Trade using surface transportation between the United States and North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico was 11.8 percent higher in February 2011 than in February 2010, reaching $66.5 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 value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in February 2011 rose 38.8 percent in two years from February 2009, which at $47.9 billion had the lowest amount of trade of any month since February 2004. Trade value in February 2011 was down 4.1 percent from the early recession level of February 2008.

Freight value in February fell 1.8 percent from January 2011. (Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.)

Surface transportation includes freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, Foreign Trade Zones and other. In February, 86.4 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved on land, 9.3 percent moved by vessel, and 4.3 percent moved by air.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in February was up 11.3 percent compared to February 2006, and up 48.4 percent compared to February 2001, a period of 10 years. Imports in February were up 43.1 percent compared to February 2001, while exports were up 55.3 percent.