Nafta Trade Rises 5.4% as Trucks Carry Three-Fifths of Freight

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John Sommers II for TT

U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico in December increased to $95.8 billion, up 5.4% from 2013, and trucks carried about three-fifths of the freight, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported Feb. 26.

Trucks carried 59.2% of the trade among North American Free Trade Agreement partners, the most heavily used mode of moving goods to and from Canada and Mexico.

The rise in December was the 11th consecutive month Nafta trade volume has increased year-over-year, according to BTS. 

Trucks transported $28.4 billion of exports and $28.4 billion of imports. Trade by truck increased 9.3% year-over-year, and rail rose 8.3%.

U.S.-Canada trade for the month by truck increased 5.2%, and rail increased 8.1%. Trucks carried 52.6% of the $53.1 billion in freight to and from Canada.

Trade with Mexico by truck increased 13.7% from last year and accounted for 67.5% of the $42.8 billion of freight moved to and from the country.

Trade by vessel declined 22.6% in December on the reduced price of mineral fuels, the top commodity transported between the United States and Canada, BTS said.