Nafta Trade Rises 4.4%
U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico rose 4.4% in August to $100.6 billion from a year ago, the Department of Transportation reported Oct. 23.
Trucks carried 59.6% of the trade among the North American Free Trade Agreement partners, accounting for $31.2 billion of U.S. exports and $28.8 billion of imports.
August marked the sixth straight month that Nafta trade value has topped $100 billion, DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics said in its monthly report.
Truck freight accounted for $1.9 billion of the $4.2 billion increase, due almost entirely to a 6.6% increase in U.S.-Mexico trade. U.S.-Canada truck trade was unchanged.
Trucks moved about two-thirds of U.S.-Mexico trade, valued at $45.1 billion, and just over half of U.S.-Canada trade, at $55.5 billion.
Rail was the second-largest mode at 15.5%, followed by vessel at 9.2%, pipeline at 7.4% and air at 3.7%. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 82.5% of total Nafta freight.
