Traffic mile

nounStandard termRailroad

A statistical unit measuring the total volume of passenger and freight transportation over a given distance.

An aggregate metric used by railroad accountants and planners to quantify the total work performed by the railway. It is calculated by adding the total passenger-miles and total ton-miles of freight moved during a specific period. This combined figure helps operators assess the overall utilization, efficiency, and revenue generation of a particular route or the entire network.

Heard on the job

The new intermodal contract boosted our traffic mile statistics for the quarter by nearly ten percent.