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Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico Rose 12.0 Percent in November 2005 from November 2004

Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico Rose 12.0 Percent in November 2005 from November 2004

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Dave Smallen
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Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 12.0 percent higher in November 2005 than in November 2004, reaching $62.9 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 1.7 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 41.6 percent compared to November 2001, and up 95.1 percent compared to November 1995, a period of 10 years (Table 3). Imports in November were up 106.1 percent compared to November 1995, while exports were up 81.7 percent.

U.S. Surface Transportation Trade with Canada

U.S.–Canada surface transportation trade totaled $41.0 billion in November, up 13.3 percent compared to November 2004 (Table 4). The value of imports carried by truck was 11.5 percent higher in November 2005 than November 2004 while the value of exports carried by truck was 11.3 percent higher.

Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in November with $6.9 billion (Table 5).

U.S. Surface Transportation Trade with Mexico

U.S. – Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $21.8 billion in November, up 9.7 percent compared to November 2004 (Table 6). The value of imports carried by truck was 10.9 percent higher in November 2005 than November 2004 while the value of exports carried by truck was 6.7 percent higher.

Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in November with $7.1 billion (Table 7).

The Transborder Freight Dataset is 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. 13.

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 Percent Change 2004-2005
January 45,686 52,334 14.6
February 48,170 53,592 11.3
March 56,269 59,436 5.6
April 53,195 58,297 9.6
May 53,155 57,870 8.9
June 55,422 59,431 7.2
July 48,096 49,690 3.3
August 53,577 60,188 12.3
September 54,913 61,166 11.4
October 56,880 63,985 12.5
November 56,134 62,894 12.0
December 52,065    
Year-to-date 581,497 638,883 9.9
Annual 633,563    

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

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

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

(millions of dollars)

Excel | CSV

Mode November 2004 October 2005 November 2005 Percent Change October - November Percent Change November 2004-2005
All Surface Modes Imports 32,005 37,199 36,387 −2.2 13.7
Exports 24,129 26,786 26,507 −1.0 9.9
Total 56,134 63,985 62,894 −1.7 12.0
Truck Imports 20,764 23,271 23,095 −0.8 11.2
Exports 19,062 21,126 20,899 −1.1 9.6
Rail Imports 6,677 7,449 7,440 −0.1 11.4
Exports 2,901 3,197 3,125 −2.3 7.7
Pipeline Imports 3,465 5,079 4,753 −6.4 37.2
Exports 104 169 212 25.5 104.7

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 Surface Freight data "Sources and Reliability" statement: http://www.bts.gov/ntda/tbscd/srfin.html; Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

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

Table 3. November 2005 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
2004 13.7 9.9 12.0
2003 33.1 25.5 29.8
2002 38.8 31.8 35.8
2001 44.9 37.3 41.6
2000 29.1 22.6 26.3
1999 43.6 29.2 37.1
1998 69.3 47.4 59.3
1997 86.3 53.7 71.0
1996 89.1 59.0 75.1
1995 106.1 81.7 95.1

Source: BTS Transborder Surface Freight Dataset, 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 2004 October 2005 November 2005 Percent Change October - November Percent Change November 2004-2005
All Surface Modes Imports 20,908 24,857 24,074 −3.1 15.1
Exports 15,316 17,239 16,974 −1.5 10.8
Total 36,224 42,097 41,048 −2.5 13.3
Truck Imports 11,569 13,152 12,894 −2.0 11.5
Exports 12,016 13,508 13,379 −1.0 11.3
Rail Imports 4,988 5,427 5,546 2.2 11.2
Exports 1,584 1,750 1,716 −1.9 8.4
Pipeline Imports 3,465 5,079 4,753 −6.4 37.2
Exports 96 100 147 46.6 53.2

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 Surface Freight data "Sources and Reliability" statement: http://www.bts.gov/ntda/tbscd/srfin.html; Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

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

Table 5. Top 10 States Trading with Canada by Surface Modes of Transportation, Ranked by November 2005 Surface Trade Value

(millions of dollars)

Excel | CSV

Rank State November 2005
1 Michigan 6,935
2 New York 2,796
3 Illinois 2,774
4 California 2,575
5 Ohio 2,548
6 Texas 1,812
7 Pennsylvania 1,740
8 Washington 1,666
9 Indiana 1,328
10 Tennessee 1,271

Source: BTS Transborder Surface Freight Dataset, 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 2004 October 2005 November 2005 Percent Change October - November Percent Change November 2004-2005
All Surface Modes Imports 11,097 12,342 12,312 −0.2 11.0
Exports 8,813 9,547 9,534 −0.1 8.2
Total 19,910 21,888 21,846 −0.2 9.7
Truck Imports 9,195 10,120 10,200 0.8 10.9
Exports 7,046 7,618 7,519 −1.3 6.7
Rail Imports 1,690 2,023 1,894 −6.4 12.1
Exports 1,317 1,447 1,409 −2.6 6.9
Pipeline Imports 0 0 0 NA NA
Exports 8 69 66 −5.1 727.4

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 Surface Freight data "Sources and Reliability" statement: http://www.bts.gov/ntda/tbscd/srfin.html; Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

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

Table 7. Top 10 States Trading with Mexico by Surface Modes of Transportation, Ranked by November 2005 Surface Trade Value

(millions of dollars)

Excel | CSV

Rank State November 2005
1 Texas 7,075
2 California 3,886
3 Michigan 2,238
4 Arizona 795
5 Illinois 671
6 Ohio 506
7 Indiana 465
8 Tennessee 446
9 New York 414
10 North Carolina 395

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