July 2025 Transborder Freight: Key Insights for U.S.-Canada-Mexico Trade

At Gain Consulting, we’re dedicated to providing actionable insights to help businesses navigate the complexities of global trade. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) recently released its July 2025 Transborder Freight Data, revealing a total of $132.6 billion in freight moved between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico—a 1.1% decline from July 2024. While U.S.-Mexico trade grew, U.S.-Canada freight saw a significant drop, with varied performance across transportation modes and key ports.

As businesses prepare for the Q4 holiday season, understanding these trends is critical for optimizing logistics strategies. Here’s a breakdown of the data and how Gain Consulting can help you capitalize on these insights.

Key Findings from July 2025 Transborder Freight Data

The BTS data highlights a mixed picture for North American freight flows in July 2025, with notable shifts across borders and modes:

• Total Transborder Freight: $132.6 billion, down 1.1% from July 2024.

• U.S.-Canada Freight: $58.3 billion, a significant 8.2% decrease from July 2024, reflecting softer demand in key sectors.

• U.S.-Mexico Freight: $74.4 billion, up 5.2% from July 2024, driven by strong trade in computers, electrical machinery, and vehicles.

• By Mode:

  • Trucks: $87.3 billion, up 0.6%, maintaining dominance with 65.8% of total freight value.

  • Railways: $14.4 billion, down 10.1%, impacted by reduced demand for vehicles and mineral fuels.

  • Pipelines: $9.0 billion, down 12.1%, reflecting lower energy freight flows.

  • Vessels: $8.8 billion, down 15.6%, affected by decreased maritime trade.

  • Air: $6.1 billion, up 22.9%, driven by high-value goods like computers and electronics.

Top Ports and Commodities

• U.S.-Canada Trade:

  • Top Truck Ports: Detroit, MI ($7.2B), Port Huron, MI ($6.9B), Buffalo, NY ($6.2B).

  • Top Rail Ports: Detroit, MI ($2.2B), Port Huron, MI ($1.3B), International Falls, MN ($0.8B).

  • Top Commodities by Truck: Computers/parts ($5.3B), vehicles/parts ($4.0B), electrical machinery ($2.2B).

  • Top Commodities by Rail: Vehicles/parts ($2.2B), mineral fuel ($0.6B), plastics ($0.5B).

• U.S.-Mexico Trade:

  • Top Truck Ports: Laredo, TX ($25.3B), El Paso-Ysleta, TX ($10.5B), Otay Mesa, CA ($4.9B).

  • Top Rail Ports: Laredo, TX ($3.9B), Eagle Pass, TX ($2.7B), El Paso, TX ($0.6B).

  • Top Commodities by Truck: Computers/parts ($16.6B), electrical machinery ($11.8B), vehicles/parts ($6.1B).

  • Top Commodities by Rail: Vehicles/parts ($3.9B), computer machinery ($0.6B), beverages/spirits ($0.6B).

Key Ports for Other Modes

• Pipelines: Chicago, Port Huron, and Minneapolis for U.S.-Canada; El Paso, Hidalgo, and Laredo for U.S.-Mexico.

• Vessels: Boston, Arthur, and Portland for U.S.-Canada; Houston, Arthur, and Texas City for U.S.-Mexico.

Implications for Businesses

The July 2025 transborder freight data reveals both challenges and opportunities for shippers and carriers:

• U.S.-Mexico Trade Growth: The 5.2% increase in U.S.-Mexico freight, particularly through truck-heavy ports like Laredo and El Paso, signals robust demand for high-value goods like electronics and vehicles. Businesses should capitalize on this growth by optimizing cross-border logistics.

• U.S.-Canada Decline: The 8.2% drop in U.S.-Canada freight suggests softening demand, aligning with broader trends like the 8% shipment decline in the August 2025 Cass Freight Index. Shippers may need to adjust capacity and focus on cost efficiency.

• Mode Shifts: The 22.9% surge in air freight highlights a preference for high-value, time-sensitive goods, while declines in rail, pipeline, and vessel freight reflect challenges in energy and bulk commodity transport.

• Q4 Pressures: With holiday season surcharges from UPS (starting September 28, 2025) and FedEx rate hikes looming for 2026, businesses must prepare for rising costs, especially for cross-border shipments.

How Gain Consulting Can Help

Gain Consulting specializes in helping businesses navigate complex trade dynamics and optimize their supply chains. Here’s how we can support you in leveraging the July 2025 transborder freight trends:

• Cross-Border Optimization: We design strategies to capitalize on U.S.-Mexico trade growth, optimizing truck and rail logistics through key ports like Laredo and El Paso, while addressing cost pressures in U.S.-Canada trade.

• Cost Management: Our team helps mitigate rising costs from surcharges and rate hikes by negotiating competitive carrier rates and exploring alternatives like regional carriers (e.g., OnTrac) for cost-effective solutions.

• Data-Driven Insights: Using advanced analytics, we analyze your shipping patterns to align with high-demand corridors and commodities, ensuring efficient use of truck and air transport for high-value goods like computers and electronics.

• Cargo Security: With the DOT’s recent call for cargo theft reduction strategies, we help implement safeguards to protect cross-border shipments, particularly through high-traffic ports like Detroit and Laredo.

• Holiday Season Planning: We prepare your business for Q4 by forecasting demand, streamlining operations, and managing peak season surcharges to maintain profitability.

Navigating North American Trade in 2025

The July 2025 Transborder Freight Data underscores the dynamic nature of U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade, with growth in U.S.-Mexico freight offering opportunities amid challenges in U.S.-Canada trade and declining non-truck modes. As businesses gear up for the holiday season, strategic planning is essential to manage costs and capitalize on high-demand corridors.

At Gain Consulting, we’re here to help you turn these insights into actionable strategies, ensuring your supply chain remains resilient and competitive. Whether you’re shipping through Detroit, Laredo, or beyond, our expertise can drive efficiency and growth.

Contact us today to optimize your cross-border logistics strategy. Visit our website or reach out to our sales team to explore tailored solutions for your business.

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, “TransBorder Freight Data,” September 2025.Link: TransBorder Freight Data