BTS releases July 2015 North American freight numbers
The value of U.S.-NAFTA freight totaled $93.0 billion in July 2015 as all modes except air carried less freight than in July 2014, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released today by theU.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Year-over-year, the value of U.S.-NAFTA freight flows by all modes decreased by 8.0 percent. Large decreases in the value of commodities moved by pipeline and vessel in July were due to the reduced unit price of mineral fuel.
Freight by Mode
In July 2015 compared to July 2014, the value of commodities moving by air increased by 3.4 percent, while truck decreased by 0.6 percent and rail by 14.5 percent. Vessel freight values decreased by 26.3 percent and pipeline freight decreased by 34.8 percent mainly due to the lower unit price of mineral fuel.
Average monthly fuel prices are available from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A decline in the value of freight shipments does not necessarily mean there was a lower volume of freight transported.
Trucks carried 63.9 percent of U.S.-NAFTA freight and are the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners. Trucks accounted for $30.0 billion of the $49.2 billion of imports (61.0 percent) and $29.4 billion of the $43.8 billion of exports (67.1 percent).
Rail remained the second largest mode by value, moving 13.7 percent of all U.S.-NAFTA freight, followed by vessel, 7.3 percent; pipeline, 6.0 percent; and air, 3.9 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 83.7 percent of the total U.S.-NAFTA freight flows.
U.S.-Canada Freight
The value of U.S.-Canada freight totaled $47.5 billion in July 2015, down 14.0 percent from July 2014, as no mode of transportation carried a higher value of U.S.-Canada freight than a year earlier.
Lower mineral fuel prices contributed to a year-over-year decrease in the value of freight moved between the U.S. and Canada. Mineral fuels are a large share of freight carried by vessel and pipeline, which were down 28.3 percent and 36.4 percent respectively year-over-year.
Trucks carried 57.5 percent of the $47.5 billion of freight to and from Canada, followed by rail, 14.3 percent; pipeline, 11.0 percent; vessel, 5.2 percent; and air, 4.7 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 82.8 percent of the total U.S.-Canada freight flows.
U.S.-Mexico Freight
The value of U.S.-Mexico freight totaled $45.5 billion in July 2015, down 0.8 percent from July 2014, as only two out of five transportation modes – air and truck – carried more U.S.-Mexico freight than in July 2014. Year-over-year, the value of U.S.-Mexico air freight rose 9.5 percent, the largest percentage increase of any mode. Freight carried by truck increased by 4.7 percent. Pipeline freight was down 4.6 percent and rail freight declined 8.5 percent. Vessel freight decreased by 25.1 mainly due to lower mineral fuel price.
Trucks carried 70.6 percent of the $45.5 billion of freight to and from Mexico, followed by rail, 13.1 percent; vessel, 9.5 percent; air, 3.0 percent; and pipeline, 0.9 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 84.6 percent of the total U.S.-Mexico freight flows.
See BTS Transborder Data Release for summary tables and additional data. See North American Transborder Freight Data on the BTS website for additional data for surface modes since 1995 and all modes since 2004.
