The value of monthly freight flows between the U.S. and its NAFTA partners was up 0.4 percent in December from a year earlier, the third year-on-year gain in the last five months but only the fourth such increase in the last two years. The value of total U.S. trade with Canada fell 1.2 percent to $44.5 billion as the truck, rail, and vessel modes carried a lower value of freight. The value of U.S. trade with Mexico rose 2.1 percent to $42.6 billion on higher values in the rail, pipeline, and vessel modes.

Total freight flow values in December totaled $87.1 billion, down 4.4 percent from November.

Vehicles and parts retained their spot as the top commodity category for all modes transported between the U.S. and Canada in December...

This was exerpted from 24 February 2017 trade report by Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg.