Cross-Border Freight Hits $160.6 Billion in August: What Shippers Should Know

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North American cross-border trade is moving at a pace we haven't often seen. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), freight between the U.S. and its two neighbors was valued at $160.6 billion in August 2026, up 22.6% from August 2025. Trucks did most of the heavy lifting, and Mexico accounted for the biggest share and the fastest growth.

The Border-by-Border Picture

U.S.-Mexico: $94.3 billion, up 26.7% from a year earlier. Mexico is now the larger of the two partners by a wide margin.
U.S.-Canada: $66.3 billion, up 17.1%. That's slower growth than Mexico, but still a strong gain.

The Modal Picture: Truck Dominates, and It's Accelerating

Mode	Aug 2025	Aug 2026	Change
Truck	$84.0B	$109.0B	+29.8%
Rail	$15.8B	$17.2B	+8.7%
Pipeline	$8.3B	$10.2B	+22.7%
Vessel	$8.7B	$9.7B	+12.0%
Air	$6.5B	$6.7B	+3.8%

Trucks carried roughly two-thirds of all transborder freight by value, and their growth rate was more than triple that of rail. The reliance is even more pronounced on the Mexican border, where trucks moved $73.9 billion of the $94.3 billion total (about 78%). On the Canadian side, trucks moved $35.2 billion of $66.3 billion (about 53%), with pipelines, rail, and vessels carrying a much larger share.

Truck-heavy flows mean cross-border shippers are directly exposed to the capacity and rate pressure we've been tracking in the domestic market: a smaller driver pool, higher spot rates, and elevated diesel prices. Rail grew much more slowly in August, but that also means more room before capacity gets stretched.

Where the Freight Crosses

Top truck ports with Canada: Detroit, Port Huron, and Buffalo.
Top truck ports with Mexico: Laredo, El Paso, and Otay Mesa.
Top rail connections: Detroit, Port Huron, and International Falls for Canada; Laredo, Eagle Pass, and El Paso for Mexico.

Among individual ports, Laredo, Texas stands well apart from the rest, handling about $37.7 billion in August. Ysleta, Texas followed at about $15.8 billion and Detroit at about $13.9 billion. Eagle Pass, Texas, which many shippers will remember from last month's empty-truck restriction at the Piedras Negras crossing, handled roughly $4.3 billion in the same month.

What's Crossing the Border

The top commodity category by value was computer-related machinery and parts, at about $40.9 billion. Vehicles other than railway (about $21.1 billion), electrical machinery and equipment (about $19.7 billion), and mineral fuels, oils, and waxes (about $19.2 billion) rounded out the top four. Plastics, measuring and testing instruments, and aluminum products also made the top ten.

The mix is a reminder of how deeply integrated North American manufacturing supply chains are. Much of this freight consists of components and equipment that cross borders more than once before becoming a finished product, which is why disruptions at a single crossing can ripple well beyond the border itself.

Reading the Numbers Carefully

Two caveats are worth keeping in mind. First, BTS reports values in current U.S. dollars, not adjusted for inflation, so part of the increase reflects higher prices rather than more physical freight. The release measures the value of the goods moving across the border, not volumes or the cost of shipping them. Second, BTS notes that these figures may be revised as inputs are corrected or updated. Use them as a strong directional signal rather than a precise count of shipments.

What This Means for Shippers

Expect continued competition for cross-border truck capacity. With truck-moved value up nearly 30% and Mexico lanes especially truck-dependent, shippers on those lanes should plan for tighter equipment and firmer rates.
Concentration risk is real. Laredo alone handles a very large share of U.S.-Mexico trade by value. Having alternate crossings and carrier options mapped out in advance makes disruptions easier to absorb.
Look at mode alternatives where they fit. Rail and intermodal are a smaller part of the cross-border mix, but they may offer capacity and pricing advantages on suitable lanes.
Watch trade policy. Proposed tariff changes involving Canada, and ongoing uncertainty around other trade actions, can shift sourcing and routing decisions quickly. Contracts and routing guides should have room to adapt.
Check your cross-border invoicing. Customs charges, brokerage fees, and accessorials add complexity to cross-border freight bills, and errors in them are easy to miss without a regular audit.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, "North American Transborder Freight valued at $160.6 billion in August 2026, up 22.6% from August 2025" (BTS 26-79), published October 22, 2026. Values are in current U.S. dollars and subject to revision.