BTS releases North American surface trade numbers for October

Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners, Canada and Mexico, rose 7.9 percent in October 2012 compared to October 2011, totaling $85.3 billion, unadjusted for inflation, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation.  Adjusted for inflation and exchange rates, the October 2012 total was $61.7 billion in 2004 dollars, up 7.6 percent from October 2011. BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the October 2012 value of U.S. surface transportation trade in current dollars with Canada and Mexico rose 38.9 percent from October 2009, shortly after the end of the last recession. Data in the press release are not adjusted for inflation, except for monthly totals in Figure 1 of the press release. The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in October increased by 71.8 percent compared to October 2002, a period of 10 years. Imports in October were up 60.1 percent since October 2002, while exports were up 87.2 percent.  Surface transportation includes freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, other modes of transport, and goods moving into Foreign Trade Zones.  In October, 86.5 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved via land, 9.5 percent moved by vessel, and 4.0 percent moved by air. The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico increased 9.8 percent in October 2012 from September 2012. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations, the number of days in each month, and other factors.  U.S.-Mexico October 2012 trade reached $36.9 billion, a 13.1 percent increase from October 2011, while U.S.-Canada trade was $48.4 billion, a 4.3 percent increase.  For trade statistics by mode, see Table 4 for Canada and Table 6 for Mexico.  See BTS Transborder Data Release for summary tables, state rankings and additional data. See North American Transborder Freight Data for historical data.