Trade using surface transportation between the U.S. and its North American neighbors, Canada and Mexico, was 17.4% higher in February 2012 than in February 2011, totaling $78.1 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 February 2012 value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico, the United States' North American Free Trade Agreement partners, rose 12.6% from February 2008, which was two months after the start of the recession, and 63% from February 2009, in the middle of the recession.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in February increased by 87.3% compared to February 2002, a period of 10 years. Imports in February were up 75.9% since February 2002, while exports were up 102.8%. See Transborder Press Releases for historical data.

Surface transportation includes freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, Foreign Trade Zones, and other. In February, 87.4% of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved via land, 8.7% moved by vessel, and 3.9% moved by air.

U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade in February 2012 both increased compared to February 2011, with U.S.-Canada reaching $45.4 billion, a 13.7% increase, and U.S.-Mexico reaching $32.7 billion, a 23% increase. For trade statistics by mode, see Table 4 for Canada and Table 6 for Mexico.