BTS Bureau of Transportation Statistics : October 2016 North American Freight Numbers

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Figure 1. U.S.-NAFTA Freight Value Percent Change from Previous Year (Last 24 months)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

Three transportation modes - air, vessel and truck - carried less U.S. freight by value with North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico in October 2016 compared to October 2015 as total freight on all modes decreased 3.6 percent to $93.2 billion in current dollars, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) (Figure 1, Table 1).

The total value of cross-border freight has declined from the same month of the previous year in 21 of the past 22 months beginning in January 2015 with only an increase of 0.7 percent in August 2016 (Figure 1, Table 1).

Freight by Mode

Figure 2. Percent Change in Value of U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows by Mode: October 2015-2016

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

The value of commodities moving by truck decreased 6.1 percent; vessel by 7.0 percent and air by 12.7 percent while the value of freight carried on pipeline and rail increased 21.8 percent and 6.2 percent respectively (Figure 2, Table 2).

Trucks carried 65.3 percent of U.S.-NAFTA freight and continued to be the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners. Trucks accounted for $31.9 billion of the $50.3 billion of imports (63.4 percent) and $29.0 billion of the $42.9 billion of exports (67.6 percent) (Table 2).

Rail remained the second largest mode by value, moving 15.8 percent of all U.S.-NAFTA freight, followed by vessel, 5.4 percent; pipeline, 5.0 percent; and air, 3.8 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 86.0 percent of the total value of U.S.-NAFTA freight flows (Table 2).

U.S.-Canada Freight

Figure 3. Percent Change in Value of U.S.-Canada Freight Flows by Mode: October 2015-2016

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

From October 2015 to October 2016, the value of U.S.-Canada freight flows fell 2.5 percent to $46.5 billion due to decreases in the value of goods moved by vessel (down 31.1 percent), air (down 8.8 percent) and truck (down 3.1 percent). The value of freight carried on pipeline and rail increased 21.7 percent and 2.5 percent respectively (Figure 3, Table 3). During this 12-month period, much of the mineral fuel freight between Texas and Canada shifted from vessel to pipeline as the value of mineral fuel shipments carried by vessel between Texas and Canada decreased while the value of pipeline shipments rose. Texas-Canada mineral fuel trade made up about 25.5 percent of all U.S.-Canada mineral fuel shipments in October 2016.

Trucks carried 60.8 percent of the value of the freight to and from Canada. Rail carried 16.1 percent followed by pipeline, 9.2 percent; air, 4.6 percent; and vessel, 2.9 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 86.0 percent of the value of total U.S.-Canada freight flows (Table 3).

U.S.-Mexico Freight

Figure 4. Percent Change in Value of U.S.-Mexico Freight Flows by Mode: October 2015-2016

Table Version | Excel

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data

From October 2015 to October 2016, the value of U.S.-Mexico freight flows fell 4.7 percent to $46.6 billion due to decreases in the value of goods moved by air (down 18.0 percent) and truck (down 8.5 percent). The value of freight carried on three modes increased: pipeline, by 23.6 percent; rail by 10.4 percent; and vessel by 6.9 percent (Figure 3, Table 3).

Trucks carried 69.9 percent of the value of the freight to and from Mexico. Rail carried 15.4 percent of the value of freight to and from Mexico followed by vessel, 7.9 percent; air, 3.1 percent; and pipeline, 0.8 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 86.0 percent of the value of total U.S.-Mexico freight flows (Table 4).

Commodities
In October 2016, the top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada by all modes was vehicles and parts, of which $5.2 billion, or 56.9 percent, moved by truck and $3.8 billion, or 40.8 percent, moved by rail (Figure 5). The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Mexico by all modes in October 2016 was electrical machinery, of which $8.7 billion, or 92.1 percent, moved by truck (Figure 6).

Reporting Notes
BTS press releases and the BTS website define surface transportation modes as truck, rail and pipeline. See North American TransBorder Freight Data on the BTS website for additional data for surface modes since 1995 and all modes since 2004. The category of all modes of transportation cited in the following tables includes freight movements by truck, rail, vessel, pipeline, air, other and unknown modes of transport.

Data in this press release are not seasonally adjusted and are not adjusted for inflation. Additional summary data adjusted for inflation and exchange rates can be found on the BTS website under TransBorder Indexed Freight Flow Data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indexes used in the adjustments for inflation and exchange rates might be revised in each of the three months after original publication. For previous press releases and summary tables, see TransBorder Press Releases. See TransBorder Freight Data for data from previous months, and for additional state, port, and commodity data. BTS has scheduled the release of November TransBorder numbers for Jan. 26.

