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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

September 2019 North American Transborder Freight Numbers

Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Date: Tuesday, November 19, 2019
 

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

  • Total Transborder Freight: $101.4 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, down 0.2% compared to September 2018
  • Most-used mode: Trucks moved $64.0 billion of freight, up 1.1% compared to September 2018
  • Second mode: Railways moved $14.8 billion of freight, down 1.9% compared to September 2018

Truck Freight: $64.0 billion (63.1% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:

U.S.-Canada: $28.9 billion (56.3% of all northern border freight)

U.S.-Mexico: $35.1 billion (69.9% of all southern border freight)

  • Compared to September 2018:

U.S.-Canada up 1.1%

U.S.-Mexico up 1.2%

  • Three busiest truck border ports (46.2% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Laredo, TX                       $14.9   billion
    • Detroit, MI                          $9.1   billion
    • El Paso, TX                         $5.5   billion
  • Top three truck commodities (51.7% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Computers and parts                 $12.5 billion
    • Electrical machinery                $10.7 billion
    • Motor vehicles and parts             $9.9 billion

Rail Freight: $14.8 billion (14.6% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:

U.S.-Canada: $8.0 billion (15.6% of all northern border freight)

U.S.-Mexico: $6.8 billion (13.6% of all southern border freight)

  • Compared to September 2018:

U.S.-Canada down 3.5%

U.S.-Mexico up 0.1%

 

  • Three busiest rail border ports (53.6% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Laredo, TX                            $3.7 billion
    • Detroit, MI                             $2.1 billion
    • Port Huron, MI                       $2.1 billion

 

  • Top three rail commodities (63.6% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Motor vehicles and parts        $7.5 billion
    • Mineral fuels                           $1.1 billion
    • Computers and parts               $0.7 billion

 

Total Transborder Freight by Mode:

U.S.-Canada (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:             $28.9
Rail:                  $8.0
Pipeline:            $5.5  
Air:                    $3.1
Vessel:              $2.5  

 

 
U.S.-Mexico (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:             $35.1
Rail:                  $6.8
Vessel:              $5.0  
Air:                    $1.4
Pipeline:            $0.6                          

 

 

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 Jan. 7.