Trucks Get Big Share of Growing NAFTA Pie

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics said Tuesday that since the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement a decade ago, U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico has grown more than 80%.

According to the Department of Transportation’s record-keeping arm, surface transportation consists of freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline and other modes of surface transportation. About 90% of U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico involves surface transportation. According to charts on the bureau’s web site at www.bts.gov/transborder, trucks carried the lion’s share of that commerce.
Total surface transportation trade value was up 80.9% from September 1994 and 29.3% from September 2001. Exports increased 57.3% compared to September 1994 while imports over that same time rose 103.7%.
Some $54.9 billion in surface transportation trade in September was 12.4% more than in September 2003. Total surface transportation trade rose 2.5% in September 2004 from August 2004. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.
U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade rose 12.5% in September from September 2003 to $35.4 billion. Exports by truck, the largest amount by value, increased 11.8% from September 2003, while imports by truck rose 8.2%. Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in September with $6.0 billion.
U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade rose 12.1% in September from September 2003 to $19.5 billion. Imports by truck, the largest amount by value, increased 12.8% from September 2003 while exports by truck rose 10.0%. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in September with $6.4 billion.