BTS - Bureau of Transportation Statistics

10/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/21/2026 12:27

North American Transborder Freight valued at $160.6 billion in August 2026, up 22.6% from August 2025

BTS 26-79

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.

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics TransBorder Freight Data

The transborder freight data program provides comprehensive monthly and annual data on North American cross-border freight activity, detailing the value of U.S. imports and exports with Canada and Mexico by mode of transportation, commodity, and geography. These data inform infrastructure planning, trade corridor studies, and logistics research. This data release is for the month of August 2026 and also available online at the transborder program homepage.

Total Transborder Freight by Border in August 2026, Compared to August 2025


Transborder freight between the U.S. and North American countries Canada and Mexico:

  • Total transborder freight: $160.6 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, increasing 22.6% compared to August 2025
  • Freight between the U.S. and Canada: $66.3 billion, up 17.1% from August 2025
  • Freight between the U.S. and Mexico: $94.3 billion, up 26.7% from August 2025
  • Trucks moved $109.0 billion of freight, up 29.8% compared to August 2025
  • Railways moved $17.2 billion of freight, up 8.7% compared to August 2025
  • Pipelines moved $10.2 billion of freight, up 22.7% compared to August 2025
  • Vessels moved $9.7 billion of freight, up 12.0% compared to August 2025
  • Air moved $6.7 billion of freight, up 3.8% compared to August 2025
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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics TransBorder Freight Data


Total Transborder Freight by Border and Mode

U.S.-Canada (both directions) USD, Billions

U.S.-Mexico (both directions) USD, Billions

Truck

$35.2

Truck

$73.9

Pipeline

$9.3

Rail

$8.5

Rail

$8.7

Vessel

$5.5

Vessel

$4.2

Air

$3.4

Air

$3.3

Pipeline

$0.9

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.

Top 10 Ports and Commodities

Port

USD

Commodity

USD

Laredo - Texas

37,714,203,490

Computer-Related Machinery
and Parts

40,873,160,284

Ysleta - Texas

15,762,275,644

Vehicles Other than Railway

21,142,655,231

Detroit - Michigan

13,945,334,280

Electrical Machinery;
Equipment and Parts

19,674,747,080

Port Huron - Michigan

8,409,696,921

Mineral Fuels;
Oils and Waxes

19,164,540,475

Buffalo-Niagara Falls - New York

7,056,262,717

Plastics and Articles

5,278,559,917

Santa Teresa - New Mexico

7,004,729,961

Measuring and Testing
Instruments

4,265,898,640

Otay Mesa - California

5,281,214,412

Pearls; Stones;
Metals and Imitation Jewelry

2,621,521,352

Eagle Pass - Texas

4,298,214,852

Aircraft; Spacecraft and Parts

2,412,857,406

Hidalgo - Texas

3,591,982,018

Furniture; Lamps and
Prefabricated Buildings

2,067,664,937

Pembina - North Dakota

2,891,801,884

Aluminum and Articles

2,035,345,835

Reporting Notes

All monetary values are in current U.S. dollars and not adjusted for inflation. For previous statistical releases and summary tables, see transborder releases. Visit the transborder freight program homepage for data from previous months, and additional state, port, and commodity data.

BTS - Bureau of Transportation Statistics published this content on October 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 21, 2026 at 18:27 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]