Truck-Based Shipping Leads February Nafta Trade
Companies involved in international trade in the United States, Mexico and Canada put more of their volumes in trucks in February, the Department of Transportation reported April 24.
Total cross-border freight among North American Free Trade Agreement partners rose 1% in February from a year earlier, but the truck-borne component grew by 2.6%, the highest rate among all transportation modes.
Trucks brought in $25.8 billion worth of imports from Canada and Mexico and delivered $27.8 billion in exports, for a combined total of $53.6 billion, DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported.
Cars and light trucks were the most carried commodity by trucks over the border, while mineral fuels, oils and waxes were the most heavily traded commodities across all modes.
Total North American trade dipped in January, but February’s upswing tilted the two-month, year-to-date figure to a gain of 0.5%. The two-month value of the trade is $179.9 billion, according to BTS.
Pipeline volume also grew in February, by 0.1% year-over-year, but all other modes — rail, air and pipeline — declined.
