U.S.-NAFTA freight totaled $100.3 billion in current dollars as all five major transportation modes carried more freight by value with North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico in March 2017 compared to March 2016, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) (Figure 2, Table 1). March was the first time since October 2014 that U.S.-NAFTA freight has exceeded $100 billion.

The 10.9 percent rise from March 2016 is the fifth consecutive month in which the year-over-year value of U.S.-NAFTA freight increased from the same month of the previous year (Figure 1). It is also the first double digit year-over-year percent increase in 33 months.

Freight by Mode

Fig2

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

The value of commodities moving by pipeline increased 81.3 percent, vessel by 38.2 percent, air by 13.5 percent, rail by 12.6 percent, and truck by 5.0 percent (Figure 2, Table 2). The large percentage increase in the value of goods moving by pipeline and vessel is due in part to a 31 percent increase in the year-over-year price of crude oil between March 2016 and March 2017.

Trucks carried 63.7 percent of U.S.-NAFTA freight and continued to be the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners. Trucks accounted for $32.6 billion of the $54.3 billion of imports (60.0 percent) and $31.3 billion of the $45.9 billion of exports (68.1 percent) (Table 2).

Rail remained the second largest mode by value, moving 15.8 percent of all U.S.-NAFTA freight, followed by pipeline, 5.9 percent; vessel, 5.6 percent; and air, 4.1 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 85.4 percent of the total value of U.S.-NAFTA freight flows (Table 2).

U.S.-Canada Freight

Fig3

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

From March 2016 to March 2017, the value of U.S.-Canada freight flows increased by 10.4 percent to $51.2 billion as the value of freight on all five major modes increased from a year earlier. The value of freight carried on pipeline increased by 87.3 percent, vessel by 42.9 percent, air by 8.4 percent, rail by 5.1 percent, and truck by 3.9 percent. The increase in the value of commodities moved by pipeline and vessel reflects the increased value of mineral fuels year over year (Figure 3, Table 3).

Trucks carried 58.5 percent of the value of the freight to and from Canada. Rail carried 16.2 percent followed by pipeline, 11.0 percent; air, 4.8 percent; and vessel, 2.9 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 85.6 percent of the value of total U.S.-Canada freight flows (Table 3).

U.S.-Mexico Freight

Fig4

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

From March 2016 to March 2017, the value of U.S.-Mexico freight flows increased by 11.3 percent to $49.1 billion as the value of freight on all five major modes increased from a year earlier. The value of commodities moved by vessel increased by 36.5 percent, air by 22.2 percent, rail by 22.0 percent, pipeline by 8.9 percent, and truck by 6.0 percent. The increase in the value of commodities moved by vessel reflects the increased value of mineral fuels year over year (Figure 4, Table 4).

Trucks carried 69.2 percent of the value of freight to and from Mexico. Rail carried 15.4 percent followed by vessel, 8.3 percent; air, 3.3 percent; and pipeline, 0.6 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 85.1 percent of the value of total U.S.-Mexico freight flows (Table 4).

Commodities

In March 2017, the top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada was vehicles and parts, of which $5.6 billion, or 58.0 percent, moved by truck and $3.8 billion, or 39.5 percent, moved by rail (Figure 5). The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Mexico in March 2017 was also vehicles and parts, of which $4.4 billion or 45.7 percent moved by rail (Figure 6).

Reporting Notes

BTS press releases and the BTS website define surface transportation modes as truck, rail and pipeline. See North American TransBorder Freight Data on the BTS website for additional data for surface modes since 1995 and all modes since 2004. 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.

Data in this press release are not seasonally adjusted and are not adjusted for inflation. Additional summary data adjusted for inflation and exchange rates can be found on the BTS website under TransBorder Indexed Freight Flow Data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indexes used in the adjustments for inflation and exchange rates might be revised in each of the three months after original publication. For previous statistical releases and summary tables, see TransBorder Releases. See TransBorder Freight Data for data from previous months, and for additional state, port, and commodity data. BTS has scheduled the release of April TransBorder numbers for June 22.

Table 1. Value of Monthly U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows

(millions of current dollars)

Month	2015	2016	2017	Percent Change 2015-2016	Percent Change 2016-2017
January	89,258	82,430	87,960	-7.7	6.7
February	85,723	84,038	86,474	-2.0	2.9
March	96,070	90,462	100,289	-5.8	10.9
April	93,327	90,380		-3.2
May	92,707	89,840		-3.1
June	99,030	92,671		-6.4
July	92,995	83,725		-10.0
August	92,442	93,126		0.7
September	93,246	91,126		-2.3
October	96,624	93,165		-3.6
November	88,154	91,089		3.3
December	86,748	87,086		0.4
Year-to-date	271,052	256,929	274,723	-5.2	6.9
Annual	1,106,325	1,069,138		-3.4

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

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

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

(millions of current dollars)

Mode		March 2016	March 2017	Percent Change March 2016-2017
All Modes	Imports	47,994	54,347	13.2
	Exports	42,468	45,942	8.2
	Total	90,462	100,289	10.9

All Surface Modes	Imports	42,911	47,853	11.5
	Exports	35,226	37,764	7.2
	Total	78,137	85,617	9.6

Truck	Imports	31,364	32,609	4.0
	Exports	29,472	31,298	6.2
	Total	60,836	63,908	5.0

Rail	Imports	9,095	10,457	15.0
	Exports	4,956	5,359	8.1
	Total	14,051	15,817	12.6

Pipeline	Imports	2,452	4,787	95.2
	Exports	798	1,106	38.5
	Total	3,250	5,892	81.3

Vessel	Imports	1,972	3,166	60.6
	Exports	2,072	2,422	16.9
	Total	4,043	5,588	38.2

Air	Imports	1,511	1,654	9.5
	Exports	2,115	2,460	16.3
	Total	3,627	4,115	13.5

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 TransBorder Freight Data

Table 3. Value of Monthly U.S.-Canada Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

Mode		March 2016	March 2017	Percent Change March 2016-2017
All Modes	Imports	23,250	26,293	13.1
	Exports	23,129	24,920	7.7
	Total	46,379	51,213	10.4

All Surface Modes	Imports	20,597	23,388	13.5
	Exports	19,078	20,449	7.2
	Total	39,675	43,837	10.5

Truck	Imports	12,943	13,166	1.7
	Exports	15,854	16,767	5.8
	Total	28,797	29,934	3.9

Rail	Imports	5,220	5,451	4.4
	Exports	2,656	2,830	6.5
	Total	7,876	8,281	5.1

Pipeline	Imports	2,435	4,770	95.9
	Exports	567	852	50.2
	Total	3,002	5,622	87.3

Vessel	Imports	774	1,105	42.8
	Exports	273	390	43.2
	Total	1,047	1,496	42.9

Air	Imports	909	1,002	10.3
	Exports	1,382	1,481	7.1
	Total	2,291	2,483	8.4

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

Fig5

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

NOTES: Import and export numbers might not add to totals due to rounding.

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

(millions of current dollars)

Mode		March 2016	March 2017	Percent Change March 2016-2017
All Modes	Imports	24,744	28,054	13.4
	Exports	19,339	21,022	8.7
	Total	44,083	49,076	11.3

All Surface Modes	Imports	22,314	24,466	9.6
	Exports	16,148	17,315	7.2
	Total	38,462	41,780	8.6

Truck	Imports	18,422	19,443	5.5
	Exports	13,618	14,531	6.7
	Total	32,039	33,974	6.0

Rail	Imports	3,875	5,006	29.2
	Exports	2,300	2,530	10.0
	Total	6,175	7,536	22.0

Pipeline	Imports	17	16	-4.3