Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners, Canada and Mexico, rose 7.9% in October 2012 compared to October 2011.
Trade totaled $85.3 billion, unadjusted for inflation, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Adjusted for inflation and exchange rates, the October 2012 total was $61.7 billion in 2004 dollars, up 7.6% from October 2011.
BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the October 2012 value of U.S. surface transportation trade in current dollars with Canada and Mexico rose 38.9% from October 2009, shortly after the end of the last recession .
The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in October increased by 71.8% compared to October 2002, a period of 10 years. Imports in October were up 60.1% since October 2002, while exports were up 87.2%.
Surface transportation includes freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, other modes of transport, and goods moving into Foreign Trade Zones. In October, 86.5% of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved via land, 9.5% moved by vessel, and 4% moved by air.
The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico increased 9.8% in October 2012 from September 2012. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations, the number of days in each month, and other factors.
U.S.-Mexico October 2012 trade reached $36.9 billion, a 13.1% increase from October 2011, while U.S.-Canada trade was $48.4 billion, a 4.3% increase.
In October, Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada, at $6.8 billion in current dollars. The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada by surface modes of transportation in October was vehicles, valued at $9.8 billion in current dollars.
Texas continued to lead all states in surface trade with Mexico at $13.6 billion in current dollars. The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Mexico by surface modes of transportation in October was electrical machinery with $8.2 billion in trade in current dollars.
