Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
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July Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico Rose 10.5 Percent from July 2006

(State Rankings in Tables 5 and 7)

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BTS 45-07
Dave Smallen
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Thursday, September 27, 2007 - Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 10.5 percent higher in July 2007 than in July 2006, reaching $61.8 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 the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico fell 11.1 percent in July from June (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.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in July was up 49.3 percent compared to July 2002, and up 91.7 percent compared to July 1997, a period of 10 years (Table 3). Imports in July were up 104.0 percent compared to July 1997, while exports were up 77.6 percent.

U.S. Surface Transportation Trade with Canada

U.S.–Canada surface transportation trade totaled $39.1 billion in July, up 11.0 percent compared to July 2006 (Table 4). The value of imports carried by truck was 5.2 percent higher in July 2007 than July 2006, while the value of exports carried by truck was 9.7 percent higher.

Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in July with $4.5 billion (Table 5).

U.S. Surface Transportation Trade with Mexico

U.S. – Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $22.7 billion in July, up 9.6 percent compared to July 2006 (Table 6). The value of imports carried by truck was 7.4 percent higher in July 2007 than July 2006 while the value of exports carried by truck was 6.1 percent higher.

Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in July with $6.9 billion (Table 7).

The TransBorder Freight Data are a unique subset of official U.S. foreign trade statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau. New data are tabulated monthly and historical data are not adjusted for inflation. July TransBorder numbers include data received by BTS as September 11.

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 August TransBorder numbers on Oct. 31.

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

(millions of dollars)

Excel | CSV

Month 2005 2006 2007 Percent Change
2005-2006
Percent Change
2006-2007
January 52,334 61,189 60,649 16.9 −0.9
February 53,592 59,804 59,667 11.6 −0.2
March 59,436 68,213 69,768 14.8 2.3
April 58,297 61,742 65,015 5.9 5.3
May 57,870 65,994 69,423 14.0 5.2
June 59,431 66,898 69,526 12.6 3.9
July 49,690 55,939 61,823 12.6 10.5
August 60,188 66,354   10.2  
September 61,166 63,295   3.5  
October 63,985 66,846   4.5  
November 62,894 64,805   3.0  
December 59,104 59,049   −0.1  
Year-to-date 390,650 439,778 455,870 12.6 3.7
Annual 697,987  760,127    8.9  

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   July
2006
June
2007
July
2007
Percent Change
June 2007 -
July 2007
Percent Change
July
2006-2007
All Surface Modes Imports 32,064 39,561 35,138 −11.2 9.6
Exports 23,875 29,965 26,685 −10.9 11.8
Total 55,939 69,526 61,823 −11.1 10.5
Truck Imports 20,685 24,497 21,979 −10.3 6.3
Exports 19,024 23,017 20,611 −10.4 8.3
Rail Imports 6,094 8,402 6,914 −17.7 13.5
Exports 2,760 3,640 3,227 −11.3 16.9
Pipeline Imports 4,106 5,246 4,753 −9.4 15.8
Exports 192 617 288 −53.3 49.8

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/programs/international/transborder/tbdr; Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Table 3. July 2007 Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico Compared with July of Prior Years

Excel | CSV

Compared to July in. Percent Change
Imports Exports Total Surface Trade
2006 9.6 11.8 10.5
2005 22.4 27.2 24.4
2004 24.8 33.8 28.5
2003 42.5 48.7 45.1
2002 46.0 53.9 49.3
2001 45.5 59.6 51.3
2000 45.4 49.1 47.0
1999 65.5 65.7 65.6
1998 100.6 83.8 93.0
1997 104.0 77.6 91.7

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   July
2006
June
2007
July
2007
Percent Change June 2007 -
July 2007
Percent Change
July
2006-2007
All Surface Modes Imports 20,267 25,072 22,118 −11.8 9.1
Exports 14,947 19,925 16,986 −14.8 13.6
Total 35,214 44,997 39,104 −13.1 11.0
Truck Imports 10,769 12,940 11,327 −12.5 5.2
Exports 11,728 15,195 12,867 −15.3 9.7
Rail Imports 4,455 5,788 4,836 −16.4 8.6
Exports 1,565 2,095 1,824 −13.0 16.6
Pipeline Imports 4,104 5,233 4,738 −9.5 15.4
Exports 148 554 245 −55.8 65.9

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/programs/international/transborder/tbdr; Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

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

Ranked by July 2007 Surface Trade Value

(millions of dollars)

Excel | CSV

Rank State July 2007
1 Michigan 4,467
2 Illinois 3,151
3 New York 2,855
4 Ohio 2,415
5 California 2,409
6 Washington 2,167
7 Texas 2,125
8 Pennsylvania 1,406
9 Minnesota 1,295
10 Indiana 1,223

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   July
2006
June
2007
July
2007
Percent Change
June 2007 -
July 2007
Percent Change
July
2006-2007
All Surface Modes Imports 11,797 14,489 13,020 −10.1 10.4
Exports 8,927 10,040 9,700 −3.4 8.6
Total 20,725 24,529 22,719 −7.4 9.6
Truck Imports 9,915 11,557 10,652 −7.8 7.4
Exports 7,296 7,822 7,744 −1.0 6.1
Rail Imports 1,639 2,614 2,077 −20.5 26.8
Exports 1,196 1,545 1,404 −9.1 17.4
Pipeline Imports 1 13 15 9.4 980.1
Exports 45 63 43 −31.7 −3.2

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/programs/international/transborder/tbdr; Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding. NA - not applicable

Table 7. Top 10 States Trading with Mexico by Surface Modes of Transportation

Ranked by July 2007 Surface Trade Value

(millions of dollars)

Excel | CSV

Rank State July 2007
1 Texas 6,946
2 California 3,875
3 Michigan 2,297
4 Illinois 836
5 Arizona 720
6 Ohio 529
7 Tennessee 476
8 New York 450
9 Indiana 446
10 North Carolina 444

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