitd 441 403 561 572 P599

Commuter N 179 213 238 P251

Class 1 freighte 29,890 29,277 26,159 30,383 31,660

Intercity/Amtrake,f 690 235 301 292 288

a In July 1997, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway

Administration issued revised vehicle-miles data,reassigning some vehiclemiles from “passenger car” to “other 2-axle, 4-tire.” b Includes municipally owned transit, commercial, federal, and school buses. c Includes demand responsive, ferry boat, and other transit not specified; 1980

data include “other transit” only. d Includes light and heavy rail. e Car-miles f Amtrak began operations in 1971.

Key: N = data do not exist; P = preliminary.

Note:The numbers for “Passenger cars” and “Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicles”

have been rounded to the nearest billion; the numbers for motorcycles,

trucks, and buses have been rounded to the nearest 100 million.

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

National Transportation Statistics 1999 (Washington, DC: 1999).
Mobility 13

Table 9

Passenger-Miles

(Millions)

Mode 1970 1980 1990 1995 1997

Air carriers 108,400 204,400 345,900 403,900 450,600

General aviation 9,100 14,700 13,000 R10,400 12,500

Passenger carsR 1,751,000 2,012,000 2,282,000 2,286,000 2,388,000

Motorcyclesa,R 3,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000

Other 2-axle,

4-tire vehiclesR 226,000 521,000 1,000,000 1,339,000 1,394,000

Trucks

Single-unit 27,100 39,800 51,900 62,700 66,800

Combination 35,100 68,700 94,300 115,500 124,500

Busesb N N 121,400 136,100 144,900

Otherc N 390 841 1,140 P1,627

Rail:

Transitd N 10,981 12,071 11,460 P13,139

Commuter 4,600 6,500 7,100 8,200 P8,000

Intercity/Amtrake 6,200 4,500 6,100 5,500 5,200

a In July 1997, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway

Administration issued revised passenger-miles data,reassigning some

vehicles from “passenger car” to “other 2-axle, 4-tire.” b Includes municipally owned transit, federal, commercial, and school buses. c Includes demand responsive, ferry boat, and other transit not specified;

1980 data include ferry boat and “other transit” only. d Includes light and heavy rail. e Amtrak began operations in 1971.

Key: N = data do not exist; P = preliminary; R = revised.

Note:The numbers for “Passenger cars” and “Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicles”

have been rounded to the nearest billion; the numbers for motorcycles,

trucks, and buses have been rounded to the nearest 100 million.

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

National Transportation Statistics 1999 (Washington, DC: 1999).
14 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Figure 3

Person-Miles Traveled per Day: 1995

(On average)

49 Per person in households with 2 or more adults, youngest child aged 6–15a

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

47 Persons aged 30–49

46 Per person in rural areas

45 Drivers; per person in households with 2 or more adults, no childrena

44 Males

41 Whites; per person in households with income between $25,000 and 

$49,000

39 U.S average (mean)

38 Per person in suburban areas

35 Single adult households with youngest child under age 6a

34 Females; Hispanics

31 Blacks

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

27 Per person in urban areas

25 Persons aged 65 and older; persons aged 5–15

22 Nondrivers

17 Persons aged 75 and over

a Per adult 20 years of age 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).
Mobility 15

Figure 4 

Long-Distance Trips per Person: 1995a

(Roundtrips of 100 miles or more one way)

a Numbers in this figure differ from those in the Pocket Guide 1998 and

reflect demographic data released in 1999.

Note: Some numbers may not differ statistically.

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

Statistics,American Travel Survey data, October 1997, person trip and

demographic files.

