Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
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November 2006 Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico Rose 3.0 Percent from November 2005

(State Rankings in Tables 5 and 7)

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BTS 05-07
Dave Smallen
202-366-5568

Wednesday, January 31, 2007 - Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 3.0 percent higher in November 2006 than in November 2005, reaching $64.8 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (Table 1).

BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), reported that total North American surface transportation trade fell 3.1 percent in November from October (Table 2).  Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors. 

Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline.  About 90 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moves on land.

Total North American surface transportation trade value in November was up 45.9 percent compared to November 2001, and up 80.4 percent compared to November 1996, a period of 10 years (Table 3).  Imports in November were up 91.2 percent compared to November 1996, while exports were up 68.0 percent. 

U.S. Surface Transportation Trade with Canada

 U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade totaled $40.5 billion in November, down 1.2 percent compared to November 2005 (Table 4).  The value of imports carried by truck was 3.2 percent lower in November 2006 than November 2005, while the value of exports carried by truck was 3.5 percent higher.

Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in November with $5.9 billion (Table 5).  

U.S. Surface Transportation Trade with Mexico

U.S. - Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $24.3 billion in November, up 11.1 percent compared to November 2005 (Table 6).  The value of imports carried by truck was 11.2 percent higher in November 2006 than November 2005 while the value of exports carried by truck was 5.4 percent higher.     

Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in November with $7.3 billion (Table 7).  

The Transborder Freight Data are a special extract of the official U.S. foreign trade statistics.  The data are tabulated for BTS monthly by the U.S. Census Bureau's Foreign Trade Division.  November transborder numbers include data received by BTS as of Jan. 16. 

The news release and summary tables can be found at www.bts.gov.  More information on Transborder Freight Data and data from previous months are posted on the BTS website at http://www.bts.gov/transborder/.  BTS will release December transborder numbers on Feb. 28.

Table 1. Value of Monthly U.S. Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico

(millions of dollars)

Excel | CSV

Month 2004 2005 2006 Percent Change 2004-2005 Percent Change 2005-2006
January 45,686 52,334 61,189 14.6 16.9
February 48,170 53,592 59,804 11.3 11.6
March 56,269 59,436 68,213 5.6 14.8
April 53,195 58,297 61,742 9.6 5.9
May 53,155 57,870 65,994 8.9 14.0
June 55,422 59,431 66,898 7.2 12.6
July 48,096 49,690 55,939 3.3 12.6
August 53,577 60,188 66,354 12.3 10.2
September 54,913 61,166 63,295 11.4 3.5
October 56,880 63,985 66,846 12.5 4.5
November 56,134 62,894 64,805 12.0 3.0
December 52,065 59,104   13.5  
Year-to-date 581,498 638,882 701,078 9.9 9.7
Annual 633,563 697,987   10.2  

Source: BTS Transborder Freight Data, http://www.bts.gov/transborder/

Note: Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Table 2. U.S. Merchandise Trade with Canada and Mexico by Surface Modes of Transportation

(millions of dollars)

Excel | CSV

Mode   November 2005 October 2006 November 2006 Percent Change Oct. 2006-Nov. 2006 Percent Change November 2005-2006
All Surface Modes Imports 36,387 37,943 36,794 -3.0 1.1
Exports 26,507 28,902 28,011 -3.1 5.7
Total 62,894 66,846 64,805 -3.1 3.0
Truck Imports 23,095 25,010 23,817 -4.8 3.1
Exports 20,899 22,530 21,774 -3.4 4.2
Rail Imports 7,440 7,328 7,653 4.4 2.9
Exports 3,125 3,550 3,686 3.8 17.9
Pipeline Imports 4,753 4,392 4,184 -4.7 -12.0
Exports 212 257 247 -3.9 16.5

Source: BTS Transborder Freight Data, http://www.bts.gov/transborder/

Note: The value of all surface modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail and pipeline modes.  The value of trade for all surface modes includes shipments made by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, foreign trade zones, other and unknown modes of transportation.  For additional detail refer to the Transborder Freight Data "Sources and Reliability" statement: http://www.bts.gov/ntda/tbscd/srfin.html; Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Table 3. November 2006 Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico Compared with November of Prior Years

