Headlines
Diesel slips 6 cents to $6.292, with every region lowerPort of Los Angeles posts busiest month in its history as imports climbShippers paid 32.1% more to move freight in Q3 on just 0.5% more volume, U.S. Bank index showsVincent Thomas Bridge set to close for 16 months: What port truckers need to knowDry van spot rates climb to $2.23 a mile as load-to-truck ratio nears 11ISM: U.S. factory growth speeds up in October, with production at its fastest since 2021Section 232 on robotics and industrial machinery: talks first, no new tariffs yetCanadian freight rail prices up 14.1% from a year ago in October, intermodal up 18.5%BMO closes truck finance sale to Stonepeak; C$11 billion of loans move to new Longview Capital SolutionsNew proclamation drops 22 Canadian product lines from the 50% duty and adds 100 moreSchneider moves its main eastern intermodal business to Norfolk SouthernRXO pushes spot mix to 51% and posts its biggest jump in gross profit per load in four years
TransportNewsCA · US · MX corridorFreight markets and cross-border tradeWednesday, November 4, 2026
ArchiveCross-Border

Mexico remains top US trading partner; Laredo leads gateways

Mexico was the largest U.S. trading partner in September 2023, the eighth time in nine months it held the top spot, Census data showed.

By Transport News Staff · Added to the archive

In November 2023, U.S. Census Bureau data showed Mexico was again the United States' top trading partner in September, with two-way goods trade of $67 billion.

It was the eighth time in the first nine months of 2023 that Mexico ranked first, FreightWaves reported. Canada was second in September at $64.7 billion, and China third at $52.1 billion.

Year-to-date lead

Through the first nine months of 2023, Census figures put U.S. goods trade with Mexico at $599.8 billion, or 15.7% of total U.S. goods trade. Canada was close behind at $582.1 billion, and China was third at $421.9 billion.

U.S. imports from Mexico over that period were $356.3 billion, the most from any country, and exports to Mexico were $243.5 billion. A WorldCity analysis of Census data put the year-over-year increase in trade with Mexico at 2%.

Laredo on top

Port Laredo, Texas, was the leading U.S. gateway for trade with Mexico, handling $26.9 billion in September. It was the eighth straight month the border crossing ranked as the country's top international trade port, ahead of the Port of Los Angeles at $25.9 billion and Chicago O'Hare International Airport at $23.5 billion.

According to WorldCity, the top imports from Mexico through Laredo were auto parts, at $2.2 billion, passenger vehicles at $1.5 billion and heavy-duty trucks at $953 million. The top U.S. exports to Mexico through Laredo were auto parts at $1.3 billion, gasoline at $327 million and diesel engines at $237 million.

Truck production rebounds

Mexico's truck makers also reported gains in October. Members of the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor Producers, known as ANPACT, exported 14,470 heavy-duty trucks, up 1.8% from a year earlier, and produced 18,756, up 8.5%. Wholesale units rose 31% to 4,651. Freightliner was the top producer and exporter.

ANPACT President Miguel Elizalde said the group expected exports, production and wholesale sales to exceed 2019's record results.

What it meant for carriers

The busiest U.S. gateway for Mexico trade was a land border crossing, and the largest flows through it were auto parts, vehicles and trucks. For carriers running cross-border lanes, Mexico ranked as the top U.S. trading partner in eight of the first nine months of 2023, and in September Laredo handled more trade than the Port of Los Angeles.

We use Google Analytics to count visits, but only if you accept. This site runs no advertising. Read more