United States Transport Stats
The United States built some of the best roads, bridges and railways. The country’s transportation industry is very competitive. Multinational corporations that invested in this sector are involved in the movement of goods all through the world’s biggest consumer market.
In 2011, spending in logistics and transportation reached almost $1.3 trillion in 2011. It averaged 8.5 percent of annual gross domestic product. This grew by 3.4 percent in 2012 which is roughly $43 billion. However, this is still ½ the increase from 2011. Nonetheless, this well integrated supply chain network in the United States hooks up producers and consumers via multiple transportation means. These include air and express delivery services, freight rail, maritime transport, and truck transport. Multinational and domestic companies provide customized logistics and transportation solutions that ensure coordinated movement of commodities from origin to end user. The goal is achieved through various supply chain network segments. This results in efficient service for the general public.
However, traffic congestion in urban areas is costing the government, private sector and people waste of time and resources. The auto-centric transport system which was built 100 years ago has brought about increasing pollution and dependence on oil. After more than five decades of constructing modern highways, the nation does not yet have the ability to get out of the traffic jam. New road capacity is quickly filled up and the fiscal burden of its maintenance further compounds the problem. Stakeholders in this industry believe that there should be a more balanced transportation system that provides Americans with more options. People should be able to travel shorter distances or less frequently land conveyance.
Definitions
- Air transport > Freight > Million ton-km: Air freight is the volume of freight, express, and diplomatic bags carried on each flight stage (operation of an aircraft from takeoff to its next landing), measured in metric tons times kilometers traveled."
- Air transport > Freight > Million tons per km: Air freight is the volume of freight, express, and diplomatic bags carried on each flight stage (operation of an aircraft from takeoff to its next landing), measured in metric tons times kilometers traveled.
- Air transport > Passengers carried: Air passengers carried include both domestic and international aircraft passengers of air carriers registered in the country.
- Air transport > Passengers carried > Per capita: Air passengers carried include both domestic and international aircraft passengers of air carriers registered in the country. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
- Airports: Total number of airports. Runways must be useable, but may be unpaved. May not have facilities for refuelling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
- Airports > Per $ GDP: Total number of airports. Runways must be useable, but may be unpaved. May not have facilities for refuelling, maintenance, or air traffic control. Per $ GDP figures expressed per 1 billion $ gross domestic product.
- Airports > Per capita: Total number of airports. Runways must be useable, but may be unpaved. May not have facilities for refuelling, maintenance, or air traffic control. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
- Airports > With paved runways > Over 3,047 m: This entry is derived from Transport > Airports > With paved runways, which gives the total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. The type aircraft capable of operating from a runway of a given length is dependent upon a number of factors including elevation of the runway, runway gradient, average maximum daily temperature at the airport, engine types, flap settings, and take-off weight of the aircraft.
- Airports > With paved runways > Total: Total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces)
- Airports > With unpaved runways > 914 to 1,523 m: This entry is derived from Transport > Airports > With unpaved runways, which gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. The type aircraft capable of operating from a runway of a given length is dependent upon a number of factors including elevation of the runway, runway gradient, average maximum daily temperature at the airport, engine types, flap settings, and take-off weight of the aircraft.
- Airports > With unpaved runways > Total: Total number of airports with useable unpaved runways (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces)
- Airports per million: Total number of airports. Runways must be useable, but may be unpaved. May not have facilities for refuelling, maintenance, or air traffic control. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
- Cars: Cars per 1,000 people (1999).
- Commute > Distance: Distance. Based on 0-50 contributions for Argentina, Armenia, Austria and 63 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Germany and 5 more countries and over 100 contributions for Canada, India, and United States. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from January, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "Distance".
- Commute > Time spent > Cycling: Bike. Based on 0-50 contributions for Argentina, Armenia, Austria and 63 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Germany and 5 more countries and over 100 contributions for Canada, India, and United States. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from January, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "Bike".
- Commute > Time spent > Driving: Driving Car. Based on 0-50 contributions for Argentina, Armenia, Austria and 63 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Germany and 5 more countries and over 100 contributions for Canada, India, and United States. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from January, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "Driving Car".
- Commute > Time spent > On the train: Train Ride. Based on 0-50 contributions for Argentina, Armenia, Austria and 63 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Germany and 5 more countries and over 100 contributions for Canada, India, and United States. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from January, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "Train Ride".
- Commute > Time spent > Total: Overall. Based on 0-50 contributions for Argentina, Armenia, Austria and 63 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Germany and 5 more countries and over 100 contributions for Canada, India, and United States. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from January, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "Overall".
