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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

July 2019 North American Transborder Freight Numbers

Friday, October 4, 2019
Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2019

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

  • Total Transborder Freight: $102.4 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, up 1.2% compared to July 2018
  • Most-used mode: Trucks moved $63.8 billion of freight, up 1.8% compared to July 2018
  • Second mode: Railways moved $14.8 billion of freight, up 3.0% compared to July 2018
 

Truck Freight: $63.8 billion (62.3% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:
U.S.-Canada: $27.5 billion (54.7% of all northern border freight)
U.S.-Mexico: $36.4 billion (69.6% of all southern border freight)
  • Compared to July 2018:
U.S.-Canada down 1.2%
U.S.-Mexico up 4.2%
  • Three busiest truck border ports (45.8% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Laredo, TX                       $15.8   billion
    • Detroit, MI                          $7.9   billion
    • El Paso, TX                         $5.5   billion
  • Top three truck commodities (50.9% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Computers and parts                 $13.1 billion
    • Electrical machinery                $10.0 billion
    • Motor vehicles and parts             $9.4 billion

Figure 1: North American Freight by Mode, July 2019

(Dollars in Billions) 1
Mode Value 2
Truck 63.8 3
Rail 14.8 4
Vessel 8.0 5
Pipeline 6.9 6
Air 4.2 7
8
Source:

 Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, https://www.bts.gov/transborder

Rail Freight: $14.8 billion (14.5% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:
U.S.-Canada: $7.7 billion (15.4% of all northern border freight)
U.S.-Mexico: $7.1 billion (13.6 % of all southern border freight)
  • Compared to July 2018:
U.S.-Canada down 0.3%
U.S.-Mexico up 6.9%

 

  • Three busiest rail border ports (53.1% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Laredo, TX                            $3.8 billion
    • Detroit, MI                             $2.1 billion
    • Eagle Pass, TX                        $2.0 billion

 

  • Top three rail commodities (60.9% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Motor vehicles and parts        $6.9 billion
    • Mineral fuels                           $1.3 billion
    • Plastics                                    $0.8 billion

 

 

Total Transborder Freight by Mode:

 
U.S.-Canada (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:             $27.5
Rail:                  $7.7
Pipeline:            $6.5  
Air:                    $2.7
Vessel:              $2.5  

 

                       

           

U.S.-Mexico (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:             $36.4
Rail:                  $7.1
Vessel:              $5.5  
Air:                    $1.5
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 August TransBorder numbers for Oct. 23.