NAFTA Freight Flow Values See Monthly and Year-on-Year Increases
NAFTA Freight Flow Values See Monthly and Year-on-Year Increases
The value of monthly freight flows between the U.S. and its NAFTA partners rose slightly from August to September, up 0.9 percent to $93.2 billion, according to statistics released Nov. 24 by the Department of Transportation. However, the value of NAFTA freight flows in September was down 8.8 percent from a year earlier as all modes of transportation carried less value of freight and the prices of mineral fuel shipments continued to fall.
Month-to-Month Changes. Percentage changes in the value of monthly U.S. freight flows by mode of transportation from August to September include the following.
Total |
Canada |
Mexico |
||||
Imports |
Exports |
Imports |
Exports |
Imports |
Exports |
|
Truck |
+6.8 |
+1.5 |
+5.8 |
No change |
+7.5 |
+3.2 |
Rail |
-6.9 |
-4.4 |
-3.2 |
-5.1 |
-11.2 |
-3.6 |
Vessel |
-14.6 |
-13.9 |
-14.1 |
-20.9 |
-14.8 |
-9.7 |
Air |
+13.9 |
+7.0 |
+22.9 |
+10.7 |
+0.4 |
+0.7 |
Pipeline |
-4.7 |
-6.8 |
-4.7 |
+0.2 |
-9.5 |
-18.2 |
Year-on-Year Changes. The value of total U.S. trade with Canada was down 15.8 percent from September 2014 as all modes carried smaller total values of freight. The DOT notes that a contributor to this decline was lower prices for mineral fuels, which are a large share of freight carried by vessel and pipeline. The value of U.S. trade with Mexico saw a 0.2 percent gain and the rail and truck modes carried a higher value of freight than a year earlier. Vehicles and parts retained their spot as the top commodity category for all modes transported between the U.S. and Canada, as did electrical machinery with respect to U.S.-Mexico trade.
Percentage changes in the value of monthly U.S. freight flows by mode of transportation from September 2014 to September 2015 include the following.
Total |
Canada |
Mexico |
||||
Imports |
Exports |
Imports |
Exports |
Imports |
Exports |
|
Truck |
+5.4 |
-7.5 |
-2.9 |
-11.4 |
+12.0 |
+2.7 |
Rail |
-10.2 |
-15.8 |
-18.3 |
-26.7 |
+3.3 |
-1.6 |
Vessel |
-46.2 |
-29.0 |
-35.9 |
-35.6 |
-51.4 |
-25.0 |
Air |
-0.9 |
-6.4 |
+4.5 |
-7.3 |
-9.7 |
-4.5 |
Pipeline |
-44.1 |
-27.6 |
-44.3 |
-19.7 |
+36.7 |
-39.3 |