Trucking Sees Smallest Decline In Cross-Border Freight Flows

Trucking and four other transportation modes carried less U.S. freight by value with North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico in March 2016 compared to a year earlier, according to a new Transportation Department report.

The total value of cross-border freight moved fell 5.8% to $90.5 billion as the value of commodities moving by truck declined 1.1%, the smallest decrease from 2015 to 2016 of any mode.

The value of freight carried on other modes also declined: rail, 7.7%; air, 9%; vessel, 31.9%; and pipeline, 33.2%.

“A drop in the price of crude oil played a key role in the large declines in the dollar value of products shipped by vessel and pipeline,” the department said. “Crude oil comprises a large share of the commodities carried by these modes.”

Trucks carried 67.3% of U.S.-NAFTA freight and continued to be the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners. They accounted for $31.4 billion of the $48 billion of imports, or 65.3%, and $29.5 billion of the $42.5 billion of exports, or 69.4%.

Rail remained the second largest mode by value, moving 15.5% of all U.S.-NAFTA freight.

From March 2015 to March 2016, the value of U.S.-Canada freight flows fell 8.8% to $46.4 billion as all modes of transportation carried a lower value of U.S.-Canada freight than a year earlier.

Trucks carried 62.1% of the value of the freight to and from Canada while rail carried 17%. The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada by all modes was vehicles and parts, of which $5.3 billion, or 55.4%, moved by truck.

During this same year-over-year March period, the value of U.S.-Mexico freight fell 2.6% to $44.1 billion as all modes of transportation except truck carried a lower value of U.S.-Mexico freight than a year earlier.

Freight carried by truck increased 0.7%, primarily because of an increase in shipments of computers and parts, according to the department. Rail freight value declined 8.6% while air freight value declined 10.1%. Pipeline freight value dropped by 14.2%, while vessel freight value decreased by 18.9%.

Trucks carried 72.7% of the value of freight to and from Mexico while rail carried 14% The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Mexico by all modes was electrical machinery, of which $7.7 billion, or 91.3%, moved by truck.