Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico was 37.0 percent higher in March 2010 than in March 2009, reaching $69.9 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The 37.0 percent increase from March 2009 to March 2010 is the largest year-over-year rise on record, but freight value in March 2010 still remained 1.2 percent less than the value in March 2008, two years earlier.
BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico rose 17.6 percent in March 2010 from February 2010; 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 March was up 17.7 percent compared to March 2005, and up 33.6 percent compared to March 2000. Imports in March were up 31.8 percent compared to March 2000, while exports were up 35.8 percent.
U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade totaled $42.1 billion in March, up 35.6 percent compared to March 2009. The value of imports carried by truck was 19.4 percent higher in March 2010 compared to March 2009, while the value of exports carried by truck was 30.4 percent higher. Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in March with $5.8 billion.
U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $27.8 billion in March, up 39.1 percent compared to March 2009. The value of imports carried by truck was 39.0 percent higher in March 2010 compared to March 2009, while the value of exports carried by truck was 31.6 percent higher. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in March with $9.6 billion, the largest amount of trade between Texas and Mexico on record, exceeding the previous high of $9.0 billion in October 2008.
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.
