Trucks Transported 60.8% of U.S.-NAFTA Trade in May 2013

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation released May North American Free Trade Agreement freight numbers showing that trucks carried 60.8% of the $98.6 billion of freight moved in May 2013 between the United States and its NAFTA partners, Canada and Mexico.

Trucks were followed by rail at 15.1%, vessels at 8.6%, pipelines at 6.8% and air at 3.9%. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 82.7% of the total NAFTA freight flows.

BTS, a part of the Department’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that in May, for freight flows with Canada, trucks carried 55.2% of the $54.8 billion of the freight, followed by rail at 16.5%, pipelines at 11.4%, vessels at 6.4% and air at 4.6%. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 83.2% of the total U.S.-Canada freight flows. 

For freight flows with Mexico in May, trucks carried 67.8% of the $43.8 billion of the freight, followed by rail at 13.4%, vessel at 11.4%, air at 3% and pipelines at 0.9%. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 82.1 % of the total U.S.-Mexico freight flows.

The value of goods moving between the U.S. and its NAFTA partners by all modes of transportation increased 1.8% from May 2012 and rose 77.5% from May 2009.