Figure 1.  Percent Change in Value of U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows by Mode: February 2015-2016

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

Two transportation modes – rail and truck – carried more U.S. freight by value with North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico in February 2016 than in February 2015. However, the total value of cross-border freight carried on all modes fell 2.0 percent from February 2015 to $84.0 billion in February 2016 in current dollars, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released today by theU.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) (Figure 1, Table 1).

Freight by Mode

The value of commodities moving by rail increased 6.0 percent, the largest increase from 2015 to 2016 of any mode. The 6.0 percent year-over-year growth in the value of rail freight is largely due to an increase in imports of vehicles and parts, the largest commodity carried by rail. The value of commodities moved on trucks increased by  4.7 percent from 2015 to 2016. The value of freight on other modes declined: air 1.7 percent; pipeline 35.6 percent; and vessel 41.0 percent (Figure 1, Table 2). A drop in the price of crude oil in 2015-2016 played a key role in the large declines in the dollar value of goods shipped by vessel and pipeline. Crude oil (a component of mineral fuels) comprises a large share of the commodities carried by these modes. Average monthly prices for crude petroleum and refined fuel are available from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Trucks carried 67.4 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 $29.3 billion of the $45.0 billion of imports (65.1 percent) and $27.3 billion of the $39.0 billion of exports (70.0 percent) (Table 2).

Rail remained the second largest mode by value, moving 15.6 percent of all U.S.-NAFTA freight, followed by vessel, 4.3 percent; pipeline, 4.0 percent; and air, 3.8 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 87.0 percent of the total value of U.S.-NAFTA freight flows (Table 2).

U.S.-Canada Freight

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

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

From February 2015 to February 2016, the value of U.S.-Canada freight flows fell 5.5 percent to $42.6 billion even as two modes of transportation – rail and truck – carried a higher value of U.S.-Canada freight than a year earlier.

Lower crude oil prices contributed to a year-over-year decrease in the value of freight moved between the U.S. and Canada. Crude oil is a large share of freight carried by pipeline and vessel, which were down 36.9 percent and 47.2 percent respectively year-over-year (Figure 2, Table 3). U.S-Canada air freight value declined 3.2 percent because of a 31.3 percent decline in the value of shipments of aircraft and aircraft parts.

Trucks carried 61.5 percent of the value of the freight to and from Canada. Rail carried 16.6 percent followed by pipeline, 7.4 percent; air, 4.8 percent; and vessel, 2.7 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 85.4 percent of the value of total U.S.-Canada freight flows (Table 3).

U.S.-Mexico Freight

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

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

From February 2015 to February 2016, the value of U.S.-Mexico freight grew 2.0 percent to $41.4 billion as three out of the five transportation modes – truck, rail, and air – carried more U.S.-Mexico freight value than in February 2015. Freight carried by truck increased 7.7 percent. Rail freight value rose 4.7 percent while air freight value increased 1.2 percent. Vessel freight value decreased by 37.4 percent, while pipeline freight value dropped by 11.9 percent, both due mainly to lower crude oil prices (Figure 3, Table 4).

Trucks carried 73.5 percent of the value of freight to and from Mexico. Rail, carried 14.6 percent followed by vessel, 5.8 percent; air, 2.8 percent; and pipeline, 0.6 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 88.7 percent of the value of total U.S.-Mexico freight flows (Table 4).

Commodities
In February 2016, the top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada by all modes was vehicles and parts, of which $4.9 billion, or 56.2 percent, moved by truck and $3.6 billion, or 41.5 percent, moved by rail (Figure 4). The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Mexico by all modes in February 2016 was vehicles and parts, of which $3.5 billion, or 44.7 percent, moved by rail (Figure 5).

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 may be revised in each of the three months after original publication. For more information, see TransBorder Press Releases for previous press releases and summary tables. See TransBorder Freight Data for data from previous months, and for additional state, port, and commodity data. BTS has scheduled the release of March TransBorder numbers for May 26.

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

(millions of current dollars)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

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

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 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

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 TransBorder web page: https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q.

Figure 4. Top Commodity Transported between the U.S. and Canada for Each Mode of Transportation, February 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

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 TransBorder web page: https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q

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

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

NOTES: Import and export numbers might not add to totals due to rounding.