Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was up 11.8 percent in February 2011 compared to February 2010 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 February was up 11.3 percent compared to February 2006, and up 48.4 percent compared to February 2001, a period of 10 years. Imports in February were up 43.1 percent compared to February 2001, and exports were up 55.3 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 February increased 38.8 percent since February 2009, which was at $47.9 billion and represented the lowest amount of trade in any month since February 2004. And they added that February 2011 trade value was down 4.1 percent compared to the recession levels of February 2008.
February freight value dropped 1.8 percent compared to January, according to the BTS.
The BTS said the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada was up 10.1 percent year-over-year in February at $40.0 billion. Imports carried by truck were valued 12.3 percent higher in February 2011 compared to February 2010, said the BTS, and the value of exports carried by truck was up 12.6 percent. Michigan paced all states in surface trade with Canada in January at $5.0 billion.
The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Mexico was up 24.5 percent year over year in February at $26.6 billion. Imports carried by truck were valued 13.7 percent higher in February 2011 compared to February 2010, said the BTS, and the value of exports carried by truck was up 15.6 percent. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in February at $9.1 billion.
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