Persons under age 18

Per person in households with income under $25,000

Asians and Pacific Islanders

Persons aged 65 and over

Women

Per person in households with income between $25,000 and $50,000;

per person, married couples with children under age 18

U.S. average (mean)

Men; per person in small metropolitan and

nonmetropolitan areas

Non-Hispanic whites

Per person, married couples

without children

Persons aged 45–54

Per person in households with income

over $50,000

2.3

1.9 Non-Hispanic blacks

2.2

2.1 Hispanics

3.0

3.1

3.5

3.7 Per person in large metropolitan areas

3.8

3.9

4.4

4.6

5.0

5.6

5.8
16 Pocket Guide to Transportation

% change

1977–95R

Table 10 

Population and Long-Distance Travel: 1977 and 1995

(Roundtrips of 100 miles or more one way)

Characteristic 1977R1995R

Resident population 

(thousands) 219,760 262,761 19.6

Annual long-distance

person trips 

(thousands) 539,289 1,042,615 93.3

Domestic 521,427 1,001,319 92.0

International 17,862 41,296 131.2

Annual roundtrips per capita 2.53 3.95 55.8

Domestic 2.45 3.79 54.7

International 0.08 0.16 86.3

Long-distance mean 

roundtrip length 

(miles, domestic only) 733 826 12.6 

Key: R = revised.

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

American Travel Survey data, October 1997, person trip and demographic files;

U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, National Travel Survey:Travel

During 1977 (Washington, DC: 1979); U.S. Department of Commerce, Census

Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1997 (Washington, DC: 1998).
Mobility 17

Table 11

Long-Distance Trips per Person by Age and Purpose:

1977 and 1995

(Roundtrips of 100 miles or more one way)

Age and reason for trip 1977 1995

18 to 24 years:

Business 0.3 0.4 57.9

Visit friends or relatives 0.9 1.5 59.3

Leisure 0.7 1.2 67.2

Personal business and other 0.4 0.7 93.7

25 to 34 years:

Business 0.8 1.1 26.4

Visit friends or relatives 1.2 1.6 34.3

Leisure 0.9 1.2 42.9

Personal business and other 0.5 0.5 5.8

35 to 44 years:

Business 1.2 1.7 46.3

Visit friends and relatives 1.0 1.2 24.7

Leisure 0.8 1.4 83.3

Personal business and other 0.7 0.6 –17.2

45 to 54 years:

Business 0.9 1.8 93.0

Visit friends and relatives 1.0 1.5 41.2

Leisure 0.6 1.7 171.5

Personal business and other 0.8 0.8 7.3

55 to 64 years:

Business 0.6 1.2 113.3

Visit friends and relatives 1.1 1.6 47.0

Leisure 0.6 1.7 181.9

Personal business and other 0.5 0.8 48.6

65 years and over:

Business 0.2 0.4 121.7

Visit friends or relatives 0.7 1.2 74.5

Leisure 0.3 1.0 213.7

Personal business and other 0.4 0.6 54.9

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

American Travel Survey data, October 1997, person trip and demographic files.

% change

1977–95
18 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Figure 5 

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

(Roundtrips of 100 miles or more one way)

a See glossary, page 36.

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

American Travel Survey data, October 1997, person trip file; U.S. Department of

Commerce, Census Bureau, National Travel Survey,Travel During 1977 (Washington,

DC: 1979).

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

825,799

187,836

21,403 5,055

442,006

65,662

14,959 4,094

1977 1995

Thousands

Personal-use Airplane Bus Train vehicle

Percentage change: 1977–95

Personal-use vehiclea 87

Airplane 186

Bus 43

Train 23
Mobility 19

Figure 6 

Households by Number of Vehicles

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

Percent

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

Table 12 

U.S.-Canadian Border Land-Passenger 

Gateways: 1998

Land gateway Number entering the U.S.

All U.S.-Canadian land gateways

All personal vehicles 36,531,246

All personal vehicle passengers 88,126,832

All bus passengers 3,951,019

All pedestrians 585,917

Personal vehicles—top 5 gateways

Detroit,MI 8,551,166

Buffalo-Niagara Falls,NY 7,355,745

Blaine,WA 3,278,118

Port Huron,MI 2,036,015

Sault Ste.Marie,MI 1,467,937

Personal vehicle passengers—top 5 gateways

Detroit,MI 19,496,143

Buffalo-Niagara Falls,NY 17,434,770

Blaine,WA 8,184,131

Port Huron,MI 5,444,004

Sault Ste.Marie,MI 4,693,465

Bus passengers—top 5 gateways

Buffalo-Niagara Falls,NY 1,522,230

Detroit,MI 562,857

Blaine,WA 456,770

Champlain-Rouses Pt.,NY 274,144

Port Huron,MI 126,611

Pedestrians—top 5 gateways

Buffalo-Niagara Falls,NY 298,303

Calais,ME 47,843

International Falls-Ranier,MN 43,833

Sumas,WA 37,549

Portland,MEa 34,232

a Gateway is a pedestrian/ferry combination crossing.

