Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American neighbors, Canada and Mexico, was 13.8 percent higher in September 2011 than in September 2010, totaling $77.7 billion.


The Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation has reported double-digit year-over-year gains every month of 2011 compared to 2010, and many months of successive year-over-year gains going back two or more years.

BTS reports that the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico, the United States' North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners, in September 2011 rose 35.7 percent in two years from September 2009 and 8.3 percent in three years from September 2008.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in September increased by 22.8 percent when compared to September 2006, and increased by 83.0 percent when compared to September 2001, a period of 10 years.

Imports in September were up 71.3 percent since September 2001, while exports were up 99.0 percent.

These values are not adjusted for inflation, BTS notes.

Surface transportation includes freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, Foreign Trade Zones, and other. In September, 85.6 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved via land, 9.8 percent moved by vessel, and 4.5 percent moved by air.

U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade both increased compared to September 2010 with U.S.-Canada reaching $46.1 billion, a 14.7 percent increase, and U.S.-Mexico reaching $31.6 billion, a 12.5 percent increase.

See BTS Transborder Data release for summary tables, state rankings and additional data.

See North American Transborder Freight Data for historic data.