Total U.S.-NAFTA trade down slightly in January, reports BTS

The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported this week that U.S. trade with its North America Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico in January dropped 1.2 percent to $89.3 billion.

BTS said that truck, rail, air each carried more U.S.-NAFTA freight over January 2014, with pipeline and mineral down due to the reduced unit price of mineral fuel shipments. 

The value of commodities moving by rail in January saw the largest annual increase at 4.8 percent, with truck freight up 3.6 percent, and air freight up 1.3 percent. BTS said vessel freight dropped 21.8 percent and pipeline freight was down 22.5 percent.

BTS said that trucks carried 62.3 percent of U.S.-NAFTA freight in January and accounted for $27.4 billion of the $47.5 billion in imports (57.7 percent) and $28.2 billion of the $41.8 billion of exports (67.6 percent).

U.S.-Canada freight totaled $48.1 billion in January 2015 as three out of five transportation modes –air, truck, and rail– carried more U.S.-Canada freight than in January 2014. Year-over-year, the value of U.S.-Canada trade by air increased the most of any mode, growing by 3.4 percent. Truck freight increased by 2.7 percent and rail rose by 1.8 percent. Vessel freight decreased by 19.0 percent and pipeline decreased by 22.5 percent, mainly due to lower mineral fuel prices.

U.S.-Mexico freight totaled $41.2 billion in January 2015 as two out of five transportation modes –rail and truck– carried more U.S.-Mexico freight than in January 2014. Year-over-year, the value of U.S.-Mexico rail freight rose 9.4 percent, the largest percentage increase of any mode. Freight carried by truck increased by 4.4 percent. Air freight decreased by 2.6 percent. Pipeline freight decreased by 23.1 percent and vessel freight decreased by 23.5 percent, mainly due to lower mineral fuel prices.