2012 Commodity Flow Survey

DRAFT Attachment A-6

CFS-1000-L1

Dear Company Official:

As notified in our advance letter sent to you in October 2011, your establishment has been selected to participate in the 2012 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS). The CFS, undertaken through a partnership between the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation is conducted every 5 years as part of the Census Bureau’s Economic Census.

Transportation is one of the most important issues in the United States today. Policymakers and analysts need reliable information to guide government improvements to our highways, railroads, and other transportation systems. The CFS is critical to expanding our understanding of the economic, energy, safety, and security impacts of transportation.

Enclosed you will find the questionnaire, instruction guide, and a commodity code booklet. Please complete and return your survey by the due date identified on your questionnaire. You may also complete your survey via the Internet. See the front page of the questionnaire for log-in information.

Your responses are completely confidential under Title 13 of the United States Code, and are seen only by persons sworn to uphold the confidentiality of Census Bureau information. Your response to these questions is required by law - Title 13, United States Code, sections 131, 193, and 224.

To learn more about the CFS and to access the aggregate results of the survey, please visit www.census.gov/cfs.

If you have questions, please call 1-800-772-7851, option “3” weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern time or visit the business help site (BHS) at http://bhs.econ.census.gov/bhs/cfs/index.html.

Thank you for your participation in this survey. We realize that your time is valuable and greatly appreciate your efforts.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves Peter H. Appel

Director Administrator

U.S. Census Bureau Research and Innovative Technology Administration

Enclosures