Printer-friendly versionSend to friend

Did you know it's cheaper, cleaner and more efficient to ship goods on the Erie Canal rather than by truck?

There were 42 commercial shipments on the canal this year, compared to 15 last year.

The canal still remains the most fuel-efficient way to ship goods between the East Coast and the upper Midwest. One gallon of diesel pulls one ton of cargo 59 miles by truck, 202 miles by train and 514 miles by canal barge, Ms. Mantello said. A single barge can carry 3,000 tons, enough to replace 100 trucks.

As the price of diesel climbed over $4 a gallon this summer — the national average is now about $3.31 a gallon — more shippers rediscovered the Erie Canal.