US-Nafta Trade Up 5.4% in May

U.S.-Nafta trade in May increased 5.4% over the same period a year ago, aided by continued reliance on trucking, according to TransBorder Freight Data released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Trucks carried 59.9% of U.S.-Nafta trade in May, accounting for $31.8 billion of exports and $30.4 billion of imports.  Trade totaled $103.9 billion in May as four of five transportation modes — vessel, pipeline, rail and truck — carried more U.S.-Nafta trade than in May 2013, when trade totaled $98.6 billion.

U.S.-Nafta trade has increased from the same month of the previous year for four consecutive months and in 10 of the past 11, interrupted by a 0.2% decrease in January. The January decline reflected the severe weather in the Northern states and along the U.S.-Canada border. 

Rail remained the second-largest mode, moving 15.2% of all U.S.-Nafta trade.

Trucks also carried 53.9% of the $57.7 billion of freight to and from Canada, followed by rail at 16.4%. Trucks carried 67.3% of the $46.3 billion of freight to and from Mexico, followed by rail at 13.8%.