Surface Trade Declined in 2009 between Canada and Mexico

Surface transportation trade between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 27.2 percent lower in January 2009 than in January 2008, dropping to $47.5 billion, the biggest year-to-year percentage decline on record, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (Table 1). The $47.5 billion in U.S.-NAFTA trade in January 2009 was the lowest monthly amount since January 2004.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico fell 10.3 percent in January from December. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.

Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline. About 88 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moves on land.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in January was up 3.9 percent in the five-year period compared to January 2004, and up 31.6 percent over the 10-year period compared to January 1999 (Table 3). Imports in January were up 26.4 percent compared to January 1999, while exports were up 38.1 percent.

To read the full article, visit the Bureau of Transportation Statistics at http://www.bts.gov/press_releases/2009/bts015_09/html/bts015_09.html

NAFTA Trade Suffers Biggest Fall since 9/11

The value of trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico was 13.8 percent lower in November 2008 than in November 2007, dropping to $60.7 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

It’s the biggest year-to-year decline in almost eight years, the agency said. BTS reported that the 13.8 percent decline was the second largest from the same month of the previous year since North American surface freight data collection began in April 1994, three months after NAFTA was implemented.

The only bigger decline was the 14.6 percent drop from December 2000 to December 2001in the post-9/11 period.

About 88 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moves on land. The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in November was up 25.2 percent compared to November 2003, and up 53.6 percent compared to November 1998. Imports in November were up 52.6 percent compared to November 1998, while exports were up 54.9 percent.