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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

April 2020 North American Transborder Freight Numbers

Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2020
 

Transborder freight between the U.S. and other North American countries (Canada and Mexico) in April 2020:

  • Total Transborder freight: $58.1 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, down 44.4% compared to April 2019. The $58.1 in total Transborder freight was the lowest amount since May 2009.
  • Most-used mode: Trucks moved $38.5 billion of freight, down 40.8% compared to April 2019.
  • Second most-used mode: Railways moved $6.0 billion of freight, down 61.9% compared to April 2019.
  • Transborder freight value in April was down 41.2% from March.

Truck Freight: $38.5 billion (66.3% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:
U.S.-Canada: $17.8 billion (59.7% of all northern border freight)
U.S.-Mexico: $20.8 billion (73.2% of all southern border freight)
  • Compared to April 2019:
U.S.-Canada down 38.4%
U.S.-Mexico down 42.8%
  • Top Three Busiest truck border ports (41.0% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Laredo, TX                                    $8.3 billion
    • Detroit, MI                                    $4.4 billion
    • Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY                $3.1 billion
  • Top three truck commodities (41.0% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Computers and parts                      $8.0  billion
    • Electrical machinery                        $5.6  billion
    • Plastics                                          $2.2  billion

Rail Freight: $6.0 billion (10.2% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:
U.S.-Canada: $3.6 billion (12.2% of all northern border freight)
U.S.-Mexico: $2.3 billion (8.2% of all southern border freight)
  • Compared to April 2019:
U.S.-Canada down 57.4%
U.S.-Mexico down 67.3%

 

  • Three busiest rail border ports (45.6% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Laredo, TX                            $1.1 billion
    • Port Huron, MI                      $0.8 billion
    • Eagle Pass, TX                        $0.8 billion

 

  • Top three rail commodities (26.0% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Plastics                                    $0.6 billion
    • Motor vehicles and parts        $0.5 billion
    • Mineral fuels                           $0.5 billion

 

 

 

Total Transborder Freight by Mode:

 

U.S.-Canada (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:              $17.8
Rail:                   $3.6
Pipeline:             $3.1
Air:                     $2.1
Vessel:               $1.2

 

 
U.S.-Mexico (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:              $20.8
Vessel:               $3.2
Rail:                   $2.3
Air:                     $1.0
Pipeline:             $0.3

 

 

Reporting Notes

Data in this Bureau of Transportation Statistics release are not seasonally adjusted and are not adjusted for inflation. For previous statistical releases and summary tables, see TransBorder Releases. See TransBorder Freight Data for data from previous months, and for additional state, port, and commodity data. BTS has scheduled the release of May TransBorder numbers for July 22.