Surface transportation volume drops for first time in nearly three years

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Trade using surface transportation between Canada, the US and Mexico, was 0.1% lower in September than in September 2011, totaling $77.7 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the US Department of Transportation. The drop was the first year-over-year decrease since November 2009.

BTS reported that the September value of US surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico rose 35.6% from September 2009, shortly after the end of the last recession.

The value of US surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in September increased by 69.6% compared to September 2002. Imports in September were up 57.4% since September 2002, while exports were up 85.9%.

In September, 86.4% of US trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved via land, 9.5% moved by vessel, and 4.1% moved by air.

The value of US surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico decreased 5.8% in September from August. US-Canada trade was $45.7 billion, a 0.9% decrease due to a decrease in imports from Canada. For the 12-month period ending in September 2012, US trade by surface transportation with Canada decreased.

In September, Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada, at $6.1 billion, a 2.9% increase from September 2011. Of the top 10 states by value in trade with Canada, six of them had a year-to-year decrease in trade, led by Pennsylvania with a 17.2% decrease, primarily due to declines of more than 25% in trade in iron and steel, paper, pharmaceutical products, and oil and gas. 

The top commodity category transported between the US and Canada by surface modes of transportation in September was vehicles, valued at $8.9 billion.

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