Domestic shipping is a major business, and did you also know its a pretty good indicator of how well the United States economy is performing? According to Business Insider, Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffet prefers tracking railroad activity, but data shows that rail activity is just a small part of a major industry.
Every five years, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics runs the Commodity Flow Survey (most recently 2012), which follows certain types of goods across the country and the means they take to get there.
In 2012, more than $13.6 trillion worth of freight made its way around the U.S., and trucking accounted for a dominating $10 trillion. Trucking also eclipsed rail, water, and air when it came to total weight shipped with upwards of 8 billion tons. Rail was the next closest with just shy of 2 billion tons.
However, just because trucking dominated dollar value and total weight, doesn’t mean it was putting in the most legwork – in fact, just the opposite. The average truck shipment traveled just 216 miles while the average air shipment traveled more than 1,200 miles. Rail and water also covered great distances at approximately 800 miles each.
Companies performing large domestic shipments have a lot to think about when determining the best method. Luckily, ICAT Logistics offers countless options, ranging from Next Flight Out (NFO) and Onboard Couriers to Air Charter and Full-Truckloads. Contact us today to figure out the best option for you!