Table 1. Value of Monthly U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows

(millions of current dollars)

Month	2014	2015	2016	Percent Change 2014-2015	Percent Change 2015-2016
January	90,326	89,258	82,430	-1.2	-7.7
February	89,557	85,723	84,038	-4.3	-2.0
March	101,478	96,070	90,462	-5.3	-5.8
April	100,141	93,327	90,380	-6.8	-3.2
May	103,942	92,707	89,840	-10.8	-3.1
June	102,978	99,030	92,671	-3.8	-6.4
July	101,075	92,995	83,725	-8.0	-10.0
August	100,624	92,442	93,126	-8.1	0.7
September	102,245	93,246	91,126	-8.8	-2.3
October	108,243	96,624	93,165	-10.7	-3.6
November	96,252	88,154		-8.4
December	95,811	86,748		-9.5
Year-to-date	1,000,609	931,424	890,963	-6.9	-4.3
Annual	1,192,671	1,106,325		-7.2

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, http://transborder.bts.gov

Note: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent change based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 2. Value of Monthly U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

Mode	October 2015	October 2016	Percent Change October 2015-2016
All Modes	Imports	51,361	50,314	-2.0
	Exports	45,263	42,851	-5.3
	Total	96,624	93,165	-3.6
All Surface Modes	Imports	45,840	45,263	-1.3
	Exports	36,592	34,899	-4.6
	Total	82,432	80,161	-2.8
Truck	Imports	33,597	31,884	-5.1
	Exports	31,217	28,975	-7.2
	Total	64,814	60,859	-6.1
Rail	Imports	9,167	9,857	7.5
	Exports	4,656	4,821	3.5
	Total	13,822	14,677	6.2
Pipeline	Imports	3,077	3,522	14.5
	Exports	719	1,103	53.4
	Total	3,796	4,624	21.8
Vessel	Imports	2,511	2,326	-7.4
	Exports	2,894	2,701	-6.6
	Total	5,404	5,027	-7.0
Air	Imports	1,584	1,501	-5.2
	Exports	2,490	2,055	-17.5
	Total	4,074	3,556	-12.7

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, http://transborder.bts.gov

Notes: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding. The value of trade for all modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail, pipeline, vessel and air modes, it also includes shipments made by mail, foreign trade zones, and other transportation. For additional detail, please refer to the 'Data Fields' section of the TransBorder web page: http://transborder.bts.gov/programs/international/transborder/TBDR_DataF....

Table 3. Value of Monthly U.S.-Canada Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

Mode	October 2015	October 2016	Percent Change October 2015-2016
All Modes	Imports	23,735	23,908	0.7
	Exports	23,987	22,640	-5.6
	Total	47,722	46,548	-2.5
All Surface Modes	Imports	21,135	21,650	2.4
	Exports	18,895	18,402	-2.6
	Total	40,030	40,052	0.1
Truck	Imports	12,923	13,065	1.1
	Exports	16,273	15,214	-6.5
	Total	29,196	28,278	-3.1
Rail	Imports	5,159	5,076	-1.6
	Exports	2,170	2,433	12.1
	Total	7,329	7,509	2.5
Pipeline	Imports	3,053	3,509	14.9
	Exports	452	756	67.2
	Total	3,505	4,265	21.7
Vessel	Imports	870	730	-16.1
	Exports	1,104	631	-42.9
	Total	1,974	1,361	-31.1
Air	Imports	915	894	-2.3
	Exports	1,421	1,237	-12.9
	Total	2,336	2,132	-8.8

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, http://transborder.bts.gov

Notes: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding. The value of trade for all modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail, pipeline, vessel and air modes, it also includes shipments made by mail, foreign trade zones, and other transportation. For additional detail, please refer to the 'Data Fields' section of the TransBorder web page: http://transborder.bts.gov/programs/international/transborder/TBDR_DataF....

Figure 5. Top Commodity Transported between the U.S. and Canada for Each Mode of Transportation, October 2016

Table Version | Excel

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data
NOTES: Import and export numbers might not add to totals due to rounding.

Table 4. Value of Monthly U.S.-Mexico Freight Flows by Mode of Transportation

(millions of current dollars)

Mode	October 2015	October 2016	Percent Change October 2015-2016
All Modes	Imports	27,626	26,405	-4.4
	Exports	21,277	20,211	-5.0
	Total	48,903	46,617	-4.7
All Surface Modes	Imports	24,705	23,612	-4.4
	Exports	17,697	16,497	-6.8
	Total	42,402	40,109	-5.4
Truck	Imports	20,674	18,820	-9.0
	Exports	14,944	13,762	-7.9
	Total	35,618	32,581	-8.5
Rail	Imports	4,008	4,780	19.3
	Exports	2,486	2,388	-3.9
	Total	6,494	7,168	10.4
Pipeline	Imports	23	12	-47.5
	Exports	267	347	29.9
	Total	290	359	23.6
Vessel	Imports	1,641	1,595	-2.8
	Exports	1,789	2,070	15.7
	Total	3,430	3,666	6.9
Air	Imports	669	607	-9.3
	Exports	1,068	818	-23.5
	Total	1,738	1,425	-18.0

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data, http://transborder.bts.gov

Notes: Numbers might not add to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding. The value of trade for all modes is not equal to the sum of truck, rail, pipeline, vessel and air modes, it also includes shipments made by mail, foreign trade zones, and other transportation. For additional detail, please refer to the 'Data Fields' section of the TransBorder web page: http://transborder.bts.gov/programs/international/transborder/TBDR_DataF....

Figure 6. Top Commodity Transported between the U.S. and Mexico for Each Mode of Transportation, October 2016

Table Version | Excel

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data
NOTES: Import and export numbers might not add to totals due to rounding.