Monthly Nafta Surface Trade Reaches Record

urface trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico rose 12.3% in August from a year earlier to a total of $60.2 billion, the highest monthly level ever recorded, the Department of Transportation reported Thursday.

Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline. About 90% of U.S. trade by value with North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico moves by land.

August U.S. imports by truck rose 9.6% over a year earlier to $22.3 billion, while truck exports increased 13.3% to $20.5 billion, DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics said in its monthly report.

Pipeline imports rose 37.4% to $4.4 billion while exports soared almost 300% to $159 million, BTS said.