US-NAFTA freight totaled $102.2 billion in September 2014 as all five major transportation modes – air, vessel, pipeline, rail, and trucks – carried more US-NAFTA freight than in September 2013, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released Tuesday by the US Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). September was the seventh consecutive month with US-NAFTA freight flows exceeding $100 billion.
In September, the value of commodities moving by truck increased 8.6 percent while rail increased 0.6 percent. Of the $7.8 billion increase in the value of US-NAFTA freight from September 2013, truck freight contributed the most, $4.9 billion. Trucks carry three-fifths of US-NAFTA freight and are the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both US-NAFTA partners. Trucks accounted for $31.2 billion of exports and $30.1 billion of imports. Rail remained the second largest mode, moving 15.0 percent of all US-NAFTA freight.
Year-over-year, the percent change in the value of US-Canada freight moved by truck increased 6.0 percent and rail by 3.3 percent. Trucks carried 54.0 percent of the $57.4 billion of freight to and from Canada, followed by rail, at 16.1 percent.
Year-over-year, the value of US-Mexico pipeline freight rose 60.5 percent, the largest percentage increase of any mode, due to an increase in US exports of mineral fuels. Freight moved by truck increased 11.5 percent. The 3.3 percent decline in rail freight was principally due to a decline in vehicles and parts trade. Trucks carried 67.6 percent of the $44.9 billion of freight to and from Mexico, followed by rail, at 13.5 percent.