Surface transportation trade between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico increased by 24.3 percent in 2010 compared to 2009, reaching $791 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The 24.3 percent increase in trade was the largest year-to-year increase for the years covered by these data. NAFTA went into effect in 1994.
BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that despite the increase from 2009 to 2010, the value of North American surface trade in 2010 remained below the levels of 2007 and 2008. Total North American surface transportation imports increased by 25.1 percent in 2010 from 2009, and exports increased by 23.3 percent during the same period.
In 2010, 86.2 percent of U.S. merchandise trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved on land. Total North American surface transportation trade value in 2010 increased by 13.4 percent compared to 2005, and was up by 37.5 percent compared to 2000.
U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade totaled $471 billion in 2010, an increase of 22.1 percent compared to 2009. The value of imports carried by truck was 17.3 percent higher in 2010 than 2009, while the value of exports carried by truck was 21.8 percent higher.
Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in 2010 with $60.7 billion.
U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $320.3 billion in 2010, an increase of 27.6 percent compared to 2009. The value of imports carried by truck was 26.5 percent higher in 2010 than 2009, while the value of exports carried by truck was 24.3 percent higher. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in 2010 with $114.5 billion; this is the first time on record that a state has had more than $100 billion in trade with Mexico by surface modes of transportation in a calendar year.
