Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American neighbors, Canada and Mexico, was 18.3 percent higher in August 2011 than in August 2010, totaling $80.4 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.


This was the second time on record that U.S.-NAFTA trade by land modes exceeded $80 billion in one month - the first time was in March 2011.

Surface transportation includes freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, Foreign Trade Zones, and others. In August, 86.0% of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved via land, 9.6% moved by vessel, and 4.4 percent moved by air.

U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade both increased compared to August 2010 with U.S.-Canada trade reaching $47.5 billion, a 19.1% increase, and U.S.-Mexico reaching $32.9 billion, a 17.2% increase.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in August 2011 rose 48.2% in two years from August 2009 and 11.3% in three years from August 2008.