Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Cross-Border Freight Posts 7.2% Annual Decline

All five major transportation modes, including trucking, carried less freight between the U.S. and its neighbors of Canada and Mexico last year than in 2014, but big-rigs continue to dominate such cargo movements, according to new U.S. Transportation Department figures.

Evan Lockridge
Evan LockridgeFormer Business Contributing Editor
March 18, 2016
Cross-Border Freight Posts 7.2% Annual Decline

U.S.-NAFTA Merchandise trade by mode: 2011-2015. Graphic: U.S. DOT

3 min to read


U.S.-NAFTA Merchandise trade by mode: 2011-2015. Graphic: U.S. DOT

All five major transportation modes, including trucking, carried less freight between the U.S. and its neighbors of Canada and Mexico last year than in 2014, but big-rigs continue to dominate such cargo movements, according to new U.S. Transportation Department figures.

The 7.2% decline in value to $1.1 trillion also includes freight moved by rail, pipeline, vessel and air.

Ad Loading...

Of all the modes, trucking saw the smallest year-over-year drop in the value of commodities moved, down 0.4%. Air fell 1.8%, rail declined 7.1%, vessel tumbled 29.7% and pipeline plummeted 39.4%.

The decline in the value cross-border freight from 2014 to 2015 was almost entirely due to drops in crude oil and petroleum prices. The value of petroleum-related commodity shipments dropped almost 40% year-over-year, while the value of other freight dropped just 0.9%.

In 2015, petroleum-related commodities comprised 10.8% of the total value of U.S. North American freight, down from 16.6% in 2014.

Ad Loading...
North American Freight by Mode in 2015. Graphic: U.S. DOT

Trucks carried 64.3% of so-called U.S.-NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) freight last year, a 4.4 percentage point increase from 2014, and continued to be the most heavily used mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners. Trucks accounted for $359.8 billion of the $589.9 billion of imports, or 61%, and for $351.9 billion of the $516.4 billion of exports, or 68.2%.

Rail remained the second largest mode, moving 14.9% of all U.S.-NAFTA freight. During the last decade, rail’s percentage share rose 0.2 points, far behind trucking increase of 2.2 percentage points.

Freight With Canada Posts Double Digit Drop

From 2014 to 2015, the value of U.S.-Canada freight flows fell 12.6% to $575.2 billion.

Trucks carried 58.3% of the value of the freight to and from Canada, followed by rail at 15.7%. The truck freight value was a 0.8 percentage point decrease from 2005 but an increase of 4.5 percentage points from the year before.

Michigan led all states in freight with Canada in 2015 with $69.1 billion.

Ad Loading...

The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada in 2015 was vehicles and vehicle parts (other than railway vehicles and parts), valued at $103 billion with 60% moved by truck.

Mexican Freight Down Just Slightly

The value of U.S.-Mexico freight fell 0.6% to $531.1 billion from 2014 to 2015, as trucks carried 70.9% of the value of the freight to and from Mexico, followed by rail at 14.1%. The truck freight value was a 3.4 percentage point increase from 2014 and was up 3.5 percentage points from 2005.

Texas led all states in freight with Mexico in 2015 with $178 billion.

The top commodity transported between the U.S. and Mexico in 2015 was electrical machinery at $103.8 billion, an increase of 7.5% from 2014, with $95.4 billion or 91.9% moved by trucks.

More Fleet Management

Container ship at the Port of Long Beach.

July Imports Poised to Set Container Record

The National Retail Federation projects July container imports will surpass the pandemic-era record as shippers frontload freight ahead of expected August tariff increases.

Read More →
Nine headshots of men and women with Truck Fleet Innovators logo and the word "Finalists"
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeJuly 10, 2026

HDT Announces 2026 Truck Fleet Innovator Finalists

From AI and fleet electrification to safety, operations, and leadership, these HDT Truck Fleet Innovator finalists are changing how trucking gets done.

Read More →
DAT trucking conditions June 2026.

Van Spot Rates Top Contract Rates for First Time Since 2022

There’s more good economic news for the North American trucking industry according to the latest Truckload Volume Index report from DAT.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Carrier Transicold Fleet Refresh program.

Carrier Transicold Extends Refrigerated Trailer Life

Fleet Refresh enables refrigerated fleets to replace aging transport refrigeration units instead of entire trailers, while adding Lynx Fleet telematics and BluEdge service coverage.

Read More →
FTR TCI May 2026.

FTR Says Freight Rates Surged in May

FTR's Trucking Conditions Index surged to a record high in May, the analytics firm reports.

Read More →
Panel discussion

Meet HDT's Truck Fleet Innovators at Heavy Duty Trucking Exchange

Heavy Duty Trucking Exchange brings fleet managers and suppliers together for the deeper conversations that lead to ideas, partnerships, and solutions. Time is running out to apply for HDTX, September 23-25.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
thermo king heavy duty trucking
SponsoredJuly 1, 2026

Enhance Fleet Performance with High-Efficiency Auxiliary Power Units

Drive sustainable cost savings while increasing driver comfort during short- and long-haul logistics operations.

Read More →
Cover of a Dayton Parts guide titled "Strategic Parts Purchasing: A Process Checklist." The cover highlights "5 Steps to Revamp Parts Procurement, Cut Costs and Increase Uptime" and features a warehouse aisle with shelving full of automotive parts, where a worker is organizing heavy-duty suspension components on a pallet.
SponsoredJune 30, 2026

Is Your Parts Procurement Process Reactive or Proactive?

Ready to revamp your parts procurement process? Learn how now with “Strategic Parts Purchasing: A Process Checklist”

Read More →
Fleet Managementby StaffJune 24, 2026

What Trucking Events are Happening in 2026?

Looking for trucking-related conventions, expos, and other events? Heavy Duty Trucking has developed this list of national and larger regional trucking shows and events.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
LIne graph showing spot rates and driver availability over time
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeJune 22, 2026

Truckload Rates Keep Rising as Tight Capacity Fuels Freight Market Recovery

Spot and contract rates continued climbing in May and June, not because freight demand is surging, but because fewer trucks and drivers are available.

Read More →