- Commute > Time spent > Waiting: Waiting. Based on 0-50 contributions for Argentina, Armenia, Austria and 63 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Germany and 5 more countries and over 100 contributions for Canada, India, and United States. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from January, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "Waiting".
- Commute > Time spent > Walking: Walking. Based on 0-50 contributions for Argentina, Armenia, Austria and 63 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Germany and 5 more countries and over 100 contributions for Canada, India, and United States. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from January, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "Walking".
- Container port traffic: Port container traffic measures the flow of containers from land to sea transport modes., and vice versa, in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a standard-size container. Data refer to coastal shipping as well as international journeys. Transshipment traffic is counted as two lifts at the intermediate port (once to off-load and again as an outbound lift) and includes empty units.
- Container port traffic per 1000: Port container traffic measures the flow of containers from land to sea transport modes., and vice versa, in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a standard-size container. Data refer to coastal shipping as well as international journeys. Transshipment traffic is counted as two lifts at the intermediate port (once to off-load and again as an outbound lift) and includes empty units. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
- Gross value added by transport, storage and communication: Gross Value Added by Kind of Economic Activity at current prices - US dollars.
- Gross value added by transport, storage and communication per capita: Gross Value Added by Kind of Economic Activity at current prices - US dollars. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
- Heliports: Total number of established helicopter take-off and landing sites (which may or may not have fuel or other services).
- Highways > Paved: total length of the paved parts of the highway system
- Highways > Paved > Per capita: total length of the paved parts of the highway system Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
- Highways > Total: total length of the highway system
- Highways > Total > Per capita: total length of the highway system Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
- Highways > Total per 1000: total length of the highway system. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
- Inefficiency index: Each country's inefficiency rating in regards to traffic. Long commute times, poor traffic laws and other factors are taken into consideration.
- Logistics performance index: Competence and quality of logistics services > 1=low to 5=high: Logistics performance index: Competence and quality of logistics services (1=low to 5=high). Data are from Logistics Performance Index surveys conducted by the World Bank in partnership with academic and international institutions and private companies and individuals engaged in international logistics. 2009 round of surveys covered more than 5,000 country assessments by nearly 1,000 international freight forwarders. Respondents evaluate eight markets on six core dimensions on a scale from 1 (worst) to 5 (best). The markets are chosen based on the most important export and import markets of the respondent's country, random selection, and, for landlocked countries, neighboring countries that connect them with international markets. Details of the survey methodology are in Arvis and others' Connecting to Compete 2010: Trade Logistics in the Global Economy (2010). Respondents evaluated the overall level of competence and quality of logistics services (e.g. transport operators, customs brokers), on a rating ranging from 1 (very low) to 5 (very high). Scores are averaged across all respondents.
- Logistics performance index: Competence and quality of logistics services > 1=low to 5=high per million: Logistics performance index: Competence and quality of logistics services (1=low to 5=high). Data are from Logistics Performance Index surveys conducted by the World Bank in partnership with academic and international institutions and private companies and individuals engaged in international logistics. 2009 round of surveys covered more than 5,000 country assessments by nearly 1,000 international freight forwarders. Respondents evaluate eight markets on six core dimensions on a scale from 1 (worst) to 5 (best). The markets are chosen based on the most important export and import markets of the respondent's country, random selection, and, for landlocked countries, neighboring countries that connect them with international markets. Details of the survey methodology are in Arvis and others' Connecting to Compete 2010: Trade Logistics in the Global Economy (2010). Respondents evaluated the overall level of competence and quality of logistics services (e.g. transport operators, customs brokers), on a rating ranging from 1 (very low) to 5 (very high). Scores are averaged across all respondents. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
- Logistics performance index: Overall > 1=low to 5=high per million: Logistics performance index: Overall (1=low to 5=high). Logistics Performance Index overall score reflects perceptions of a country's logistics based on efficiency of customs clearance process, quality of trade- and transport-related infrastructure, ease of arranging competitively priced shipments, quality of logistics services, ability to track and trace consignments, and frequency with which shipments reach the consignee within the scheduled time. The index ranges from 1 to 5, with a higher score representing better performance. Data are from Logistics Performance Index surveys conducted by the World Bank in partnership with academic and international institutions and private companies and individuals engaged in international logistics. 2009 round of surveys covered more than 5,000 country assessments by nearly 1,000 international freight forwarders. Respondents evaluate eight markets on six core dimensions on a scale from 1 (worst) to 5 (best). The markets are chosen based on the most important export and import markets of the respondent's country, random selection, and, for landlocked countries, neighboring countries that connect them with international markets. Scores for the six areas are averaged across all respondents and aggregated to a single score using principal components analysis. Details of the survey methodology and index construction methodology are in Arvis and others' Connecting to Compete 2010: Trade Logistics in the Global Economy (2010). Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
- Maritime > Air transport, passengers carried: Air transport, passengers carried. Air passengers carried include both domestic and international aircraft passengers of air carriers registered in the country.
