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TransportNewsCA · US · MX corridorFreight markets and cross-border tradeWednesday, November 4, 2026
Cross-Border

TRAFFIX: Canada NAX eases to 54 and Mexico to 52, but capacity and diesel keep cross-border freight tight

The 3PL's November index shows a second straight monthly easing. The policy reading fell to 35 from 54, while the capacity pillar remains the most strained.

By Kwame ·
The steel tower of the Ambassador Bridge with its name across the top, seen from below against a blue evening sky
Photo: Ken Lund, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

Cross-border freight conditions eased for a second month in a row but remain tighter than normal, according to the November NAX Index from third-party logistics provider TRAFFIX, released Nov. 4.

The Canada NAX fell to 54 from 57 in October. The Mexico NAX slipped to 52 from 54. Both sit above the index's 50-point threshold, which TRAFFIX says signals tighter overall conditions for shippers. The company says Canada remains the harder corridor.

The NAX combines more than 10 economic, freight and trade indicators into a monthly score for the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico corridors. This is a company index, not a government statistic.

What moved

TRAFFIX breaks the index into four pillars:

  • Policy: 35, down from 54. The largest mover. TRAFFIX says it recorded fewer new trade disruptions.
  • Capacity: no reading given. TRAFFIX calls it the most pressured pillar. Truck availability has improved slightly and carrier acceptance is up slightly, but not enough to ease constraints.
  • Demand: 52. Starting to build as shipment activity picks up.
  • Cost: 54. Rising, partly on higher diesel prices, which keep fuel surcharges and total costs elevated.

What it means for rates

"Trade policy changes eased, which gave shippers some breathing room this month, but cost and capacity remain under heavy pressure as seasonal demand builds," said Alex Fuller, TRAFFIX's vice-president of commercial intelligence.

He added that tight capacity and diesel keep freight rates high heading into peak season, and "a lower index score does not translate to lower rates directly."

TRAFFIX says rising demand may limit further gains in truck availability over the coming weeks, and that shippers may have fewer options when primary carrier coverage is unavailable.

TRAFFIX's advice to shippers

  • Use flexible pickup windows and schedule non-urgent freight outside peak days.
  • Put committed capacity behind critical, fixed-date shipments.
  • Review carrier coverage on high-volume lanes before peak demand builds.
  • Check fuel surcharge terms and total landed costs.

The full index is on the TRAFFIX website.

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