Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its NAFTA partners was 15.6 percent higher in March 2011 over March 2010, reaching $80.8 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.


March 2011 was the highest month since collection of data began in 1994, beating the previous record set in April 2008 by 8.8 percent, not adjusted for inflation. 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 March 2011 rose 58.3 percent in two years from March 2009. Trade value in March 2011 was up 14.2 percent from the early recession level of March 2008.

Non-inflation adjusted freight value in March rose 21.5 percent from February 2011.
U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade totaled $48.7 billion in March, up 15.7 percent compared to March 2010. U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $32.1 billion in March, up 15.3 percent compared to March 2010.

Surface transportation includes freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, Foreign Trade Zones and other modes. In March, 85.8 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved on land, 9.8 percent moved by vessel, and 4.4 percent moved by air.

For more information: www.bts.gov