- Maritime > Arms exports > Constant 1990 US$: Arms exports (constant 1990 US$). Arms transfers cover the supply of military weapons through sales, aid, gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships designed for military use. Excluded are transfers of other military equipment such as small arms and light weapons, trucks, small artillery, ammunition, support equipment, technology transfers, and other services.
- Maritime > Liner shipping connectivity index > Maximum value in 2004 = 100 per million: Liner shipping connectivity index (maximum value in 2004 = 100). The Liner Shipping Connectivity Index captures how well countries are connected to global shipping networks. It is computed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) based on five components of the maritime transport sector: number of ships, their container-carrying capacity, maximum vessel size, number of services, and number of companies that deploy container ships in a country's ports. For each component a country's value is divided by the maximum value of each component in 2004, the five components are averaged for each country, and the average is divided by the maximum average for 2004 and multiplied by 100. The index generates a value of 100 for the country with the highest average index in 2004. . The underlying data come from Containerisation International Online. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
- Merchant marine > Ships by type: Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all non-military ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc.; or a grouping of merchant ships by nationality o
- Merchant marine > Total: 1000 GRT or over
- Merchant marine > Total > Dwt: Dwt=Deadweight tonnage, a measure of the capacity of a cargo ship
- Motor vehicle > Production: Production of motor vehicles by country. Figures include passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, minibuses, trucks, buses and coaches.
- Motor vehicle > Production per 1000: Production of motor vehicles by country. Figures include passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, minibuses, trucks, buses and coaches. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
- Motor vehicles: Motor vehicles per 1,000 people
- Motor vehicles > Per 1,000 people: Motor vehicles include cars, buses, and freight vehicles but do not include two-wheelers. Population refers to midyear population in the year for which data are available."
- Passenger cars > Per 1,000 people: Passenger cars refer to road motor vehicles, other than two-wheelers, intended for the carriage of passengers and designed to seat no more than nine people (including the driver)."
- Pipelines: The lengths and types of pipelines for transporting products like natural gas, crude oil, or petroleum products
- Ports and harbors: The major ports and harbors selected on the basis of overall importance to each country. This is determined by evaluating a number of factors (e.g., dollar value of goods handled, gross tonnage, facilities, and military significance).
- Ports and terminals: This entry lists major ports and terminals primarily on the basis of the amount of cargo tonnage shipped through the facilities on an annual basis. In some instances, the number of containers handled or ship visits were also considered.
- Quality of port infrastructure, WEF > 1=extremely underdeveloped to 7=well developed and efficient by international standards: Quality of port infrastructure, WEF (1=extremely underdeveloped to 7=well developed and efficient by international standards). The Quality of Port Infrastructure measures business executives' perception of their country's port facilities. Data are from the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey, conducted for 30 years in collaboration with 150 partner institutes. The 2009 round included more than 13,000 respondents from 133 countries. Sampling follows a dual stratification based on company size and the sector of activity. Data are collected online or through in-person interviews. Responses are aggregated using sector-weighted averaging. The data for the latest year are combined with the data for the previous year to create a two-year moving average. Scores range from 1 (port infrastructure considered extremely underdeveloped) to 7 (port infrastructure considered efficient by international standards). Respondents in landlocked countries were asked how accessible are port facilities (1 = extremely inaccessible; 7 = extremely accessible).
- Rail > High speed railway length: High speed dedicated lines (speed of 200 km/h or over) currently in operation.
- Rail > Passenger-km of rail transport per year: Billion passenger-km.
- Rail > Railway length: Railway length in kilometers.
- Rail lines > Total route-km: Rail lines are the length of railway route available for train service, irrespective of the number of parallel tracks."
- Railways > Passengers carried > Million passenger-km: Passengers carried by railway are the number of passengers transported by rail times kilometers traveled.
- Railways > Rail lines > Total route-km: Rail lines (total route-km). Rail lines are the length of railway route available for train service, irrespective of the number of parallel tracks.
- Railways > Railways, passengers carried > Million passenger-km: Railways, passengers carried (million passenger-km). Passengers carried by railway are the number of passengers transported by rail times kilometers traveled.
- Railways > Railways, passengers carried > Million passenger-km per million: Railways, passengers carried (million passenger-km). Passengers carried by railway are the number of passengers transported by rail times kilometers traveled. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
- Railways > Total: This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of its component parts by gauge: broad, dual, narrow, standard, and other.
