ton-mile

American  

[tuhn-mahyl] / ˈtʌnˈmaɪl /

noun

1. a unit of freight transportation measurement equivalent to a ton of freight transported one mile.

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Other Word Forms

• ton-mileage
  noun

Etymology

Origin of ton-mile

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ton-mile

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

But the U.S. is spending only $2.5 billion a year on roads while $4 billion would be needed to maintain the 1936 ratio of spending per ton-mile of traffic.

From Time Magazine Archive

It will open next year, a 93-mile marvel that extends through 75 locks and will reduce transportation costs from 10 pence a ton-mile to 1½ pence.

From Time Magazine Archive

A cent a ton-mile proved to be a paying rate on a small canal.

From Modern Economic Problems Economics Volume II by Fetter, Frank Albert