BTS says surface trade with NAFTA partners up 13.8 percent annually in December 2010

Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was up 13.8 percent in December 2010 compared to December 2009, increasing to $66.5 billion, according to data released by the United States Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

The BTS said that the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in December was up 12.6 percent compared to December 2005, and up 48.6 percent compared to December 2000, a period of 10 years. Imports in December were up 41.9 percent compared to December 2000, while exports were up 57.7 percent.

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. According to the BTS 89.6 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved on land.

BTS officials said that the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in December was 2.2 less than November 2010, and in December 84.8 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved on land.

The BTS said the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada was up 12.2 percent year-over-year in December at $39.8 billion. Imports carried by truck were valued 17.7 percent higher in December 2010 compared to December 2009, said the BTS, and the value of exports carried by truck was up 10.4 percent. Michigan paced all states in surface trade with Canada in December at $4.7 billion.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Mexico was up 16.3 percent year over year in December at $26.8 billion. Imports carried by truck were valued 16.3 percent higher in December 2010 compared to December 2009, said the BTS, and the value of exports carried by truck was up 18.7 percent. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in December at $9.5 billion, snapping a three-month stretch in which Texas trade with Mexico by surface modes topped $10 billion.

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