Note: Data reflect all personal vehicles and passengers entering the United

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

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

Operations, Operations Management Database, 1999.
Mobility 21

Table 13 

U.S.-Mexican Border Land-Passenger 

Gateways: 1998

Land gateway Number entering the U.S.

All U.S.-Mexican gateways

All personal vehicles 83,854,491

All personal vehicle passengers 223,987,889

All bus passengers 3,638,812

All pedestrians 44,461,554

Personal vehicles—top 5 gateways

SanYsidro/Otay Mesa, CAa 18,801,472

El Paso,TX 15,212,062

Laredo,TX 7,524,347

Hildalgo,TX 7,126,677

Calexico, CA 6,957,454

Personal vehicle passengers—top 5 gateways

El Paso,TX 44,114,982

SanYsidro/Otay Mesa, CAa 41,363,236

Hidalgo,TX 24,943,370

Calexico, CA 20,733,213

Laredo,TX 18,810,878

Bus passengers—top 5 gateways

Hidalgo,TX 1,515,376

San Ysidro/Otay Mesa, CAa 1,125,902

Laredo,TX 367,691

Brownsville,TX 266,924

El Paso,TX 118,213

Pedestrians—top 5 gateways

Calexico, CA 8,492,078

San Ysidro/Otay Mesa, CAa 7,528,540

El Paso,TX 5,169,966

Laredo,TX 5,093,851

Nogales, AZ 4,796,884

a Data for San Ysidro, San Diego, and Otay Mesa are U.S. Customs combined

totals. Note: Data reflect all personal vehicles and passengers entering the

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

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

Operations, Operations Management Database, 1999.
22 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 14

Top 20 U.S. Passenger Airports

(Thousands of enplaned passengers on large, certificated air carriers)

1997 1987

Total Total

enplaned enplaned % change

Rank Airport passengers Rank passengers 1987–96

1 Atlanta (Hartsfield), GA 32,677 2 22,649 44

2 Chicago (O’Hare), IL 31,123 1 26,122 19

3 Dallas/Ft.Worth,TX 27,256 3 19,905 37

4 Los Angeles, CA 22,596 4 18,970 19

5 San Francisco, CA 16,858 6 13,117 29

6 Denver, CO 16,006 5 15,594 3

7 Detroit (Wayne Co.),MI 14,773 13 9,254 60

8 Phoenix (Sky Harbor), AZ 14,650 14 8,785 67

9 Las Vegas (McCarran),NV 14,011 21 6,836 105

10 St. Louis(LambertSt. Louis),MO 13,956 11 9,727 43

11 Newark,NJ 13,783 8 11,289 22

12 Minneapolis/St.Paul,MN 13,775 15 8,310 66

13 Houston 

(Intercontinental),TX 12,708 20 6,929 83

14 Miami, FL 12,073 12 9,342 29

15 Seattle-Tacoma,WA 11,758 22 6,826 72

16 Orlando, FL 11,745 19 7,075 66

17 Boston (Logan),MA 10,453 9 10,255 2

18 Charlotte (Douglas

Municipal),NC 10,358 24 6,021 72

19 New York (La Guardia),NY 9,868 7 11,326 –13

20 New York 

(John F.Kennedy),NY 9,731 10 10,140 –4

Sources: Total enplaned passengers: 1987—U.S. Department of Transportation

(USDOT), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Research and Special

Programs Administration, Airport Activity Statistics of Certificated Route Air Carriers,

12 Months Ending December 31, 1987 (Washington, DC: 1987), table 1;

1997—USDOT, Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Office of Airline

Information (OAI), Airport Activity Statistics of Certificated Air Carriers: Summary

Tables,Twelve Months Ending December 31, 1997 (Washington, DC: 1998), table

1. Airport ranking: 1987—USDOT, FAA, FAA Statistical Handbook, Calendar Year

1987 (Washington, DC: 1987), table 4.11; 1997: USDOT, BTS, OAI, personal

communication, 1999.
Mobility 23

Table 15

Top 20 U.S.Water Ports

(Million tons) 

