Figure 1.  Percent Change in Value of U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows by Mode: September 2014 - 2015

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

The value of U.S.-NAFTA freight totaled $93.2 billion in September 2015 as all modes of transportation carried less value of freight than a year earlier, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) (Figure 1, Table 1). Year-over-year, the value of U.S.-NAFTA freight flows by all modes decreased by 8.8 percent. Large decreases in the value of commodities moved by pipeline and vessel in September were due to the reduced unit price of mineral fuel.

Freight by Mode

In September 2015 compared to September 2014, the value of commodities moving by truck decreased by 0.1 percent, while air decreased by 4.0 percent and rail by 12.2 percent (Figure 1, Table 2). Vessel freight values decreased 38.9 percent and pipeline freight decreased 41.8 percent mainly due to the lower unit price of mineral fuel.

Average monthly fuel prices are available from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A decline in the value of freight shipments does not necessarily mean there was a lower volume of freight transported.

Trucks carried 65.7 percent of U.S.-NAFTA freight and are the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners. Trucks accounted for $31.7 billion of the $50.5 billion of imports (62.8 percent) and $29.6 billion of the $42.7 billion of exports (69.2 percent) (Table 2).

Rail remained the second largest mode by value, moving 14.4 percent of all U.S.-NAFTA freight, followed by vessel, 5.6 percent; pipeline, 5.1 percent; and air, 3.9 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 85.2 percent of the total U.S.-NAFTA freight flows (Table 2).

U.S.-Canada Freight

Figure 2.  Percent Change in Value of U.S.-Canada Freight Flows by Mode: September 2014 - 2015

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

The value of U.S.-Canada freight totaled $48.3 billion in September 2015, down 15.8 percent from September 2014, as all modes of transportation carried less value of U.S.-Canada freight than a year earlier.

Lower mineral fuel prices contributed to a year-over-year decrease in the value of freight moved between the U.S. and Canada. Mineral fuels are a large share of freight carried by vessel and pipeline, which were down 35.7 percent and 42.1 percent respectively year-over-year (Figure 2, Table 3).

Trucks carried 59.1 percent of the $48.3 billion of freight to and from Canada, followed by rail, 15.1 percent; pipeline, 9.2 percent; air, 4.9 percent; and vessel, 4.0 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 83.4 percent of the total U.S.-Canada freight flows (Table 3).

U.S.-Mexico Freight

Figure 3.  Percent Change in Value of U.S.-Mexico Freight Flows by Mode: September 2014 - 2015

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

The value of U.S.-Mexico freight totaled $45.0 billion in September 2015, up 0.2 percent from September 2014, as two out of five transportation modes – rail and truck – carried more U.S.-Mexico freight than in September 2014. Year-over-year, the value of U.S.-Mexico truck freight rose 7.9 percent, the largest percentage increase of any mode. The top three commodities carried by truck had double digit increases in value: electrical machinery up 16.3 percent, computer equipment up 10.2 percent and vehicles and parts up 12.9 percent. Freight carried by rail increased by 1.4 percent. The top commodity carried by rail, vehicles and parts, was up 8.9 percent.  Air freight was down 6.9 percent and pipeline freight declined 37.0 percent. Vessel freight decreased by 40.7 percent mainly due to lower mineral fuel prices (Figure 3, Table 4).

Trucks carried 72.8 percent of the $45.0 billion of freight to and from Mexico, followed by rail, 13.6 percent; vessel, 7.4 percent; air, 2.8 percent; and pipeline, 0.7 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 87.1 percent of the total U.S.-Mexico freight flows (Table 4).

Commodities
In September 2015, the top commodity category for all modes transported between the U.S. and Canada was vehicles and parts, of which $5.4 billion, or 60.8 percent, moved by truck and $3.2 billion, and 36.8 percent, moved by rail (Figure 4). The top commodity category for all modes transported between the U.S. and Mexico in September 2015 was electrical machinery, of which $9.1 billion, or 93.6 percent, moved by truck and $0.4 billion, and 4.5 percent, moved by air (Figure 5).

Reporting Notes
BTS press releases and the BTS website define surface transportation modes as truck, rail and pipeline. See North American TransBorder Freight Data on the BTS website for additional data for surface modes since 1995 and all modes since 2004. The category of all modes of transportation cited in the following tables includes freight movements by truck, rail, vessel, pipeline, air, other, and unknown modes of transport. 

Data in this press release are not seasonally adjusted and are not adjusted for inflation. Additional summary data adjusted for inflation and exchange rates can be found on the BTS website under TransBorder Indexed Freight Flow Data. The BLS indexes used in the adjustments for inflation and exchange rates may be revised in each of the three months after original publication. For more information, see TransBorder Press Releases for previous press releases and summary tables. See TransBorder Freight Data for data from previous months, and more state, port, or commodity data. BTS has scheduled the release of October TransBorder numbers for Jan. 7.

Table 1. Value of Monthly U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows

(millions of current dollars)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q

Note: Numbers August not add to totals due to rounding. Percent change based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 2. Value of Monthly U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q

Notes: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding. The value of trade for all modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail, pipeline, vessel and air modes, it also includes shipments made by mail, foreign trade zones, and other transportation. For additional detail, please refer to the “Data Fields” section of the TransBorder web page: https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q.

Table 3. Value of Monthly U.S.-Canada Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q

Notes: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding. The value of trade for all modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail, pipeline, vessel and air modes, it also includes shipments made by mail, foreign trade zones, and other transportation. For additional detail, please refer to the “Data Fields” section of the TransBorder web page: https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q.

Figure 4. Top Commodity Transported between the U.S. and Canada for Each Mode of Transportation, September 2015

(billions of current dollars)

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data
NOTE: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding.

Table 4. Value of Monthly U.S.-Mexico Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q

Notes: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding. The value of trade for all modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail, pipeline, vessel and air modes, it also includes shipments made by mail, foreign trade zones, and other transportation. For additional detail, please refer to the “Data Fields” section of the TransBorder web page: https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/myhq-rm6q.

Figure 5. Top Commodity Transported between the U.S. and Mexico for Each Mode of Transportation, September 2015

(billions of current dollars)

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data
NOTE: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding.