BTS 14-14 Advisory
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Contact: Dave Smallen
Tel: 202-366-5568                                             

 

Value of 2013 U.S.-NAFTA Freight on Surface Modes Rose from 2012;
Declined on Air and Vessel 

Three of the five transportation modes – the surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline – carried more U.S. trade with North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico by value in 2013 than in 2012 while the value of freight transported by air and vessel decreased, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). 

Trade by pipeline also grew the most from year-to-year, 7.7 percent, partly due to the value of petroleum products, as the overall value on all modes rose 2.6 percent. Smaller increases took place on rail (4.6 percent) and truck (2.2) while vessel trade fell for the second consecutive year (-2.4) and air trade declined for the third straight year (-1.0). 

Trade by Mode

            Most U.S.-NAFTA trade in 2013 (82.4 percent) was carried on the surface modes of truck, rail and pipeline. Trucks carried 59.7 percent, followed by rail at 15.4 percent, air at 9.1 percent, pipeline at 7.3 percent and vessel at 3.8 percent. 

            Although truck carries more than half of U.S.-NAFTA trade, 59.7 percent in 2013, its share of total trade has dropped by 4.0 percentage points from 2004, the first year of BTS data for all modes. Vessel’s percentage share rose 2.6 points while pipeline rose 1.9 points. 

Trade with Canada

            Most U.S.-Canada trade in 2013 (83.6 percent) was carried on the surface modes of truck, rail and pipeline. Trucks carried 54.4 percent, followed by rail at 16.7 percent, pipeline at 12.6 percent, vessel at 5.7 percent and air at 4.5 percent. 

Trade with Mexico

            Most U.S.-Mexico trade in 2013 (80.8 percent) was carried on the surface modes of truck, rail and pipeline. Trucks carried 66.2 percent, followed by rail at 13.8 percent, vessel at 13.3 percent, air at 3.0 percent and pipeline at 0.8 percent. 

See BTS Transborder Data Release for summary tables and additional data. See North American Transborder Freight Data  on the BTS website for additional data for surface modes since 1995 and all modes since 2004.           

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