TRUCKS CARRIED $93.5 BILLION

BTS Releases June North American Freight Numbers

Trucks Transported 60.7% of U.S.-NAFTA Trade in June 2013

Yesterday, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation released June North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) freight numbers showing that trucks carried 60.7 percent of the $93.5 billion of freight moved in June 2013 between the United States and its NAFTA partners, Canada and Mexico. Trucks were followed by rail at 15.8 percent, vessels at 8.2 percent, pipelines at 6.5 percent and air at 3.9 percent (Figure 3).

BTS, a part of the Department's Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 83.0 percent of the total NAFTA freight flows, $77.6 billion of the total of $93.5 billion carried by all modes, including air and vessel. The value of freight carried by the surface modes in June 2013 declined 1.0 percent from June 2012, compared to the 0.8 percent decrease for all modes (Table 2). Freight value on all modes rose 56.7 percent from June 2009 (Tables 1, 3).

For freight flows with Canada, trucks carried 56.0 percent of the $52.7 billion of the freight, followed by rail at 16.8 percent, pipelines at 10.8 percent, vessel at 5.5 percent and air at 4.5 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 83.7 percent of the total U.S.-Canada freight flows (Table 4).

For freight flows with Mexico in June, trucks carried 66.8 percent of the $40.8 billion of the freight, followed by rail at 14.5 percent, vessel at 11.7 percent, air at 3.2 percent and pipeline at 0.9 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 82.1 percent of the total U.S.-Mexico freight flows (Table 7).

Beginning with January 2013, BTS monthly TransBorder press releases contain data for all modes of transportation. Press releases and the BTS website now define surface transportation modes as truck, rail and pipeline. Data on surface modes can be found in Figure 3 and in Tables 2, 3, 4 and 7. See North American TransBorder Freight Data on the BTS website for additional data for surface modes since 1995 and all modes since 2004.

Data in this press release are not adjusted for inflation, except for the monthly totals illustrated in Figure 2 for comparison.

The category of all modes of transportation cited in the following tables includes freight movements by truck, rail, vessel, pipeline, air, other and unknown modes of transport. Figure 3 below provides a breakdown by value and percentage of each mode of freight transportation used in moving goods between the U.S. and its NAFTA partners in June. The dotted slices represent surface modes, which accounted for 83.0 percent of the total. By value, truck is the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners, accounting for $29.7 billion of exports and $27.1 billion of imports.

Freight flows by all modes of transportation between the U.S. and its NAFTA partners decreased 5.2 percent in June 2013 from May 2013, measured in current dollars (Table 2). Freight moving across the borders by truck decreased 5.3, while freight moving by rail decreased by 1.2 percent from one month prior. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal factors such as the number of days in each month.

From June 2012 to June 2013, the value of freight carried by truck decreased 1.3 percent while the value of freight carried by rail grew 0.7 percent (Table 2). For statistics by mode and individual NAFTA partner, see Table 4 for Canada and Table 7 for Mexico.

In June, Michigan led all states in goods transported to and from Canada, at $6.5 billion. Pennsylvania had the largest year-to-year percentage increase among the top 10 states, at 18.5 percent. Illinois had the largest year-to-year decrease at 10.6 percent (Table 5). The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada in June was vehicles, of which $3.5 billion was exported (Table 6).

Texas continued to lead all states in goods transported to and from Mexico, at $15.7 billion. Illinois had the largest year-to-year percentage increase among the top 10 states, at 13.3 percent (Table 8). The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Mexico in June was electrical machinery, valued at $6.9 billion, of which $2.7 billion was exported (Table 9).

Additional summary data adjusted for inflation and exchange rates can be found on the BTS website under TransBorder Indexed Freight Flow Data. The BLS indexes used in the adjustments for inflation and exchange rates in June are preliminary. They will be revised in each of the three months after their original publication.

For more information, see TransBorder Press Releases for previous press releases and summary tables. See TransBorder Freight Data for data from previous months, and more state, port, or commodity data. BTS has scheduled the release of July TransBorder numbers for Sept. 27.

Table 2. Value of Monthly U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

NOTES: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding. The value of trade for all modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail, pipeline, vessel and air modes, it also includes shipments made by mail, foreign trade zones, and other transportation. For additional detail, please refer to the "Data Fields" section of the TransBorder web page: http://www.bts.gov/programs/international/TransBorder/TBDR_DataFields.html

Table 3. Percent Change in Value of U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows by Mode

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

NOTE: Numbers not add to totals due to rounding. Percent change based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 4. Value of Monthly U.S.-Canada Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

NOTES: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding. The value of trade for all modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail, pipeline, vessel and air modes, it also includes shipments made by mail, foreign trade zones, and other transportation. For additional detail, please refer to the "Data Fields" section of the TransBorder web page: http://www.bts.gov/programs/international/TransBorder/TBDR_DataFields.html

Table 5. Top 10 State Freight Flows with Canada by All Modes of Transportation

Ranked by June 2013 Trade Value

(millions of current dollars)

Table 6. Top Commodity Transported between the U.S. and Canada for Each Mode of Transportation, June 2013

(millions of current dollars)

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

Note: Numbers June not add to totals due to rounding.

Table 7. Value of Monthly U.S.-Mexico Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

NOTES: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding. The value of trade for all modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail, pipeline, vessel and air modes, it also includes shipments made by mail, foreign trade zones, and other transportation. For additional detail, please refer to the "Data Fields" section of the TransBorder web page: http://www.bts.gov/programs/international/TransBorder/TBDR_DataFields.html

Table 8. Top 10 State Freight Flows with Mexico by All Modes of Transportation

Ranked by June 2013 Trade Value

(millions of current dollars)

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

NOTE: Numbers June not add to totals due to rounding. Percent change based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 9. Top Commodity Transported between the U.S. and Mexico for Each Mode of Transportation, June 2013

(millions of current dollars)

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

NOTE: Numbers June not add to totals due to rounding.