Transportation news: BTS says surface trade with Mexico and Canada down 24.9 percent in August
Staff -- Logistics Management, 10/29/2009
WASHINGTON-Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was down 24.9 percent in August 2009 compared to August 2008, falling to $54.3 billion, according to data released by the United States Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).
Unlike the previous seven months, there was not a year-to-year decline of more than 27 percent. The BTS said the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico was up 5.3 percent from July to August of this year. BTS officials said that month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.
The BTS said that the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in July was up 1.3 percent compared to August 2004 and up 26.0 percent compared to August 1999, with imports and exports up 18.8 percent and 35.5 percent, respectively, compared to July 1999.
Surface transportation, according to the BTS, is comprised mainly of freight movements by truck, trail, and pipeline, and nearly 90 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moves by land.
The BTS said the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Mexico sank 16.2 percent year over year in August at $21.3 billion. Imports carried by truck were valued 13.5 percent lower in August 2009 compared to August 2008, said the BTS, and the value of exports carried by truck was down 14.7 percent, matching July. And Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in January at $7.4 billion.
And the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada was down 29.6 percent year-over-year in August at $32.9 billion. Imports carried by truck were valued 26.1 percent lower in August 2009 compared to August 2008, said the BTS, and the value of exports carried by truck was down 17.0 percent. Michigan paced all states in surface trade with Canada in April at $3.8 billion.
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