North American Transborder Freight Surges 19.9% in June 2026

Cross-border freight between the United States, Canada, and Mexico jumped sharply in June, signaling continued strength in North American trade flows.

According to the latest data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, total transborder freight reached $157.1 billion in June 2026 — a 19.9% increase compared to June 2025. The growth was broad-based across both borders and most modes of transportation.

Key Highlights

• U.S.–Mexico freight: $89.2 billion, up 22.2% year-over-year

• U.S.–Canada freight: $67.9 billion, up 17.0% year-over-year

Trucks remained the dominant mode, moving $104.4 billion of freight (up 23.0%). Rail rose 11.0% to $17.1 billion, while pipelines posted the strongest percentage gain, jumping 38.9% to $11.0 billion. Air freight increased 24.2%, and vessels rose a more modest 4.0%.

Top Ports and Commodities

On the southern border, Laredo, Texas continued to lead all ports with more than $35.5 billion in freight. Other high-volume truck ports included Ysleta (Texas), Otay Mesa (California), and Santa Teresa (New Mexico).

On the northern border, Detroit, Port Huron, and Buffalo remained the primary truck gateways.

The top commodities moving across North American borders in June included:

• Computer-related machinery and parts

• Vehicles (other than railway)

• Mineral fuels, oils, and waxes

• Electrical machinery and equipment

• Plastics and related articles

What This Means for Shippers

The sharp year-over-year increase in transborder freight volume points to resilient demand and active supply chains across North America. However, higher volumes also place pressure on capacity, border crossing times, and rates — particularly in trucking, which handled the majority of the growth.

For companies moving goods between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, the data reinforce several priorities:

• Closely monitoring capacity and transit times at key gateways such as Laredo, Detroit, and Port Huron

• Evaluating mode shifts where rail or intermodal options can offer relief

• Strengthening carrier relationships and contingency plans for high-volume corridors

• Reviewing total landed cost, not just linehaul rates, as border congestion and fuel costs fluctuate

At Gain Consulting, we help shippers turn market data like this into actionable strategies — whether that means optimizing cross-border networks, renegotiating carrier agreements, or identifying cost-saving opportunities in a higher-volume environment.

North American trade is clearly moving with momentum. The question for most supply chain teams is whether their networks are positioned to keep up efficiently.

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data (June 2026)