Nafta Surface Trade Reaches Record for Second Straight Month

urface trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico rose 11.4% in September from a year earlier to $61.2 billion, a second straight all-time monthly record, the Department of Transportation said Tuesday.

The September figure topped August’s level of $60.2 billion, DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics said in its monthly report.

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.

Imports by rail rose 4.6% to $7.2 billion year-over-year, while exports jumped 10% to $2.9 billion.

Pipeline imports soared 52.4% to $4.7 billion while pipeline exports rose 7.7% to $152 million, DOT said.