North American transborder freight moved by rail rose in December

Transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation between the United States and Canada and Mexico rose 4 percent to $96.3 billion worth of goods in December 2019 compared with the same month in 2018, the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported yesterday.

Rail, the second-most used mode, moved $14.4 billion of freight during the month, up 1.9 percent compared with December 2018's level, BTS officials said in a press release.

Trucks, the most-used mode, moved $57.2 billion worth of freight, down 0.3 percent.

The value of freight moved by rail between the United States and Canada ($8 billion), as well as between the United States and Mexico ($6.5 billion), increased in December 2019 by 1.3 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.

The three busiest rail border ports during the month were in Laredo, Texas; Port Huron, Michigan; and Detroit. They accounted for 52.3 percent of total transborder rail freight, according to BTS.

The top three commodities and their value moved by rail during the month were motor vehicles and parts, $7.1 billion; mineral fuels, $1.4 billion; and plastics and articles, $700 million.