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
Air freight's big millstone is still its expense: rates average a costly 11.1� per ton-mile v. only 1.3� by rail and 6.3� by truck.
From Time Magazine Archive
What the three were seeking was the right to carry 3� mail at 18�� per ton-mile, which is the rate at which 3� mail is currently being carried by the scheduled airlines.
From Time Magazine Archive
A rate per ton-mile for each class of freight is out of question, because a large part of the cost to the company consists in loading, handling, and storing the goods.
From Commercial Geography A Book for High Schools, Commercial Courses, and Business Colleges by Redway, Jacques W. (Jacques Wardlaw)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
