USDOT publishes January 2020 North American TransBorder rail freight numbers

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) has published the North American TransBorder freight numbers for January 2020. Compared to 2019, the railways moved 3.9 per cent more freight in January 2020, with a total of $13.4 billion of freight transported. It was the second most used mode to move TransBorder freight between the U.S. and other North American countries (Canada and Mexico).

Representing 13.8 per cent of all TransBorder freight, the $13.4 billion in rail freight transported in January 2020 was a similar percentage at each border:

• U.S.-Canada: $7.4 billion – 15.4 per cent of all northern border freight (a fall of 2.0 per cent compared to January 2019)
• U.S.-Mexico: $6.0 billion – 12.2 per cent of all southern border freight (an increase of 12.1 per cent compared to January 2019.

The three busiest rail border ports, which transported 52.7 per cent of the total TransBorder rail freight, were:

• Laredo, Texas: $3.2 billion in rail freight was handled
• Detroit, Michigan: $2.2 billion in rail freight was handled
• Eagle Pass, Texas: $1.7 billion in rail freight was handled.

The top three rail commodities that were responsible for 60.2 per cent of the total TransBorder rail freight transported were:

• Motor vehicles and parts – $6.0 billion
• Mineral fuels- $1.4 billion
• Plastics and article – $0.7 billion.