The value of US-NAFTA freight totaled $88.2 billion in November 2015 as all modes of transportation carried a lower total value of freight than a year earlier, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released today by the US Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Canada regained its historical rank as top North America trade partner after falling behind Mexico in total trade value for the first time in October. Large decreases in the value of commodities moved by pipeline and vessel in November were due to the reduced unit price of crude oil.
In November 2015 compared to November 2014, the value of commodities moving by truck decreased by 0.4 percent, while the value of air freight decreased by 7.3 percent and rail by 9.8 percent. Vessel freight value decreased 42.6 percent and pipeline freight decreased 43.2 percent mainly due to the lower unit price of crude oil, which comprises a large share of the commodities carried by these modes.
Trucks carried 66.2 percent of US-NAFTA freight and continue to be the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both US-NAFTA partners. Trucks accounted for $30.0 billion of the $46.8 billion of imports (64.1 percent) and $28.3 billion of the $41.3 billion of exports (68.5 percent).
Rail remained the second largest mode by value, moving 15.1 percent of all US-NAFTA freight, followed by vessel, 5.4 percent; pipeline, 4.2 percent; and air, 3.8 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 85.5 percent of the total US-NAFTA freight flows.
The value of US-Canada freight totaled $45.1 billion in November 2015, down 13.8 percent from November 2014, as all modes of transportation carried a lower value of US-Canada freight than a year earlier. The top commodity category transported between the US and Canada by all modes was vehicles and parts, of which $5.4 billion, or 59.0 percent, moved by truck and $3.6 billion, or 38.7 percent, moved by rail.
The value of US-Mexico freight totaled $43.0 billion in November 2015, down 1.9 percent from November 2014, as two out of the five transportation modes—air and truck—carried more US-Mexico freight value than in November 2014. The top commodity category for all modes transported between the US and Mexico in November 2015 was electrical machinery, of which $8.3 billion, or 92.3 percent, moved by truck and $0.4 billion, or 4.9 percent, moved by air.