Excel | CSV

Compared to November in. Percent Change
Imports Exports Total Surface Trade
2005 1.1 5.7 3.0
2004 15.0 16.1 15.4
2003 34.6 32.7 33.7
2002 40.4 39.3 39.9
2001 46.6 45.1 45.9
2000 30.6 29.6 30.2
1999 45.2 36.5 41.3
1998 71.1 55.8 64.1
1997 88.4 62.5 76.2
1996 91.2 68.0 80.4

Source: BTS Transborder Freight Data, http://www.bts.gov/transborder/

Table 4. U.S. Merchandise Trade with Canada by Surface Modes of Transportation

(millions of dollars)

Excel | CSV

Mode   November 2005 October 2006 November 2006 Percent Change Oct. 2006-Nov. 2006 Percent Change November 2005-2006
All Surface Modes Imports 24,074 23,685 22,828 -3.6 -5.2
Exports 16,974 18,100 17,709 -2.2 4.3
Total 41,048 41,785 40,537 -3.0 -1.2
Truck Imports 12,894 13,383 12,479 -6.8 -3.2
Exports 13,379 14,165 13,852 -2.2 3.5
Rail Imports 5,546 4,943 5,288 7.0 -4.6
Exports 1,716 1,977 1,937 -2.1 12.8
Pipeline Imports 4,753 4,381 4,176 -4.7 -12.1
Exports 147 199 192 -3.6 30.6

Source: BTS Transborder Freight Data, http://www.bts.gov/transborder/

Note: The value of all surface modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail and pipeline modes.  The value of trade for all surface modes includes shipments made by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, foreign trade zones, other and unknown modes of transportation.  For additional detail refer to the Transborder Freight Data "Sources and Reliability" statement: http://www.bts.gov/ntda/tbscd/srfin.html; Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Table 5. Top 10 States Trading with Canada by Surface Modes of Transportation

Ranked by November 2006 Surface Trade Value

(millions of dollars)

Excel | CSV

Rank State November 2006
1 Michigan 5,871
2 Illinois 3,175
3 Ohio 2,879
4 New York 2,815
5 California 2,653
6 Texas 1,932
7 Pennsylvania 1,513
8 Tennessee 1,357
9 Washington 1,296
10 Indiana 1,284

Source: BTS Transborder Freight Data, http://www.bts.gov/transborder/

Table 6. U.S. Merchandise Trade with Mexico by Surface Modes of Transportation

(millions of dollars)

Excel | CSV

Mode   November 2005 October 2006 November 2006 Percent Change Oct. 2006-Nov. 2006 Percent Change November 2005-2006
All Surface Modes Imports 12,312 14,258 13,966 -2.1 13.4
Exports 9,534 10,802 10,302 -4.6 8.1
Total 21,846 25,061 24,268 -3.2 11.1
Truck Imports 10,200 11,626 11,338 -2.5 11.2
Exports 7,519 8,364 7,922 -5.3 5.4
Rail Imports 1,894 2,385 2,365 -0.8 24.9
Exports 1,409 1,573 1,749 11.2 24.1
Pipeline Imports 0 12 8 -33.6 NA
Exports 66 58 56 -4.6 -15.3

Source: BTS Transborder Freight Data, http://www.bts.gov/transborder/

Note: The value of all surface modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail and pipeline modes.  The value of trade for all surface modes includes shipments made by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, foreign trade zones, other and unknown modes of transportation.  For additional detail refer to the Transborder Freight data "Sources and Reliability" statement: http://www.bts.gov/ntda/tbscd/srfin.html; Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Table 7. Top 10 States Trading with Mexico by Surface Modes of Transportation Ranked by November 2006 Surface Trade Value

(millions of dollars)

Excel | CSV

Rank State November 2006
1 Texas 7,350
2 California 4,416
3 Michigan 2,578
4 Arizona 858
5 Illinois 809
6 Tennessee 576
7 Ohio 524
8 New York 514
9 Indiana 456
10 Pennsylvania 424

Source: BTS Transborder Freight Data, http://www.bts.gov/transborder/