BTS says surface trade with NAFTA partners up 19.3 percent in September

Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was up 19.3 percent in September 2010 compared to September 2009, increasing to $68.3 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 September was up 11.7 percent compared to September 2005, and up 38.9 percent compared to September 2000, a period of 10 years. And imports in September were up 30.6 percent compared to September 2000, while exports were up 49.9 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 September was 4.8 percent below September 2008 levels despite an annual increase from September 2009 to September 2010. On a sequential basis, U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico was up 0.5 percent in September compared to August.

The BTS said the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada was up 15.7 percent year-over-year in September at $40.2 billion. Imports carried by truck were valued 10.7 percent higher in September 2010 compared to September 2009, said the BTS, and the value of exports carried by truck was up 17.4 percent. Michigan paced all states in surface trade with Canada in August at $5.4 billion, matching August.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Mexico was up 24.8 percent year over year in September at $28.1 billion. Imports carried by truck were valued 23.3 percent higher in September 2010 compared to September 2009, said the BTS, and the value of exports carried by truck was up 20.7 percent. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in September at $10.2 billion, marking the second time in the 15-year history of BTS TransBorder Freight Data that a state has topped $10 billion of surface trade with Mexico. This happened for the first time in September.