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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

December 2019 North American Transborder Freight Numbers

Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Transborder freight between the U.S. and other North American countries (Canada and Mexico) in December 2019:

  • Total Transborder Freight: $96.3 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, up 4.0% compared to December 2018
  • Most-used mode: Trucks moved $57.2 billion of freight, down 0.3% compared to December 2018
  • Second most-used mode: Railways moved $14.4 billion of freight, up 1.9% compared to December 2018

Truck Freight: $57.2 billion (59.4% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:
U.S.-Canada: $25.7 billion (51.8% of all northern border freight)
U.S.-Mexico: $31.5 billion (67.4% of all southern border freight)

 

  • Compared to December 2018:
U.S.-Canada down 0.2%
U.S.-Mexico down 0.3%
 
  • Three busiest truck border ports (46.1% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Laredo, TX                                 $13.2 billion
    • Detroit, MI                                    $8.2 billion
    • El Paso, TX                                   $5.0 billion
  • Top three truck commodities (50.6% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Computers and parts                  $12.1  billion
    • Electrical machinery                   $9.0  billion
    • Motor vehicles and parts               $7.8  billion

Rail Freight: $14.4 billion (15.0% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:
U.S.-Canada: $8.0 billion (16.0% of all northern border freight)
U.S.-Mexico: $6.5 billion (13.9% of all southern border freight)

 

  • Compared to December 2018:
U.S.-Canada up 1.3%
U.S.-Mexico up 2.5%

 

  • Three busiest rail border ports (52.3% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Laredo, TX                            $3.5 billion
    • Port Huron, MI                      $2.1 billion
    • Detroit, MI                              $2.0 billion

 

  • Top three rail commodities (63.7% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Motor vehicles and parts        $7.1 billion
    • Mineral fuels                           $1.4 billion
    • Plastics and articles                $0.7 billion

 

Total Transborder Freight by Mode:

U.S.-Canada (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:              $25.7
Rail:                   $8.0
Pipeline:             $6.0
Air:                     $3.3
Vessel:               $2.8

 

 

U.S.-Mexico (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:              $31.5
Rail:                   $6.5
Vessel:               $5.8
Air:                     $1.3
Pipeline:             $0.5            

 

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 2019 annual numbers for March 9 and the release of January TransBorder numbers for March 25.