December Nafta Surface Trade Rises 13.5%

urface trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico rose 13.5% in December from a year earlier to $59.1 billion, the Department of Transportation said Tuesday.

Total North American surface transportation trade fell 6% in December from November, 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 21% to $7.5 billion year-over-year, while exports gained 20.6% to $3.1 billion.

Pipeline imports jumped 63.2% to $5.4 billion while exports rose 17.2% to $279 million, DOT said.