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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 2020 North American Transborder Freight Up 3.2% from August 2020

Friday, November 20, 2020
Date: Friday, November 20, 2020

 

 

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

  • Total Transborder freight: $96.4 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, up 3.2% compared to August 2020 and up 6.0% from July 2020.
  • Transborder freight value in September was down 4.9% compared to September 2019.
  • Most-used mode: Trucks moved $63.5 billion of freight, up 4.3% compared to August 2020, down 0.8% compared to September 2019.
  • Second most-used mode: Railways moved $13.8 billion of freight, down 0.3% compared to August 2020, down 6.9% compared to September 2019.

Total Transborder Freight:

  • Compared to August 2020:
U.S.-Canada up 2.8%
U.S.-Mexico up 3.6%
  • Compared to September 2019:
U.S.-Canada down 6.6%
U.S.-Mexico down 3.2%

Truck Freight: $63.5 billion (65.8% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:
U.S.-Canada: $28.4 billion (59.2% of all northern border freight)
U.S.-Mexico: $35.1 billion (72.3% of all southern border freight)
  • Compared to August 2020:
U.S.-Canada up 1.9%
U.S.-Mexico up 6.3%
  • Compared to September 2019:
U.S.-Canada down 1.9%
U.S.-Mexico up 0.1%
  • Top three busiest truck border ports (45.6% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Laredo, TX                                   $15.2 billion
    • Detroit, MI                                      $8.9 billion
    • Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY                 $4.9 billion
  • Top three truck commodities (49.9% of total transborder truck freight)
    • Computers and parts                      $11.9 billion
    • Electrical machinery                        $10.4 billion
    • Vehicles and parts                            $9.4 billion

Rail Freight: $13.8 billion (14.3% of all transborder freight)

  • By border:
U.S.-Canada: $7.5 billion (15.6% of all northern border freight)
U.S.-Mexico: $6.3 billion (13.0% of all southern border freight)
  • Compared to August 2020:
U.S.-Canada up 2.3%
U.S.-Mexico down 3.2%
  • Compared to September 2019:
U.S.-Canada down 6.6%
U.S.-Mexico down 7.3%

 

  • Three busiest rail border ports (59.4% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Laredo, TX                            $3.6 billion
    • Detroit, MI                             $2.4 billion
    • Eagle Pass, TX                        $2.2 billion

 

  • Top three rail commodities (61.0% of total transborder rail freight)
    • Motor vehicles and parts                    $6.9 billion
    • Wood and articles thereof                  $0.8 billion
    • Mineral fuels                                       $0.8 billion

 

 

 

 

Total Transborder Freight by Mode:

 

U.S.-Canada (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:              $28.4
Rail:                   $7.5
Pipeline:             $4.1
Air:                     $2.7
Vessel:               $1.9            

 

           

 

U.S.-Mexico (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck:              $35.1
Rail:                   $6.3
Vessel:               $4.1
Air:                     $1.3
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 October TransBorder numbers for Jan. 7.