Figure 1. U.S.-NAFTA Freight Value Percent Change from Previous Year (Last 24 months)

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

Two transportation modes – air and truck – carried more cross-border freight by value in August 2016 compared to August 2015, resulting in a 0.7 percent increase to $93.1 billion in the total current dollar value of freight moved. August was the first month since December 2014 where the total value of U.S. freight with North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico increased from the same month of the previous year, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) (Figure 1, Table 1).

Freight by Mode

Figure 2.  Percent Change in Value of U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows by Mode: August 2015-2016

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

The value of commodities moving by air and truck increased 4.9 percent and 3.4 percent respectively, while the value of freight carried on other modes decreased: rail by 0.3 percent; pipeline by 4.5 percent and vessel by 12.5 percent (Figure 2, Table 2).

Trucks carried 65.3 percent of U.S.-NAFTA freight and continued to be the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners. Trucks accounted for $31.2 billion of the $49.7 billion of imports (62.8 percent) and $29.6 billion of the $43.4 billion of exports (68.3 percent) (Table 2).

Rail remained the second largest mode by value, moving 15.3 percent of all U.S.-NAFTA freight, followed by vessel, 5.8 percent; pipeline, 5.1 percent; and air, 3.7 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 85.7 percent of the total value of U.S.-NAFTA freight flows (Table 2).

U.S.-Canada Freight

Figure 3.  Percent Change in Value of U.S.-Canada Freight Flows by Mode: August 2015-2016

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

From August 2015 to August 2016, three transportation modes – air, rail, and truck – carried a higher value of U.S.-Canada freight than a year earlier. However, the total value of U.S.-Canada freight fell to $47.3 billion, down 1.4 percent from a year earlier, due to decreases in the value of goods moved by vessel and pipeline (Figure 3, Table 3).

Trucks carried 59.6 percent of the value of the freight to and from Canada. Rail carried 16.5 percent followed by pipeline, 9.0 percent; air, 4.7 percent; and vessel, 3.8 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 85.1 percent of the value of total U.S.-Canada freight flows (Table 3).

U.S.-Mexico Freight

Figure 4.  Percent Change in Value of U.S.-Mexico Freight Flows by Mode: August 2015-2016

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

From August 2015 to August 2016, the value of U.S.-Mexico freight increased 3.0 percent to $45.8 billion as three modes of transportation – pipeline, truck and air – carried a higher value of U.S.-Mexico freight than a year earlier. Freight carried by pipeline increased by 45.1 percent, truck by 5.4 percent and air by 0.1 percent. Rail decreased 3.8 percent and vessel decreased by 4.9 percent (Figure 4, Table 4).

Trucks carried 71.2 percent of the value of freight to and from Mexico. Rail carried 14.1 percent followed by vessel, 7.8 percent; air, 2.8 percent; and pipeline, 1.1 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 86.4 percent of the value of total U.S.-Mexico freight flows (Table 4).

Commodities
In August 2016, the top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada by all modes was vehicles and parts, of which $5.2 billion, or 55.1 percent, moved by truck and $4.0 billion, or 42.5 percent, moved by rail (Figure 5). The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Mexico by all modes in August 2016 was electrical machinery, of which $7.4 billion, or 79.5 percent, moved by truck (Figure 6).

Reporting Notes
BTS press releases and the BTS website define surface transportation modes as truck, rail and pipeline. See North American TransBorder Freight Data on the BTS website for additional data for surface modes since 1995 and all modes since 2004. The category of all modes of transportation cited in the following tables includes freight movements by truck, rail, vessel, pipeline, air, other, and unknown modes of transport. 

Data in this press release are not seasonally adjusted and are not adjusted for inflation. Additional summary data adjusted for inflation and exchange rates can be found on the BTS website under TransBorder Indexed Freight Flow Data. The BLS indexes used in the adjustments for inflation and exchange rates might be revised in each of the three months after original publication. For previous press releases and summary tables, see TransBorder Press Releases.  See TransBorder Freight Data for data from previous months, and for additional state, port, and commodity data. BTS has scheduled the release of September TransBorder numbers for Nov. 29.

Table 1. Value of Monthly U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows

(millions of current dollars)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q

Note: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent change based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 2. Value of Monthly U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q

Notes: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding. The value of trade for all modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail, pipeline, vessel and air modes, it also includes shipments made by mail, foreign trade zones, and other transportation. For additional detail, please refer to the “Data Fields” section of the TransBorder web page: https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q.

Table 3. Value of Monthly U.S.-Canada Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q

Notes: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding. The value of trade for all modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail, pipeline, vessel and air modes, it also includes shipments made by mail, foreign trade zones, and other transportation. For additional detail, please refer to the “Data Fields” section of the TransBorder web page: https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q.

Figure 5. Top Commodity Transported between the U.S. and Canada for Each Mode of Transportation, August 2016

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data
NOTES: Import and export numbers might not add to totals due to rounding.

Table 4. Value of Monthly U.S.-Mexico Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q

Notes: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding. The value of trade for all modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail, pipeline, vessel and air modes, it also includes shipments made by mail, foreign trade zones, and other transportation. For additional detail, please refer to the “Data Fields” section of the TransBorder web page: https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q.

Figure 6. Top Commodity Transported between the U.S. and Mexico for Each Mode of Transportation, August 2016

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data
NOTES: Import and export numbers might not add to totals due to rounding.