1997 1990

Total Total % change

Rank Port tons Rank tons 1990–97

1 South Louisiana, LA 183.6 1 194.2 –5.5

2 Houston,TX 165.5 3 126.2 31.2

3 New York,NY & NJ 135.3 2 140.0 –3.4

4 New Orleans, LA 89.4 6 62.7 42.5

5 Corpus Christi,TX 86.8 7 62.0 39.9

6 Baton Rouge, LA 84.0 5 78.1 7.5

7 Valdez, AK 73.6 4 96.0 –23.3

8 Plaquemine, LA 63.6 8 56.6 12.4

9 Long Beach, CA 57.3 10 52.4 9.3

10 Texas City,TX 56.6 12 48.1 17.7

11 Tampa, FL 55.3 11 51.6 7.2

12 Pittsburgh, PA 51.7 19 35.5 45.7

13 Lake Charles, LA 51.3 16 40.9 25.5

14 Mobile, AL 49.1 15 41.1 19.4

15 Beaumont,TX 48.7 23 26.7 82.2

16 Norfolk Harbor, VA 46.3 9 53.7 –13.8

17 Philadelphia, PA 45.0 14 41.8 7.6

18 Duluth-Superior,

MN & WI 41.9 17 40.8 2.8

19 Los Angeles, CA 41.8 13 46.4 –9.8

20 Baltimore,MD 40.0 18 39.5 1.2

Sources: 1990—U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, Waterborne Commerce of the

United States, Calendar Year 1990, Part 5, National Summaries (New Orleans, LA:

1993), table 5-2. 1997—U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, personal communication,

Jan. 4, 1999.
24 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 16 

Domestic- and Export-Bound Freight Shipments

within the United States: 1997 Preliminary Data

Mode Value Tons Ton-miles

Billions of

1997 $ Percent Millions Percent Billions Percent

Parcel, postal,

courier services 866 10.9 25 0.2 19 0.5

Truck (for-hire,

private, both) 5,519 69.4 7,992 58.3 1,095 27.9

Rail (includes

truck and rail) 383 4.8 1,539 11.2 1,051 26.7

Watera 195 2.5 1,523 11.1 802 20.4

Air (includes

truck and air) 213 2.7 5 0.0 7 0.2

Pipelinea 330 4.1 1,881 13.7 690 17.6

Other and

unknown modes 448 5.6 754 5.5 267 6.8

BTS total

(CFS + additional

estimates) $7,955 100.0 13,719 100.0 3,930 100.0

a Preliminary Oak Ridge National Laboratory estimates prepared for BTS,

1999.

Key: BTS = Bureau of Transportation Statistics; CFS = Commodity Flow

Survey.

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 1997 Commodity Flow

Survey: United States Preliminary (Washington, DC: 1999).
Transportation and the Economy 25

Figure 7

U.S. Gross Domestic Product by Major Societal

Function: 1998

a

Includes all other categories,such as entertainment, products and services,

personal care, premiums for personal insurance, and payments to 

pension plans.

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

calculations based on U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic

Analysis data, Nov. 16, 1999.

Othera

(30.9%)

Education

(7.0%)

Health care

(14.5%)

Transportation

H (11.2%) ousing

(24.8%)

Food

(11.6%)

4 Transportation and the Economy

Transportation is a major sector of the U.S. economy.

It moves people and goods, employs millions of

workers, generates revenue, and consumes resources

and services produced by other sectors of the economy.

