BTS: Rail, truck carried more U.S. freight by value in February

Rail and truck carried more U.S. freight by value with Canada and Mexico in February 2016 than in February 2015, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) announced late last week.

The total value of freight carried on all modes during the period fell 2 percent to $84 billion, the BTS reported.

The value of commodities transported by rail rose 6 percent, the largest increase from 2015 to 2016 of any mode. The year-over-year growth in the value of rail freight was largely due to an increase in imports of vehicles and parts, which is the largest commodity carried by rail.

The value of commodities moved on trucks increased by 4.7 percent from 2015 to 2016. The value of commodities moved by other modes declined: air was down 1.7 percent; pipeline, down 35.6 percent; and vessel, down 41 percent.

A drop in crude oil prices in 2015-2016 was primarily the reason for the declines in the dollar value of goods shipped by vessel and pipeline, BTS stated.

Rail remained the second largest mode by value, moving 15.6 percent of all freight between the United States, Canada and Mexico.