NAFTA Surface Trade Rises 11.6% in December

Surface trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico rose 11.6% in December from a year ago, the Department of Transportation said Tuesday.

Trade among the North American Free Trade Agreement partners rose to $74.2 billion, DOT’s Bureau of Trade Statistics said in its monthly report.

Month-to-month trade, which is affected by seasonal factors, slipped 3.2% from October, BTS said.

U.S.-Canada trade rose 11.2% to $44.2 billion, while U.S.-Mexico trade improved 12.1% to $30 billion.

Truck imports to the United States rose 6.8% year-over-year to $26.3 billion. Exports rose 11.7% to $27.3 billion.

Rail imports rose 22.3% to $8.1 billion, while exports increased 17.9% to $4.8 billion. Pipeline imports increased 24.1% to $5.6 billion and exports jumped 6.3% to $714 million.

Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline. About 90% of U.S. trade among NAFTA partners moves by land.