BTS - Bureau of Transportation Statistics

10/23/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/23/2024 09:26

North American Transborder Freight declined 0.9% in August 2024 from August 2023

BTS 50-24

This release is published on a fixed schedule as required by the Office of Management and Budget, and statistics in this release may be revised when inputs to the statistics are corrected or updated. Data on the program page of this website are the most up-to-date and complete.

The statistics in this release do not reflect changes in tonnage moved.

Total Transborder Freight by Border in August 2024, Compared to August 2023:
Transborder freight between the U.S. and North American countries Canada and Mexico:

  • Total transborder freight: $136.7 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, down 0.9% compared to August 2023
  • Freight between the U.S. and Canada: $ 63.0 billion, down 6.4% from August 2023
  • Freight between the U.S. and Mexico: $73.8 billion, up 4.2% from August 2023
  • Mexico continued to lead Canada in freight dollar value for the last 18 months.
  • Trucks moved $90.7 billion of freight, up 3.3% compared to August 2023
  • Railways moved $16.9 billion of freight, down 4.3% compared to August 2023
  • Vessels moved $9.8 billion of freight, down 17.2% compared to August 2023
  • Vessels moved 19.6% less mineral fuels.
  • Pipelines moved $8.9 billion of freight, down 9.0% compared to August 2023
  • Air moved $4.7 billion of freight, down 8.8% compared to August 2023

Total Transborder Freight by Border and Mode:

U.S.-Canada (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
U.S.-Mexico (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
Truck
$36.0
Truck
$54.7
Pipeline
$8.3
Rail
$8.3
Rail
$8.7
Vessel
$6.3
Vessel
$3.5
Air
$1.8
Air
$2.9
Pipeline
$0.6

Detroit, Port Huron, and Buffalo are the top truck ports for U.S. freight flows with Canada, while Laredo, El Paso, and Otay Mesa are the top truck ports with Mexico. Detroit, Port Huron, and International Falls are the top rail connection ports for U.S. freight flows with Canada, while Laredo, Eagle Pass, and El Paso are the top rail connection ports with Mexico. Chicago, Port Huron, and Minneapolis are the top pipeline connection regions for U.S. energy freight flows with Canada. El Paso, Hidalgo, and Laredo are the top pipeline connection regions with Mexico. Port of Boston, Arthur, and Portland are the top water port connections for U.S. energy flows with Canada. Port of Houston, Arthur, and Texas City are the top water port connections for U.S. energy flows on the Southern border.

U.S. - Canada and Mexico Freight Breakdown

U.S.-Canada Trade Breakdown
U.S.-Mexico Trade Breakdown
Top three truck ports
Top three truck ports
Detroit, MI
$9.4 billion
Laredo, TX
$25.4 billion
Port Huron, MI
$6.8 billion
El Paso-Ysleta, TX
$7.5 billion
Buffalo, NY
$6.3 billion
Otay Mesa, CA
$5.6 billion
Top three truck commodities
Top three truck commodities
Computers/parts
$6.1 billion
Computers/parts
$14.0 billion
Vehicles/parts
$4.9 billion
Electrical machinery
$12.0 billion
Electrical machinery
$2.6 billion
Vehicles/parts
$7.8 billion
Top three rail ports
Top three rail ports
Detroit, MI
$2.7 billion
Laredo, TX
$4.3 billion
Port Huron, MI
$1.8 billion
Eagle Pass, TX
$2.5 billion
Buffalo, NY
$1.0 billion
Nogales, AZ
$0.6 billion
Top three rail commodities
Top three rail commodities
Vehicles/parts
$3.7 billion
Vehicles/parts
$4.1 billion
Mineral fuel
$0.7 billion
Computers/parts
$0.6 billion
Plastics
$0.6 billion
Mineral fuel
$0.5 billion

Reporting Notes

All monetary values are in current US dollars and are not adjusted for inflation or seasonality. For previous statistical releases and summary tables, seetransborder releases. Seetransborder freight datafor data from previous months, and additional state, port, and commodity data. BTS has scheduled the next release of transborder numbers for Friday, November 15, 2024.