Transportation news: BTS says surface trade with NAFTA partners up 37.0 percent in March

Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was up 37.0 percent in March 2010 compared to March 2009, increasing to $69.9 billion, according to data released by the United States Department of Transportation’s Bureau of
Transportation Statistics (BTS).

This output, said the BTS, is the single largest year-over-year increase on record, although freight value in March was down 1.2 percent less than it was in March 2008

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.

BTS officials also noted that the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in March rose 17.6 percent in March 2010 compared to February 2010.

BTS officials said the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in March was up 17.7 percent compared to March 2005, and up 33.6 percent compared to March 2000. Imports in March were up 31.8 percent compared March 2000, while exports were up 35.8 percent, according to the BTS.

The BTS said the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada was up 35.6 percent year-over-year in March at $42.1 billion. Imports carried by truck were valued 19.4 percent higher in March 2010 compared to March 2009, said the BTS, and the value of exports carried by truck was up 30.4 percent. Michigan paced all states in
surface trade with Canada in January at $5.8 billion.

And the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Mexico was up 39.7 percent year over year in March at $27.8 billion. Imports carried by truck were valued 39.0 percent higher in March 2010 compared to March 2009, said the BTS, and the value of exports
carried by truck was up 31.6 percent. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in March at $9.6 billion, topping the previous high of $9.0 billion from October 2008.