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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

June 2020 North American Transborder Freight Up 46% from May 2020

Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2020

 

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

  • Total Transborder freight: $82.1 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, up 46.3% compared to May 2020 and up 41.2% from April 2020.
  • Transborder freight value in June was down 20.9% compared to June 2019.
  • Most-used mode: Trucks moved $56.5 billion of freight, up 44.2% compared to May 2020, down 13.9% compared to June 2019.
  • Second most-used mode: Railways moved $11.2 billion of freight, up 105% compared to May 2020, down 28.9% compared to June 2019.

Total Transborder Freight:

  • Compared to May 2020:
U.S.-Canada up 31.8%
U.S.-Mexico up 64.0%
 
  • Compared to June 2019:
U.S.-Canada down 23.1%
U.S.-Mexico down 18.7%

Truck Freight: $56.5 billion (68.8% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:
U.S.-Canada: $25.4 billion (62.8% of all northern border freight)
U.S.-Mexico: $31.0 billion (74.6% of all southern border freight)
  • Compared to May 2020:
U.S.-Canada up 30.0%
U.S.-Mexico up 58.5%
  • Compared to June 2019:
U.S.-Canada down 15.2%
U.S.-Mexico down 12.9%
  • Top Three Busiest truck border ports (44.9% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Laredo, TX                                   $12.5 billion
    • Detroit, MI                                      $7.9 billion
    • Ysleta, TX                                       $4.9 billion
  • Top three truck commodities (49.5% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Computers and parts                    $11.6 billion
    • Electrical machinery                     $9.0 billion
    • Vehicles and parts                          $7.3 billion

 

Rail Freight: $11.2 billion (13.7% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:
U.S.-Canada: $5.7 billion (14.0% of all northern border freight)
U.S.-Mexico: $5.6 billion (13.4% of all southern border freight)
  • Compared to May 2020:
U.S.-Canada up 64.9%
U.S.-Mexico up 173%
  • Compared to June 2019:
U.S.-Canada down 33.5%
U.S.-Mexico down 23.6%

 

  • Three busiest rail border ports (57.2% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Laredo, TX                            $2.8 billion
    • Detroit, MI                             $1.9 billion
    • Eagle Pass, TX                        $1.7 billion

 

 

  • Top three rail commodities (60.7% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Motor vehicles and parts                    $5.6 billion
    • Computers and parts                           $0.6 billion
    • Plastics                                                $0.6 billion

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Transborder Freight by Mode:

U.S.-Canada (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:              $25.4
Rail:                   $5.7
Pipeline:             $2.4
Air:                     $2.4
Vessel:               $1.3

 

 

 

U.S.-Mexico (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:              $31.0
Rail:                   $5.6
Vessel:               $2.5
Air:                     $1.0
Pipeline:             $0.4

 

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 July TransBorder numbers for Sept. 23.