WASHINGTON — Freight shipped across the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico by all modes of transportation was valued at $112.5 billion in February 2022, down 1.1% from January 2022 ($113.7 billion) but up 17.3% from February 2021 ($95.86 billion) and up 17.2% from pre-pandemic February 2020 ($95.95 billion), according to the latest statistics released this week by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
Freight between the U.S. and Canada totaled $56.2 billion in February 2022, up 18.6% from February 2021 ($47.4 billion), according to DOT figures.
Freight between the U.S. and Mexico totaled $56.3 billion, up 16% from February 2021 ($48.5 billion).
Also in February 2022, trucks moved $69.2 billion of freight, up 16.3% compared to February 2021 ($59.5 billion), and railways moved $15.3 billion of freight, up 19.0% from February 2021 ($12.8 billion).
Big trucks accounted for nearly $40 billion in freight moving between the U.S. and Mexico in February and almost $30 billion between the U.S. and Canada.
The busiest port for 18-wheelers was at Laredo, Texas, where just over $17.1 billion in freight was moved in February, according to the DOT.
Computers and parts made up the bulk of the border shipments for trucks, totaling nearly $13 billion.
Below are statistics representing February’s freight numbers as provided by the DOT.
Total Transborder Freight by Border and Mode
U.S.-Canada (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
- Truck: $29.7
- Rail: $8.6
- Pipeline: $9.0
- Air: $2.7
- Vessel: 2.9
U.S.-Mexico (both directions)
(Dollars in Billions)
- Truck: $39.5
- Rail: $6.7
- Vessel: $6.1
- Air: $1.5
- Pipeline: $0.9
Truck Freight: $69.2 billion (61.5% of all transborder freight)
- U.S.-Canada: $29.7 billion (52.8% of all northern border freight)
- U.S.-Mexico: $39.5 billion (70.2% of all southern border freight)
Top three busiest truck border ports (43.9% of total transborder truck freight)
- Laredo, Texas: $17.1 billion
- Detroit, Michigan: $7.2 billion
- Port Huron, Michigan: $6.1 billion
Top three truck commodities (46.5% of total transborder truck freight)
- Computers and parts: $12.9 billion
- Electrical machinery: $10.5 billion
- Vehicles and parts: $8.8 billion
Rail Freight: $15.3 billion (13.6% of all transborder freight)
- U.S.-Canada: $8.6 billion (15.2% of all northern border freight)
- U.S.-Mexico: $6.7 billion (11.9% of all southern border freight)
Top three busiest rail border ports (48.4% of total transborder rail freight)
- Laredo, Texas: $3.5 billion
- Port Huron, Michigan: $2.1 billion
- Eagle Pass, Texas: $1.7 billion
Top three rail commodities (50.2% of total transborder rail freight)
- Vehicles and parts: $5.2 billion
- Mineral fuels: $1.3 billion
- Plastics: $1.2 billion
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