In 1998, transportation-related goods and services contributed $950 billion to a $8.51 trillion U.S. Gross

Domestic Product.
26 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Figure 8

Average Household Expenditures by Major

Category: 1997

(In 1997 dollars)

Apparel and

services

(5%)

Othera

(15%)

Personal

insurance

and pensions

(9%)

Health care

(5%)

Transportation

(19%)

$6,457

Housing

(32%)

Food

(14%)

Private

vehicle

expenditures

$6,064

Public transportation expenditures

$393

Other vehicle expenditures

$2,230

Gasoline and motor oil $1,098

Vehicle purchases

$2,736

Airline fares $249

Intercity bus fares $11

Mass transit fares $56

Local transportation on

out-of-town trips $13

Taxi fares $17

Intercity train fares $21

Ship fares $26

School bus $1

Average income (before taxes) $39,926

Average annual expenditures $34,819

Note: Does not add to 100 due to rounding.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau

of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure

Survey, 1996, unpublished detailed table

1100, Oct. 7, 1998.

a Includes entertainment,

personal care products and services,

education, tobacco

products and smoking, and miscellaneous
Transportation and the Economy 27

Table 17

Top Foreign Trade Freight Gateways by Value of

Shipments: 1997

(Billions of 1997 dollars)

Rank Port Exports Imports Total trade

1 JFK International Airport,NY (a) 40.9 48.4 89.3

2 Port of Long Beach, CA (w) 19.1 66.2 85.3

3 Port of Detroit,MI (l) 42.4 40.1 82.5

4 San Francisco Airport, CA (a) 35.8 39.1 74.9

5 Port of Los Angeles, CA (w) 16.1 57.3 73.4

6 Los Angeles International 

Airport, CA (a) 36.5 32.3 68.8

7 Port of New York,NY and NJ (w) 20.6 47.4 68.0

8 Port of Buffalo-Niagara Falls,NY (l) 37.0 26.9 63.9

9 Port of Laredo,TX (l) 25.8 24.1 49.9

10 Port of Huron,MI (l) 12.1 26.1 38.2

11 Port of Houston,TX (w) 20.8 16.3 37.1

12 Chicago, IL (a) 18.5 17.9 36.4

13 Port of Seattle,WA (w) 10.3 23.3 33.6

14 Port of Charleston, SC (w) 12.1 15.2 27.3

15 Port of Oakland, CA (w) 9.9 15.5 25.4

16 Port of Norfolk,VA (w) 13.6 11.4 25.0

17 Port of El Paso,TX (l) 10.0 13.8 23.8

18 Miami International Airport, FL (a) 14.6 6.8 21.4

19 Port of Tacoma,WA (w) 4.5 15.1 19.6

20 Port of Baltimore,MD (w) 7.1 11.7 18.8

Key: a = air; l = land; w = water.

Notes: Trade excludes low-value shipments (imports valued at less than

$1,250 and exports valued at less than $2,500.) Air: Includes a low level

(generally less than 2%–3% of the total value) of small user-fee airports

located in the same region. Air gateways not identified by airport name

(e.g., Chicago, IL) include the major airport(s) in that geographic area in

addition to small regional airports. Due to Census Bureau confidentiality

regulations, courier operations are included in the airport totals for JFK

International Airport, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami.

Sources:Air— U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Foreign

Trade Division, special tabulation, December 1998.Water— U.S. Department of

Transportation, Maritime Administration, Office of Statistical and Economic

Analysis, U.S.Waterborne Exports and General Imports,Annual 1997 (Washington,

DC: July 1999). Land— U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of

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

Table 18a 

Value of U.S. International Merchandise Trade by

Mode of Transportation: 1997

(Millions of current U.S. dollars)

Total 869,874 100.0 687,598 100.0 1,557,472 100.0

Water 400,859 46.1 224,717 32.7 625,576 40.2

Air 212,753 24.5 219,751 32.0 432,504 27.8

Truck 156,531 18.0 166,766 24.3 323,297 20.8

Rail 50,940 5.9 18,904 2.7 69,844 4.5

Pipeline 13,883 1.6 249 0.04 14,132 0.9

Notes: Modal numbers and percentages will not sum to overall trade totals,

which include other miscellaneous and unknown modes not separately

listed. In 1997, other miscellaneous and unknown modes accounted for

approximately 5.9% of the value of U.S. international merchandise trade.

Water: Excludes in-transit data (i.e., merchandise shipped from one

foreign country to another via a U.S. water port).

Imports: Excludes imports valued at less than $1,250. Import value is

based on U.S. general imports, customs value basis.

Exports: Excludes exports valued at less than $2,500. 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.

