U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Freight Economy
Date: July 11, 2016
Our Host: Houston Metropolitan Chamber, Houston-Galveston Area Council and Workforce Solutions
| HIGHWAYS |  | I-10, I-69, I-610, I-45, US 59, US 90, US 290 |
| RAILROADS |  | Kansas City Southern, Union Pacific, BNSF, Port Terminal Railroad Association |
| AIRPORTS |  | William P. Hobby, George Bush Intercontinental |
| WATERBORNE |  | Houston Ship Channel, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Port of Houston Authority, Port of Texas City, Port of Galveston, Port Freeport |
| FREIGHT CLUSTER |  | East Harris County Petrochemical Complex, Brazosport Petrochemical, Houston Ship Channel Intermodal Facilities, Western Fort Bend County Railroad facilities, Central Houston rail yards, George Bush Intercontinental air cargo terminals |
Source: H-GAC
Data represents freight activity for Greater Houston Region (CSA)
| Commodity | Value (millions $) | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics | 266,178 | 13% |
| Machinery | 216,305 | 10% |
| Plastics/rubber | 203,656 | 10% |
| Fuel oils | 177,499 | 8% |
| Basic chemicals | 164,274 | 8% |
| All commodities | 2,118,426 | 100% |
| Commodity | Tons (thousands) | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel oils | 248,090 | 17% |
| Natural gas (Coal-n.e.c.) | 196,768 | 13% |
| Crude petroleum | 157,874 | 11% |
| Basic chemicals | 157,217 | 10% |
| Gasoline | 127,673 | 8% |
| All commodities | 1,503,339 | 100% |
| Trade partner | Tonnage | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Rest of Americas | 76,242 | 17% |
| Texas | 65,426 | 14% |
| Louisiana | 41,630 | 9% |
| Eastern Asia | 40,060 | 9% |
| Mexico | 30,777 | 7% |
| Total outbound | 453,644 | 100% |
| Trade partner | Tonnage | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 190,310 | 41% |
| Mexico | 51,143 | 11% |
| Louisiana | 34,676 | 7% |
| Rest of Americas | 30,180 | 6% |
| SW & Central Asia | 29,688 | 6% |
| Total inbound | 468,495 | 100% |
Based on FAF4.2 data with base year 2012 and forecasts upto 2045
In 2014, Texas's GDP was $1.6 billion, ranked 2nd among U.S. states. The Houston region's GDP was 23.3% of the state's GDP, ranked 4th among U.S. metro areas.
About half of the Greater Houston region’s employment is generated by freightintensive industries.
Between 2012 and 2045, the Greater Houston region will see freight activity double both in tonnage and in value.
The Greater Houston region's share of international freight by value is projected to grow from 25% in 2012 to 41% in 2045.
In 2014, annual congestion costs in the Houston metro region were $4.9 billion, ranked 6th in the nation.
In 2013, the Houston area had 5 of the top 25 U.S. freightcongested locations: I-45 at US-59, I-610 at US 290, I-10 at I-45, I-10 at US 59, and I-45 at I-610.
In 2014, 867,000 tons of cargo landed in George Bush Intercontinental airport, ranked 17th in the nation.
Four deepwater ports in the region - the Port of Houston Authority (1st in US international waterborne tonnage, 2nd in US total tonnage), the Port of Galveston (4th in US cruise activity), Port Freeport, and the Port of Texas City - together directly sustain at least 71,000 jobs.
The three regional Class I railroads - Union Pacific, BNSF, and Kansas City Southern - operate nearly 1,000 miles of track and annually carry more than 150 million tons of local freight.
The Greater Houston region's pipelines extend more than 21,000 miles. The pipelines annually carry more than 445 million freight volume tons, ranking 1st in the nation in pipeline freight volumes.
Sources for Freight Facts: FAF4 Data, US DOT Freight Fact and Figure 2015, TTI 2015 Urban Mobility Scorecard, H-GAC Regional Goods Movement Plan (2013), TxDOT Port Capital Plan 2015-2016, Bureau of Economic Analysis
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