NAFTA surface transportation trade falls in 2009

Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico decreased by 23.3 percent in 2009 compared to 2008, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation said today, March 18.

The 23.3 percent decline was the largest year-to-year decline for the 15 years covered by these data.

BTS reported the value of trade by surface transportation increased by 10.5 percent in December compared to December 2008. The 2009 total was $637 billion.

U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade fell 28.1 percent to $386 billion in 2009. U.S.–Mexico surface transportation trade dropped 14.4 percent to $251 billion in 2009. 

In 2009, 86.6 percent of U.S. merchandise trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved on land. Total North American surface transportation trade value in 2009 increased 0.5 percent compared to 2004, and was up 27 percent compared to 1999.