Sources: Compiled by U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of

Transportation Statistics, January 1999.Water and air data— U.S. Department

of Commerce, Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division.Truck, rail, pipeline, other

and unknown data— U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of

Transportation Statistics,Transborder Surface Freight Data, 1997.

Modal Modal Total Total,

Imports % Exports % trade modal %
Transportation and the Economy 29

Table 18b 

Volume of U.S. International Merchandise Trade by

Mode of Transportation: 1997

(Thousands of short tons)

Total 958,462 100.0 526,997 100.0 1,485,459 100.0

Water 736,289 76.8 407,634 77.4 1,143,923 77.0

Air 3,185 0.3 2,863 0.5 6,048 0.4

Truck 84,604 8.8 91,852 17.4 176,456 11.9

Rail 62,224 6.5 22,104 4.2 84,328 5.7

Pipeline 72,160 7.5 2,544 0.5 74,704 5.0

Notes: Modal numbers and percentages will not sum to overall trade totals,

which include other miscellaneous and unknown modes not separately

listed. In 1997, other miscellaneous and unknown modes accounted for

approximately 5% of the weight of U.S. international merchandise trade.

Water: Excludes in-transit data (i.e., merchandise shipped from one 

foreign country to another via a U.S. water port).

Imports: Excludes imports valued at less than $1,250 and is based on

U.S. general imports, customs value basis.

Exports: Excludes exports valued at less than $2,500. 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.

Short ton: Unit of weight equal to 2,000 pounds.

Sources: Compiled by U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, January 1999. Water and air data— U.S. Department of

Commerce, Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division. Truck, rail, pipeline data—

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

Transborder Surface Freight Data, 1997; and BTS estimates.

Modal Modal Total Total,

Imports % Exports % Trade modal %
30 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Table 19

Employment in For-Hire Transportation and

Selected Transportation-Related Industries

(Thousands)

1970 1980 1990 1995R 1998p

Total transportation and related

industries employment R6,000 R8,536 R10,133 10,543 10,540

For-hire transport sector

total R2,727 3,175 R3,716 4,082 4,208

Air 352 453 R968 1,068 1,157

Local and inter-urban 

passenger transit R281 265 338 419 462

Pipeline a50 236 223 194 U

Railroad 634 532 279 238 232

Transportation services 115 198 R336 401 449

Trucking and warehousing 1,083 1,280 R1,395 1,587 1,707

Water 212 211 177 175 187

Equipment manufacturing

total 1,949 R1,996 2,073 1,870 1,953

Other related industries

total R613 R2,694 R3,671 3,930 4,280

Automotive and home 

supply stores U 261 337 369 410

Automotive repair

services, and parking;

gasoline service stations b613 1,132 R1,561 1,669 1,832

Highway and street 

construction U U 239 228 249

Motor vehicles/parts

wholesalers/retailers and 

other automotive retailers U 1,301 R1,534 1,664 1,789

Government employmentc

total 711 671 673 661 99

a Includes only liquid and natural gas transmission pipelines. b Includes only

gasoline service stations. c Data are for fiscal years and include permanent and temporary civilian and military personnel. Data for 1998

include U.S. Department of Transportation only.

Key: P = preliminary; R = revised; U = unavailable.

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

National Transportation Statistics 1999 (Washington, DC: 1999).
Transportation and the Economy 31

Table 20 

Federal, State, and Local Transportation Revenues

and Expenditures

(Millions)

1985 1990 1995

Current dollars

Revenues:

Total 52,038 69,901 93,716

Federal 18,388 21,532 30,223

State 24,355 34,629 44,846

Local 9,294 13,740 18,647

Expenditures:

Total 74,515 99,869 129,289

Federal (including grants) 27,705 30,166 39,930

Federal grants to 

states & localities 18,227 19,786 25,034

State and local (less grants) 46,810 69,703 89,359

Constant 1992 dollars

Revenues:

Total 65,545 74,136 86,681

Federal 22,224 23,173 27,941

State 30,632 36,486 41,489

Local 11,689 14,476 17,251

Expenditures:

Total 92,357 105,906 119,585

Federal (including grants) 33,484 32,465 36,914

Federal grants to 

states & localities 22,029 21,293 23,144

State and local (less grants) 58,873 73,441 82,671

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

Commerce, Census Bureau, which uses different definitions and accounting methods from those used by some modal administrations of the U.S.

