Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its NAFTA partners was 19.5 percent higher in January 2011 than in January 2010, reaching $67.7 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 January 2011 rose 42.7 percent in two years from January 2009, which at $47.5 billion had the lowest amount of trade of any month since January 2004. Trade value in January 2011 was up 4.0 percent from the early recession level of January 2008.

Freight value in January rose 1.8 percent from December 2010.

Surface transportation includes freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, Foreign Trade Zones among others. In January, 85.1 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved on land, 10.7 percent moved by vessel and 4.3 percent moved by air.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in January was up 10.7 percent compared to January 2006, and up 46.2 percent compared to January 2001, a period of 10 years. Imports in January were up 36.6 percent compared to January 2001, while exports were up 59.6 percent.

U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade totaled $40.3 billion in January, up 17.8 percent compared to January 2010. Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in January with $5.0 billion.

U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $27.5 billion in January, up 22.1 percent compared to January 2010. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in January with $9.6 billion.

The TransBorder Freight Data are a unique subset of official U.S. foreign trade statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau. New data are tabulated monthly and historical data are not adjusted for inflation. January TransBorder numbers include data received by BTS as of March 10.

For more information: www.bts.gov