Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico was 12.1 percent higher in April 2011 than in April 2010, reaching $73.8 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation.


BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in April 2011 rose 48.3 percent in two years from April 2009 but remained 0.7 percent below the early recession level of April 2008. Those values are not adjusted for inflation.

U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade both increased when compared to April 2010 with U.S.-Canada totaling $44.6 billion, an 11.8% increase, and U.S.-Mexico totaling $29.1 billion, a 12.4% increase.

Surface transportation includes freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, Foreign Trade Zones and other. In April, 84.7% of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved on land, 11.1 percent moved by vessel, and 4.2 percent moved by air.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in April was up 19.5% compared to April 2006, and up 57.6% compared to April 2001, a period of 10 years. Imports in April were up 48.3% compared to April 2001, while exports were up 70%.