BTS reports February U.S.-NAFTA trade falls 1 percent annually

The United States Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) said this week that trade using all forms of freight transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was down 1.0 percent in February 2013 compared to February 2012 at $88.4 billion.

Previously, BTS has only measured this trade data by surface transportation modes, but it is now based on trucks, rail, ocean vessels, pipelines, and air.

BTS said trucks accounted for 59.1 percent of total freight moved between the U.S. and its NAFTA partners, with rail at 15.3 percent, ocean vessels at 9.7 percent, pipelines at 7.7 percent, and air at 3.6 percent, adding that trucks, rail, and pipeline accounted for 82.1 percent of total NAFTA freight flows in February.

U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade in February came in at $48.9 billion. Michigan paced all states in trade at $6.0 billion. BTS said trucks accounted for 54.4 percent of this trade activity, followed by rail at 17.0 percent, pipelines at 13.3 percent, vessels at 5.3 percent, and air at 4.4 percent. Truck, rail and pipeline accounted for 84.7 percent of total U.S.-Canada trade, said BTS.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Mexico was $39.6 billion in February. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico at $39.6 billion. Trucks represented 64.8 percent of the trade activity, with ocean vessels next at 15.2 percent, rail at 13.2 percent, and air and pipelines at 2.8 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively. Texas led all states in trade activity with Mexico at $15.4 billion. Truck, rail, and pipeline represented 78.8 percent of total monthly trade with Mexico.