According to the report released May 1st by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, trucks transported 59.1 percent of the freight moved in February 2013 between the U.S. and its NAFTA partners, Canada and Mexico, followed by rail at 15.3 percent, vessels at 9.7 percent, pipelines at 7.7 percent and air at 3.6 percent. Surface transportation modes, truck, rail and pipeline, carries 82.1 percent of the total NAFTA freight flows.
BTS reported that in February trucks carried 54.4 percent of freight transported between the U.S. and Canada, followed by rail at 17.0 percent, pipelines at 13.3 percent, vessels at 5.3 percent and air at 4.4 percent. The surface transportation modes carried 84.7 percent of total U.S.-Canada freight flows.
In February trucks carried 64.8 percent of freight between the U.S. and Mexico, followed by vessel at 15.2 percent, rail at 13.2 percent, air at 2.8 percent and pipelines at 0.8 percent. The surface transportation modes carried 78.8 percent of the total freight between the U.S. and Mexico.
The BTS report showed that from February 2012 to February 2013 the value of freight carried by truck fell 2.5 percent, while the value of freight carried by rail increased 0.8 percent.
Michigan led all the states in goods transported to and from Canada in February, at $6.0 billion. New York ad the largest year-to-year increase at 6.1 percent. Down 16.4 percent, Indiana had the largest year-to-year decrease. In February the top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada was mineral fuels moved by pipeline, valued at $6.5 billion, $5.7 billion of which was imported.
In goods transported to and from Mexico, Texas continued to lead all the states at $15.4 billion. The largest year-to-year increase was Louisiana, up 64.9 percent. California had the largest year-to-year decrease, down 7.5 percent. Electrical machinery was the top commodity transported between the U.S. and Mexico in February, moved by truck and valued at $6.5 billion, of which $3.9 billion was imported.
