THE CARLOAD WAYBILL STATISTICS: USEFULNESS FOR ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

With government's reduced role in economic regulations, many of the traditionally available transportation data bases have either been discontinued or reduced in scope. In the case of the Carload Waybill Statistics, data collection and reporting processes have undergone many significant enhancements in recent years, such as computerized data collection and processing, modification of sampling procedures, and increased emphasis on accuracy. This paper provides an overview of the current processing techniques and data enhancements, and highlights areas of potential confusion as to what the Waybill Statistics actually measure. It is intended as a guide to the current structure and proper interpretation of the Surface Transportation Board's (STB's) Waybill Sample.