NAFTA Surface Trade Hits Record

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Ambassador Bridge — TT File Photo

Surface trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico was 2.3% higher in March than in a year ago and reached the highest monthly level ever recorded, the Department of Transportation said.

Trade among the North American Free Trade Agreement partners reached $69.8 billion, DOT’s Bureau of Trade Statistics said in its monthly report released Thursday.

U.S. imports by truck rose 4.7% from a year earlier to $25.9 billion, while truck exports fell 1.8% to $23.2 billion.

Rail imports rose 4.9% to $8.5 billion year-over-year, while exports jumped 13% to $4.1 billion.



Pipeline imports declined 1.5% $4.3 billion, while exports fell 26.4% to $271 million, DOT said.

Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline. About 90% of U.S. trade among NAFTA partners moves by land.