In The News

NAFTA posts record improvement in 2010

WASHINGTON — Surface transportation trade between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico increased by 24.3 percent in 2010 compared to 2009, reaching $791 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The year-to-year increase was the largest since NAFTA went into effect in 1994.

But despite the increase from 2009 to 2010, the value of North American surface trade in 2010 remained below the levels of 2007 and 2008, reported BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration.

Total North American surface transportation imports increased by 25.1 percent in 2010 from 2009, and exports increased by 23.3 percent during the same period.

In 2010, 86.2 percent of U.S. merchandise trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved on land. Total North American surface transportation trade value in 2010 increased by 13.4 percent compared to 2005, and was up by 37.5 percent compared to 2000, a period of 10 years.

U.S.–Canada surface transportation trade totaled $471 billion in 2010, an increase of 22.1 percent compared to 2009. The value of imports carried by truck was 17.3 percent higher while the value of exports carried by truck was 21.8 percent higher.

Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in 2010 with $60.7 billion.

U.S.–Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $320.3 billion in 2010, an increase of 27.6 percent compared to 2009. The value of imports carried by truck was 26.5 percent higher while the value of exports carried by truck was 24.3 percent higher.        

Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in 2010 with $114.5 billion — the first time that a state has had more than $100 billion in trade with Mexico by surface modes of transportation in a calendar year.

Kevin Jones of The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at [email protected] .

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