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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 down 6.1% in November 2020 from October

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Release Number: BTS 07-21

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

  • Total Transborder freight: $95.9 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, down 6.1% compared to October 2020 and down 3.2% compared to November 2019.
  • Most-used mode: Trucks moved $62.7 billion of freight, down 7.5% compared to October 2020, up 0.1% compared to November 2019.
  • Second most-used mode: Railways moved $13.9 billion of freight, down 3.7% compared to October 2020, down 0.8% compared to November 2019.

Total Transborder Freight:

  • Compared to October 2020:
U.S.-Canada down 3.5%
U.S.-Mexico down 8.4%
  • Compared to November 2019:
U.S.-Canada down 4.6%
U.S.-Mexico down 1.9%

Truck Freight: $62.7 billion (65.4% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:
U.S.-Canada: $27.4 billion (58.7% of all northern border freight)
U.S.-Mexico: $35.3 billion (71.8% of all southern border freight)
  • Compared to October 2020:
U.S.-Canada down 5.3%
U.S.-Mexico down 9.2%
  • Compared to November 2019:
U.S.-Canada down 3.0%
U.S.-Mexico up 2.6%
  • Top three busiest truck border ports (46.1% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Laredo, TX                                   $15.6 billion
    • Detroit, MI                                   $8.7 billion
    • Buffalo-Niagara, NY                      $4.6 billion
  • Top three truck commodities (49.3% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Computers and parts                      $11.9 billion
    • Electrical machinery                       $10.3 billion
    • Vehicles and parts                         $8.7 billion

 

Mode Value
Truck 62.7
Rail 13.9
Vessel 5.6
Pipeline 4.6
Air 4.1

Rail Freight: $13.9 billion (14.5% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:
U.S.-Canada: $7.2 billion (15.5% of all northern border freight)
U.S.-Mexico: $6.7 billion (13.6% of all southern border freight)
  • Compared to October 2020:
U.S.-Canada down 5.0%
U.S.-Mexico down 2.3%
  • Compared to November 2019:
U.S.-Canada up 0.9%
U.S.-Mexico down 2.5%
  • Three busiest rail border ports (58.0% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Laredo, TX                                        $3.6 billion
    • Detroit, MI                                        $2.4 billion
    • Eagle Pass, TX                                  $2.1 billion

 

  • Top three rail commodities (62.5% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Motor vehicles and parts                    $7.0 billion
    • Mineral fuels                                     $0.9 billion
    • Plastics                                             $0.8 billion

 

Total Transborder Freight by Mode:

U.S.-Canada (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:                $27.4
Rail:                   $7.2
Pipeline:             $4.1
Air:                    $3.0
Vessel:               $1.5                      

 

U.S.-Mexico (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:                $35.3
Rail:                   $6.7
Vessel:               $4.1
Air:                    $1.2
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 December TransBorder numbers for Feb. 23.