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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

North American Transborder Freight Decreases 3.4% in September 2021 from August 2021, Up 7.7% since Pre-Pandemic September 2019

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

BTS 71-21
BTS Contact: Todd Solomon
todd.solomon@dot.gov

The value of transborder freight between the U.S. and North American countries (Canada and Mexico) reached $109.2 billion in September 2021 according to data released by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The September figure is a 3.4% decrease from August 2021, an increase of 13.3% from September 2020, and an increase of 7.7% from pre-pandemic September 2019 ($101.4B).

 

  • Freight between the U.S. and Canada totaled $54.4B.
  • Freight between the U.S. and Mexico totaled $54.8B.
  • Trucks moved $68.6 billion in freight, up 8.1% from September 2020.
  • Railways moved $14.7 billion in freight, up 6.6% from September 2020.
  • Pipelines—the mode with the largest year-over-year relative increase—moved $8.5 billion in freight, up 84.8% from September 2020

 

Total Transborder Freight by Border Compared to September 2020:

  • U.S.-Canada up 13.6%
  • U.S.-Mexico up 13.0%

 

Total Transborder Freight by Border and Mode:

U.S.-Canada (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:              $29.9
Rail:                 $7.7
Pipeline:           $7.5
Vessel:             $2.7
Air:                   $2.7

U.S.-Mexico (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:              $38.7
Rail:                 $7.0
Vessel:             $5.1   
Air:                   $1.5
Pipeline:           $1.0

 

Truck Freight: $68.6 billion (62.8% of all transborder freight)

  • U.S.-Canada: $29.9 billion (55.0% of all northern border freight)
  • U.S.-Mexico: $38.7 billion (70.6% of all southern border freight)

 

  • Top three busiest truck border ports (43.8% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Laredo, TX                             $16.6 billion
    • Detroit, MI                              $ 8.2 billion
    • Ysleta, TX                               $5.3 billion

 

  • Top three truck commodities (46.1% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Computers and parts               $12.9 billion
    • Electrical machinery              $10.8 billion
    • Vehicles and parts                  $7.9 billion

 

Rail Freight: $14.7 billion (13.4% of all transborder freight)

  • U.S.-Canada: $7.7 billion (14.1% of all northern border freight)
  • U.S.-Mexico: $7.0 billion (12.8% of all southern border freight)

 

  • Three busiest rail border ports (50.7% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Laredo, TX                            $3.4 billion
    • Eagle Pass, TX                        $2.0 billion
    • Port Huron, MI                       $2.0 billion

 

  • Top three rail commodities (52.4% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Vehicles and parts                 $5.1 billion
    • Mineral fuels                           $1.4 billion
    • Plastics and articles                  $1.3 billion

 

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 October transborder numbers for December 13, 2021.