- Railways > Total > Per capita: This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of its component parts by gauge: broad, dual, narrow, standard, and other. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
- Road > Cars > Hybrid vehicles: Number of hybrid electric vehicles registered per year.
- Road > Cars > Hybrid vehicles per million people: Number of hybrid electric vehicles registered per year. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
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Road > Expressway length:
Expressway length (km).
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
- Road > Length of motorways per capita: Kilometers of motorways per million residents.
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Road > Motor vehicles per 1000 people:
Motor vehicles per 1000 people.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
- Road > Motorway density: Meters of motorway per square kilometer.
- Road > Motorway length: Total network length of all motorways in km.
- Road > Motorway length per capita: Length of motorways per capita (mm).
- Road > Public road per capita: Length of public roads per capita (m).
- Road > Road density: Road density (m of road per square km).
- Road > Road fatalities per 1 billion km driven: Compares countries measuring the number of people killed in a year per billion of vehicles circulating through a kilometer of road, including all types of roads. The figures correspond to the year 2010, and were taken from the International Road Traffic and Accident Database (IRTAD). This database is kept by the OECD.
- Road density > Km of road per 100 sq. km of land area: Road density is the ratio of the length of the country's total road network to the country's land area. The road network includes all roads in the country: motorways, highways, main or national roads, secondary or regional roads, and other urban and rural roads."
- Road network length > Km: Length of road network in kilometers in European Union countries.
- Road sector gasoline fuel > Consumption > Kt of oil equivalent: Gasoline is light hydrocarbon oil use in internal combustion engine such as motor vehicles, excluding aircraft."
- Roads > Goods transported > Million ton-km > Per capita: Goods transported by road are the volume of goods transported by road vehicles, measured in millions of metric tons times kilometers traveled." Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
- Roads > Motor vehicles > Per 1,000 people: Motor vehicles (per 1,000 people). Motor vehicles include cars, buses, and freight vehicles but do not include two-wheelers. Population refers to midyear population in the year for which data are available.
- Roads > Passenger cars > Per 1,000 people: Passenger cars (per 1,000 people). Passenger cars refer to road motor vehicles, other than two-wheelers, intended for the carriage of passengers and designed to seat no more than nine people (including the driver).
- Roads > Roads, total network > Km: Roads, total network (km). Total road network includes motorways, highways, and main or national roads, secondary or regional roads, and all other roads in a country. A motorway is a road designed and built for motor traffic that separates the traffic flowing in opposite directions.
- Roads > Roads, total network > Km per 1000: Roads, total network (km). Total road network includes motorways, highways, and main or national roads, secondary or regional roads, and all other roads in a country. A motorway is a road designed and built for motor traffic that separates the traffic flowing in opposite directions. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
- Roads > Time index: Time Index is an average one way time needed to transport, in minutes.
- Roads > Total network > Km: Total road network includes motorways, highways, and main or national roads, secondary or regional roads, and all other roads in a country. A motorway is a road designed and built for motor traffic that separates the traffic flowing in opposite directions."
- Roads > Traffic index: Traffic Index is a composite index of time consumed in traffic due to job commute, estimation of time consumption dissatisfaction, CO2 consumption estimation in traffic and overall inefficiencies in the traffic system.
- Roadways > Paved: This entry is derived from Transport > Roadways, which gives the total length of the road network and includes the length of the paved and unpaved portions.
- Roadways > Paved per thousand people: This entry is derived from Transport > Roadways, which gives the total length of the road network and includes the length of the paved and unpaved portions. Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
- Roadways > Total: This entry gives the total length of the road network and includes the length of the paved and unpaved portions.
- Roadways > Unpaved: This entry gives the total length of the road network and includes the length of the paved and unpaved portions.
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Vehicle abundance:
Vehicles per populated land area
Units: Vehicles/Populated Land Area (in km2)
Units: Air pollution is generally greatest in densely populated areas. To take this into account, we used the Gridded Population of the World dataset available from CIESIN and calculated the total land area in each country inhabited with a population density of greater than 5 persons per sq. km. We then utilized this land area as the denominator for the vehicles data. - Vehicles > Per km of road: Vehicles per kilometer of road include cars, buses, and freight vehicles but do not include two-wheelers. Roads refer to motorways, highways, main or national roads, secondary or regional roads, and other roads. A motorway is a road specially designed and built for motor traffic that separates the traffic flowing in opposite directions."
- Waterways: The total length and individual names of navigable rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water.
