BTS: Value of cargo railed between NAFTA nations climbed in March

The value of freight moved by surface transportation modes between the United States and Canada and Mexico in March totaled $95.6 billion, up 8 percent from February's level but down 4 percent from March 2012's total, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

Trucks carried 60 percent of the total freight by value, followed by rail at 16.5 percent, vessels at 8.1 percent, pipelines at 7 percent and air at 3.7 percent.

On a month-over-month basis, goods transported by truck, pipeline, vessel and air each declined, while freight moved by rail increased, BTS officials said in a press release.

On a year-over-year basis, the value of cargo carried by truck fell by 4.1 percent while the value of freight moved by rail increased 7.8 percent, they said. Railed imports climbed 11 percent to $10.4 billion and the value of railed exports rose 2.4 percent to $5.4 billion compared with March 2012.

The value of freight moved by surface transportation modes between the United States and Canada in March totaled $54.3 billion, down 2 percent year over year. Trucks carried 55.1 percent of the cargo, followed by rail at 17.9 percent, pipelines at 11.6 percent, vessels at 4.6 percent and air at 4.4 percent.

The value of freight moved by surface transportation modes between the United States and Mexico in March totaled $41.2 billion, down 6.4 percent versus last year. Trucks carried 66.5 percent of the cargo, followed by rail at 14.8 percent, vessels at 12.7 percent, air at 2.7 percent and pipelines at 0.8 percent.