2010 CIITR Research Brief - Northbound Freight Traffic Trends at the U.S.-Mexico Border

This report is the second in a series that examines northbound freight traffic trends at land ports of entry (POEs) along the U.S.-Mexico border. It analyzes monthly freight data according to mode of transport, border states, and commodities. For this report, researchers covered data from five land POEs (El Paso, Hidalgo, and Laredo in Texas; Nogales in Arizona; and Otay Mesa in California). For mode of transport, researchers found that significantly more trucks than rail cars enter the United States from Mexico. However, the weight and value of freight transported by rail are greater by at least three times those of commodities moved by truck. For border states, researchers found that considerably more trucks and rail cars enter Texas POEs than those crossing over to the three other states (California, Arizona, and New Mexico) combined. For commodities, researchers found that the top three important commodity groups imported from Mexico are manufactured goods; food and agricultural products; and minerals, chemicals, and fossil fuels.