BTS 1-03                                                                                
Thursday, January 30, 2003
Contact: Roger Lotz
Tel: (202) 366-2246

BTS 2003 Pocket Guide to Transportation Highlights Growth of Air Freight 

Air carrier freight ton-miles in the United States grew from 5 billion in 1980 to 15 billion in 2000, according to the 2003 edition of the Pocket Guide to Transportation released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).  

The growth rate for air freight outpaced that of all other freight modes, but air freight accounts for less than one percent of the nation’s total domestic freight ton-miles.  Between 1980 and 2000, overall domestic freight ton-miles grew from just under 3 trillion to 3.9 trillion, with rail moving the most ton-miles, followed by truck, water transportation and pipelines. 

                                                              Note: Ton-miles are based on short tons
                      Source: BTS Pocket Guide (Using Various Data Sources)

The BTS’ Pocket Guide to Transportation is a compact, easy access reference guide on transportation issues.  The 2003 issue again gives users important transportation information in a simple to read format.  

This year’s Pocket Guide is divided into the following six sections: 

·        Transportation System Extent and Use

·        Transportation Safety

·        Transportation Security

·        Mobility

·        Transportation and the Economy

·        Transportation and the Environment 

Among the new additions to this year’s Pocket Guide are: 

·        U.S. Passenger Airports with the Highest Percentage of Flight Delays

·        Roadway Hours of Delay and Congestion Cost per Person

·        U.S. Trade in Transportation – Related Commodities: 2001 

Much of the information within the Pocket Guide is based on data from BTS publications, including the just released National Transportation Statistics 2002. 

To order free copies of the Pocket Guide to Transportation, visit call 202-366-DATA (press 1), fax 202-366-3197, or write to Product Orders, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room 7412, 400 Seventh Street. S.W., Washington, DC 20590. 

A web version of the Pocket Guide will be available at www.bts.gov later this month.           

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