US trade with Canada and Mexico climbs 21.8% in June, led by trucks
Bureau of Transportation Statistics data released in August 2022 showed $141.2 billion in North American freight in June, with trucks carrying 59% of it.
In August 2022, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that freight moving between the U.S. and its North American neighbors totaled $141.2 billion in June 2022. That was up 21.8% from June 2021. BTS released the figures on Aug. 24.
By country
Freight between the U.S. and Canada totaled $73.3 billion, up 24.7% from a year earlier. U.S.-Mexico freight reached $67.9 billion, up 18.8%.
The figures are not adjusted for inflation, so higher prices made up part of the gain. Energy was a big factor. BTS said the value of oil moved across the borders was up 60.9% from June 2021. Nearly all pipeline freight between the U.S. and Canada is mineral fuels, mostly oil and gas.
Trucks carried most of it
Trucks moved $83.4 billion of the June total, or 59%, up 15.5% from a year earlier. Of that, $46.1 billion was U.S.-Mexico freight and $37.2 billion was U.S.-Canada freight.
The busiest truck crossings were:
- Laredo, Texas: $20.5 billion
- Detroit: $9.9 billion
- Port Huron, Michigan: $6.4 billion
The top truck commodities were computers and parts at $16.1 billion, electrical machinery at $12.2 billion and vehicles and parts at $10.8 billion.
Rail
Railroads moved $18.9 billion, up 15.4%. That included $11.1 billion with Canada and $7.7 billion with Mexico. Laredo again led at $4.3 billion, followed by Detroit at $2.6 billion and Port Huron at $2.4 billion. Vehicles and parts were the top rail commodity at $6.9 billion.
What it meant for carriers
The data showed how much North American trade depended on trucks, and how concentrated it was. Laredo alone handled about a quarter of the month's truck freight by value, and the two Michigan crossings together handled roughly another fifth.
For cross-border carriers, the gains reflected both rising prices and solid demand for manufactured goods such as computers, electrical equipment and auto parts. Because the figures are in current dollars, the growth in value does not translate directly into the number of loads moved.