In terms of freight value, a total of $1.3 trillion worth of motor vehicles and parts were shipped in the United States in 2017, second only to mixed freight at $1.5 trillion. Other transportation-related commodities in the top twenty-five were gasoline & aviation turbine fuel ($822 million), and transportation equipment not elsewhere classified ($262 million). These are preliminary data from the 2017 Commodity Flow Survey.
Notes:
Mixed freight includes items for grocery and convenience stores (including food), supplies and food for restaurants and fast food chains, hardware or plumbing supplies, office supplies, and other miscellaneous products.
The CFS collects data from shipping establishments across the United States in mining, manufacturing, wholesale, and select retail and services trade industries (e.g., electronic shopping and mail-order houses, fuel dealers, and publishers), and auxiliary establishments such as warehouses and managing offices. For more information on the CFS, see the CFS FAQs.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 Commodity Flow Survey, Table 1.