Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) 1993 [Supporting Datasets]

The 1993 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) is the most comprehensive effort to identify where and how goods are shipped in the United States since 1977. It measures the value and weight of commodities shipped by manufacturing, mining, wholesale trade, and selected retail and service industries. Prior surveys only measured shipments by manufacturing firms. The CFS is undertaken through a partnership between the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) in the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Bureau of the Census in the U.S. Department of Commerce. Census collected quarterly data in 1993, as part of its Economic Census, under the technical guidance of BTS. From a sample of 200,000 establishments, commodity flows were estimated for a universe of approximately 800,000 businesses. Funding was provided by the Bureau of the Census, BTS, and the Federal Highway Administration. Subsequent surveys are scheduled for 1997 and every five years thereafter.

CFS Coverage and Limitations: The CFS covers employer establishments that are located in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Surveyed establishments were selected by geographic location and industry. Each surveyed business reported on a sample of individual shipments made during a two-week period in each quarter of 1993. CFS data on individual shipments include total value and weight, commodity type, modes of transport, and domestic origin and destination. The CFS also reports on whether the commodity is shipped in containers and whether it is a hazardous material. In addition, a sample of firms provides information on the availability of on-site shipping facilities, access to shipping sites, and transportation equipment ownership and leasing data. The 1993 CFS did not adequately cover shipments of crude petroleum, which primarily affect data for pipeline and water transportation. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has estimated commodity flows for these two modes, which are noted in table 1. Also, the survey excludes establishments classified in the Standard Industrial Classification as farms, forestry, fisheries, oil and gas extraction, governments, construction, transportation, households, and some retail and service businesses. Furthermore, the CFS does not cover shipments originating in Puerto Rico, other U.S. territories and possessions, or foreign countries. Commodities that are shipped from a foreign location to another foreign destination, through the United States (e.g., from Canada to Mexico) are also excluded from the survey.

Associated reports can be found by searching “Commodity Flow Survey 1993” in the Repository & Open Science Access Portal (ROSA P) at: https://doi.org/10.21949/1398953