BTS Releases June 2015 North American Freight Numbers

BTS 40-15

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Contact: Dave Smallen

Tel: 202-366-5568

 

BTS Releases June 2015 North American Freight Numbers

  

 

            The value of U.S.-NAFTA freight totaled $99.0 billion in June 2015 as all modes except truck carried less U.S.-NAFTA freight than in June 2014, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released today by theU.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) (Figure 1, Table 1). Year-over-year, the value of U.S.-NAFTA freight flows by all modes decreased by 3.8 percent. Large decreases in the value of NAFTA trade by pipeline and vessel in June were due to the reduced unit price of mineral fuel shipments. 

 

Freight by Mode

 

            In June 2015 compared to June 2014, the value of commodities moving by truck increased by 5.1 percent, while rail decreased by 4.5 percent and air by 8.9 percent (Figure 1, Table 2). Vessel freight values decreased by 24.4 percent and pipeline freight decreased by 40.0 percent mainly due to the lower unit price of mineral fuel shipments.

 

            Trucks carried 65.0 percent of U.S.-NAFTA freight and are the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners. Trucks accounted for $33.2 billion of the $53.8 billion of imports (61.6 percent) and $31.2 billion of the $45.2 billion of exports (69.0 percent) (Table 2).

 

            Rail remained the second largest mode by value, moving 14.9 percent of all U.S.-NAFTA freight, followed by vessel, 7.0 percent; pipeline, 5.0 percent; and air, 3.6 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 84.8 percent of the total U.S.-NAFTA freight flows (Table 2).

 

U.S.-Canada Freight

 

            The value of U.S.-Canada freight totaled $52.0 billion in June 2015, down 10.3 percent from June 2014, as all modes of transportation carried a lower value of U.S.-Canada freight than a year earlier. A recession in Canada likely contributed to the decrease of U.S.-Canada freight flows.

 

            Lower mineral fuel prices contributed to a year-over-year decrease in the value of rail freight, down 11.7 percent. Mineral fuels are a large share of freight carried by vessel, which was down 21.7 percent year-over-year, and pipeline, down 41.0 percent (Figure 2, Table 3).

 

            Trucks carried 59.7 percent of the $52.0 billion of freight to and from Canada, followed by rail, 15.2 percent; pipeline, 8.8 percent; vessel, 5.4 percent; and air, 4.3 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 83.7 percent of the total U.S.-Canada freight flows (Table 3).

 

U.S.-Mexico Freight

 

            The value of U.S.-Mexico freight totaled $47.1 billion in June 2015, up 4.4 percent from June 2014, as three out of five transportation modes – truck, rail and air – carried more U.S.-Mexico freight than in June 2014. Year-over-year, the value of U.S.-Mexico truck freight rose 10.5 percent, the largest percentage increase of any mode. Freight carried by rail increased by 5.4 percent and freight by air increased by 0.6 percent. Pipeline freight decreased by 24.3 percent and vessel freight decreased by 26.1 percent, mainly due to lower mineral fuel prices (Figure 3, Table 4).

 

            Trucks carried 70.8 percent of the $47.1 billion of freight to and from Mexico, followed by rail, 14.4 percent; vessel, 8.7 percent; air, 2.8 percent; and pipeline, 0.8 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 86.0 percent of the total U.S.-Mexico freight flows (Table 4). 

 

Commodities

            In June 2015, the top commodity category for all modes transported between the U.S. and Canada was vehicles and parts, of which $5.8 billion, or 60.8 percent, moved by truck and $3.5 billion, or 36.6 percent, moved by rail (Figure 4). Vehicles and parts replaced mineral fuels as the top commodity in March 2015 and continues to be the top commodity for a fourth straight month. The top commodity category for all modes transported between the U.S. and Mexico in June 2015 was vehicles and parts, of which $4.7 billion, or 51.8 percent, moved by truck and $3.8 billion, or 41.7 percent, moved by rail (Figure 5).

 

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 BLS indexes used in the adjustments for inflation and exchange rates June be revised in each of the three months after 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. 29.