- Waterways per million: The total length and individual names of navigable rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
SOURCES: International Civil Aviation Organisation, Civil Aviation Statistics of the World and ICAO staff estimates.; World Development Indicators database; CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; World Bank, World Development Indicators 2002 (CD ROM); traffic; World Development Indicators database. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; United Nations Statistics Division; United Nations Statistics Division. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Numbeo traffic inefficiency index; World Bank and Turku School of Economics, Logistic Performance Index Surveys. Data are available online at : http://www.worldbank.org/lpi. Summary results are published in Arvis and others' Connecting to Compete: Trade Logistics in the Global Economy, The Logistics Performance Index and Its Indicators report.; World Bank and Turku School of Economics, Logistic Performance Index Surveys. Data are available online at : http://www.worldbank.org/lpi. Summary results are published in Arvis and others' Connecting to Compete: Trade Logistics in the Global Economy, The Logistics Performance Index and Its Indicators report. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; International Civil Aviation Organization, Civil Aviation Statistics of the World and ICAO staff estimates.; Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Yearbook: Armaments, Disarmament and International Security.; United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Review of Maritime Transport 2010. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; OICA correspondents survey: World Motor Vehicle Production by Country 1999-2000; OICA correspondents survey: World Motor Vehicle Production by Country 1999-2000. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook; International Road Federation, World Road Statistics and data files.; World Economic Forum, Global Competiveness Report.; Wikipedia: High-speed rail by country (Overview); Wikipedia: Rail usage statistics by country (Passenger-km of rail transport per year) (UIC Synopsis 2011 UIC database); Wikipedia: List of countries by rail transport network size (Long List); World Bank, Transportation, Water, and Urban Development Department, Transport Division.; World Bank, Transportation, Water, and Information and Communications Technologies Department, Transport Division.; World Bank, Transportation, Water, and Information and Communications Technologies Department, Transport Division. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Wikipedia: Hybrid electric vehicle (Top national markets for hybrid electric vehicles between 2007 and); Wikipedia: Hybrid electric vehicle (Top national markets for hybrid electric vehicles between 2007 and). Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Wikipedia: List of countries by road network size; https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2085.html, Roadways.; Wikipedia: List of countries by vehicles per capita; Wikipedia: List of OECD countries by road network size (Motorway network) ("Selected year 2006 road traffic data" . OECD International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group (IRTAD).); Wikipedia: Autobahn (Safety: international comparison) (http://www.bast.de (December 2012). "International Traffic and Accident Data: Selected Risk Values for the Year 2010" (PDF). Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (Federal Highway Research Institute) . Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen . Retrieved 2013-09-10. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2011/2_intro.cfm); International Road Federation, World Road Statistics and electronic files, except where noted.; International Road Federation, World Road Statistics and electronic files, except where noted, and International Energy Agency (IEA Statistics \xA9 OECD/IEA, http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp).; International Road Federation, World Road Statistics and electronic files, except where noted. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; World Bank, World Development Indicators 2001, Washington, DC: World Bank, 2001
Citation
Did you know
- More than a third of the world's airports are in the United States of America.
United States Transport Profiles (Subcategories)
Airports 48 | Railways 17 |
Air transport 6 | Road 15 |
Commute 9 | Roads 17 |
Highways 9 | Road sector energy 3 |
Maritime 120 | Roadways 6 |
Merchant marine 20 | Space 11 |
Pipelines 6 | Transport services 3 |
Rail 4 |
6
The United States built some of the best roads, bridges and railways. The country’s transportation industry is very competitive. Multinational corporations that invested in this sector are involved in the movement of goods all through the world’s biggest consumer market.
In 2011, spending in logistics and transportation reached almost $1.3 trillion in 2011. It averaged 8.5 percent of annual gross domestic product. This grew by 3.4 percent in 2012 which is roughly $43 billion. However, this is still ½ the increase from 2011. Nonetheless, this well integrated supply chain network in the United States hooks up producers and consumers via multiple transportation means. These include air and express delivery services, freight rail, maritime transport, and truck transport. Multinational and domestic companies provide customized logistics and transportation solutions that ensure coordinated movement of commodities from origin to end user. The goal is achieved through various supply chain network segments. This results in efficient service for the general public.
However, traffic congestion in urban areas is costing the government, private sector and people waste of time and resources. The auto-centric transport system which was built 100 years ago has brought about increasing pollution and dependence on oil. After more than five decades of constructing modern highways, the nation does not yet have the ability to get out of the traffic jam. New road capacity is quickly filled up and the fiscal burden of its maintenance further compounds the problem. Stakeholders in this industry believe that there should be a more balanced transportation system that provides Americans with more options. People should be able to travel shorter distances or less frequently land conveyance.