December Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico up 11.6% Year Over Year

Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American neighbors, Canada and Mexico, was 11.6% higher in December 2011 than in December 2010, totaling $74.2 billion,
according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The December 2011 value of U.S. surface transportation trade with the country's North American Free Trade Agreement partners rose 27% in the past two years from December 2009, and 40.3% from December 2008.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in December increased by 25.7% when compared to December 2006 and increased by 94.1% compared to December 2001, a period of 10 years.

Imports in December were up 85.7% since December 2001, while exports were up 105.2%.

Surface transportation includes freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, Foreign Trade Zones, and other. In December, 85.5% of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved via land, 10% moved by vessel, and 4.5% moved by air.

U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade both increased compared to December 2010 with U.S.-Canada reaching $44.2 billion, an 11.2% increase, and U.S.-Mexico reaching $30.0 billion, a 12.1% increase.