Trade using surface transportation between the U.S. and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners, Canada and Mexico, was 8.2% higher in April 2012 than in April 2011, totaling $79.8 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the April 2012 value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico rose 7.4% from April 2008, early in the recession and increased by 60.4% from April 2009, late in the recession. Numbers are not adjusted for inflation.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in April increased by 70.5% compared to April 2002. Imports in April were up 60.2% since April 2002, and exports were up 84.3%.

Surface transportation includes freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, Foreign Trade Zones and other modes of transport. In April, 86.5% of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved via land, 9.8% moved by vessel, and 3.7% moved by air.

U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade in April 2012 both increased compared to April 2011 with U.S.-Canada trade reaching $47.2 billion, a 5.6% increase, and U.S.-Mexico trade reaching $32.6 billion, a 12% increase.