Percent Change in Value of U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows by Mode:October 2013 Compared to October 2012 (chart from BTS)
The amount of freight carried to and from the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico exceeded the $100 billion mark in October for the first time, reaching $103.1 billion, according to the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
Related: Trucks moved a whopping 70 percent — $10 billion — of nation’s goods in 2012
Of that, trucks carried nearly 60 percent, moving $61.4 billion goods between the U.S. and its neighbors. Surface trade as a whole, which includes truck, rail and pipeline, accounted for $85.4 billion.
October’s total trade figure grew from October of 2012 by 4.5 percent and topped September’s $94.4 billion by 10 percent.
The amount of surface trade also set a record, topping March 2013’s high of $81.7 billion.
Truck trade, too, bested its previous record of $60 billion, which was from October 2012, representing a year over year increase of 3.1 percent.
In trading with Canada, trucks carried 53.5 percent of the $56.7 billion of freight moved between the two countries. Rail carried the second most, 16.5 percent.
In trading with Mexico, trucks carried 66.9 percent of the $46.4 billion, followed by rail’s 14.1 percent.