Department of Transportation (USDOT). 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 USDOT, Federal Highway Administration, also include other items

such as investment income and other taxes and fees. Numbers may not

add to totals due to rounding.

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

Government Transportation Financial Statistics, FY 1985–95, forthcoming on the

BTS website.
32 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Figure 9

U.S. Petroleum Production and Consumption: 1970-98

Million barrels per day

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

Energy Review 1998, DOE/EIA 0384(98) (Washington, DC: July 1999), tables 5.1

and 5.12.

0

5

10

15

20

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995

U.S. production

Transportation consumption

Total U.S. consumption

Transportation

oil gap

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995

5 Transportation, Energy, and the Environment

Serious energy and environmental issues are associated with transportation.The U.S. transportation

sector remains almost entirely dependent on petroleum as an energy source and more than 50 percent of

the petroleum used in the United States must now be

imported. Petroleum use is responsible for most of the

environmental problems resulting from transportation,

including carbon dioxide emissions that may contribute

to global climate change.
Transportation, Energy, and the Environment 33

Figure 10

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

1950–98

Million barrels per day

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Transportation

Utilities

Industry

Buildings

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 1995

Note: 1997 and 1998 data are estimates.

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

Energy Review 1998, DOE/EIA-0384(98) (Washington, DC: July1999), table 5.12.
Industrial

Commercial

Transportation

Residential

100

200

300

400

500

34 Pocket Guide to Transportation 34

Figure 11

Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Energy

Consumption: 1980-98

Million metric tons of carbon

1980 1985 1990 1995 1998

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. Electric utility emissions are spread across end-user sections.

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

Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States, 1998, DOE/EIA-0573(98)

(Washington, DC: October 1999).
35 Transportation, Energy, and the Environment 35

Figure 12

National Transportation Emissions 

Trends Index: 1970–97

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 1995

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 and Radiation,Air

Quality Planning and Standards, National Air Quality and Emission Trends,

1900–1997, available at www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/trends97/emtrend/html.
36 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Glossary

Air carrier—Certificated provider of scheduled and nonscheduled

services.

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

Commuter rail—Urban passenger train service for short-distance

travel between a central city and adjacent suburbs. Does not

include rapid-rail transit or light-rail service.

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, accident, or incident.

General aviation—All civil aviation operations other than those

air carriers holding a Certificate of Public Convenience and

Necessity.Types of aircraft used in general aviation range from

corporate multi-engine jets piloted by a professional crew to

amateur-built single-engine piston-driven acrobatic planes.

Hub— A geographic area based on the percentage of total

enplaned passengers in that area. A hub may have more than

one airport in it.This definition should not be confused with

the definition used by airlines in describing their “hub and

spoke” route structures.

Nonself-propelled vessels—Includes dry cargo and tank barges

and railroad car floats that operate on the Atlantic, Gulf, Pacific

Coast, Mississippi River Systems, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway,

and Great Lakes System.

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

sport utility vehicles. Does not include passenger cars.

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.

Self-propelled vessels—Includes dry cargo vessels, tankers, and

offshore supply vessels, tugboats, pushboats, and passenger vessels,such as excursion/sightseeing boats, combination passenger

and dry cargo vessels, and ferries.

Glossary
Glossary 37

Serious injury (Air)—An injury that: 1) requires hospitalization

for more than 48 hours, commencing within 7 days from the

date when the injury occurred; 2) results in a bone fracture

(except simple fracture of fingers, toes, or nose); 3) involves

lacerations that cause severe hemorrhages, and nerve, muscle,

or tendon damage; 4) involves injury to any internal organ; or 5)

involves second- or third-degree burns, or any burns affecting

more than 5 percent of the body surface.

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.
38 Pocket Guide to Transportation

Statistics published in this Pocket Guide to Transportation

come from many different sources. Some statistics are

based on samples and are subject to sampling variability.

Statistics may also be subject to omissions and errors in

reporting,recording, and processing. For more information

about the accuracy of statistics in this publication,refer to

the sources listed.

U.S. Department of Transportation