ton-mile
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ton-mile
First recorded in 1900–05
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Europe, where railroads faced heavy state involvement, costs per ton-mile are twice as expensive as in the U.S.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 2026
Railroads carry 43 percent of the nation’s freight as measured by the ton-mile, according to their trade group, the Association of American Railroads.
From BusinessWeek ● Feb. 7, 2012
The ton-mile age of freight increased nearly 8% over the preceding year, in which it had already marked a record.
From Time Magazine Archive
Where railways have no water-borne competition they have charged shippers five times as much, computed on a cents per ton-mile basis, as they charged in areas where they had to compete.
From Time Magazine Archive
Freight rates on the Great Lakes are higher per ton-mile than on the ocean, because the vessels are necessarily smaller than those built for ocean traffic.
From Commercial Geography A Book for High Schools, Commercial Courses, and Business Colleges by Jacques W. (Jacques Wardlaw) Redway
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