Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico soared 19.5 percent from January 2009 to January 2010 in the largest increase in 10 years, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The surge is partly due to comparison with the lowest point of last year when the recession was in full swing. January 2010 was the second consecutive month of year-over-year growth after a whole year of falling comparisons, nearly all of it in double digits.

The amount of NAFTA surface trade reached $56.7 billion in January 2010. It fell 3 percent compared with the previous month.

Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline. In January, 86.1 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved on land.

U.S.–Canada surface transportation trade totaled $34.2 billion in January, up 18 percent compared to January 2009. The value of imports carried by truck was 7.2 percent higher while the value of exports carried by truck was 17.1 percent higher during this period.

U.S.–Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $22.5 billion in January, up 21.7 percent compared to January 2009. The value of imports carried by truck was 18.9 percent higher while the value of exports carried by truck was 11.5 percent higher.

Source: JOC