 

See BTS Transborder Data Release

 

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

(millions of current dollars)

Month	2013	2014	2015	Percent Change 2013-2014	Percent Change 2014-2015
January	90,766	90,326	89,258	-0.5	-1.2
February	88,894	89,557	85,723	0.7	-4.3
March	95,757	101,478	96,070	6.0	-5.3
April	98,956	100,141	93,327	1.2	-6.8
May	98,742	103,942	92,707	5.3	-10.8
June	93,502	102,978	99,030	10.1	-3.8
July	93,080	101,075		8.6
August	96,426	100,624		4.4
September	94,465	102,245		8.2
October	103,140	108,243		4.9
November	96,136	96,252		0.1
December	90,906	95,811		5.4
Year-to-date	566,617	588,422	556,115	3.8	-5.5
Annual	1,140,770	1,192,671		4.5

 

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		June 2014	June 2015	Percent Change June 2014-2015
All Modes	Imports	55,323	53,799	-2.8
	Exports	47,656	45,231	-5.1
	Total	102,978	99,030	-3.8
All Surface Modes	Imports	46,435	46,853	0.9
	Exports	38,395	37,120	-3.3
	Total	84,830	83,973	-1.0
Truck	Imports	29,794	33,155	11.3
	Exports	31,432	31,192	-0.8
	Total	61,226	64,346	5.1
Rail	Imports	9,809	9,680	-1.3
	Exports	5,600	5,032	-10.1
	Total	15,409	14,712	-4.5
Pipeline	Imports	6,831	4,019	-41.2
	Exports	1,363	896	-34.3
	Total	8,195	4,914	-40.0
Vessel	Imports	5,403	3,893	-28.0
	Exports	3,710	3,001	-19.1
	Total	9,114	6,894	-24.4
Air	Imports	1,549	1,411	-8.9
	Exports	2,334	2,125	-9.0
	Total	3,884	3,537	-8.9

 

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

(millions of current dollars)

Mode		June 2014	June 2015	Percent Change June 2014-2015
All Modes	Imports	30,323	27,208	-10.3
	Exports	27,580	24,747	-10.3
	Total	57,903	51,955	-10.3
All Surface Modes	Imports	25,866	23,457	-9.3
	Exports	21,897	20,040	-8.5
	Total	47,763	43,496	-8.9
Truck	Imports	13,126	14,161	7.9
	Exports	17,958	16,865	-6.1
	Total	31,084	31,026	-0.2
Rail	Imports	5,926	5,299	-10.6
	Exports	3,035	2,618	-13.8
	Total	8,961	7,917	-11.7
Pipeline	Imports	6,814	3,997	-41.3
	Exports	904	557	-38.5
	Total	7,718	4,554	-41.0
Vessel	Imports	1,907	1,708	-10.4
	Exports	1,685	1,106	-34.4
	Total	3,592	2,814	-21.7
Air	Imports	1,002	872	-13.0
	Exports	1,575	1,350	-14.3
	Total	2,577	2,222	-13.8

 

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

(millions of current dollars)

Mode		June 2014	June 2015	Percent Change June 2014-2015
All Modes	Imports	24,999	26,591	6.4
	Exports	20,076	20,484	2.0
	Total	45,075	47,075	4.4
All Surface Modes	Imports	20,570	23,397	13.7
	Exports	16,498	17,080	3.5
	Total	37,067	40,477	9.2
Truck	Imports	16,669	18,994	13.9
	Exports	13,474	14,327	6.3
	Total	30,143	33,320	10.5
Rail	Imports	3,883	4,381	12.8
	Exports	2,565	2,414	-5.9
	Total	6,448	6,796	5.4
Pipeline	Imports	18	22	22.8
	Exports	459	339	-26.1
	Total	477	361	-24.3
Vessel	Imports	3,497	2,184	-37.5
	Exports	2,026	1,896	-6.4
	Total	5,522	4,080	-26.1
Air	Imports	548	540	-1.5
	Exports	759	775	2.1
	Total	1,307	1,315	0.6

 

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