Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico was 10.5 percent higher in December 2009 than in December 2008, with a value of $58.5 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The increase was the first over the same month of the previous year since September 2008, but the value of trade in December still remained 4.0 percent below the value in December 2007.
BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico fell 0.8 percent in December 2009 from November 2009; month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors. The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in December was up 12.3 percent compared to December 2004, and up 36.6 percent compared to December 1999. Imports in December were up 37.0 percent compared to December 1999, while exports were up 36.2 percent.
U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade totaled $35.4 billion in December, up 7.8 percent compared to December 2008. The value of imports carried by truck was 2.3 percent lower in December 2009 than December 2008, while the value of exports carried by truck was 11.2 percent higher. Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in December with $4.7 billion.
U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $23.0 billion in December, up 15.0 percent compared to December 2008. The value of imports carried by truck was 15.5 percent higher in December 2009 than December 2008, while the value of exports carried by truck was 10.4 percent higher. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in December with $7.9 billion.
The TransBorder Freight Data are a unique subset of official U.S. foreign trade statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau. New data are tabulated monthly, and historical data are not adjusted for inflation. Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline; about 85 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moves by land modes.
