Mexican cross-border freight hauled by trucks continues its meteoric rise, keeping business in Laredo, Texas, booming while Canadian freight weakens.
According to the latest numbers from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, truck freight valued at nearly $91 billion was hauled across the borders in August. That was an increase of 3% compared to August 2023 and represents a 4% increase from July.
August’s year-to-year modest increase was the result of a large increase in Mexican freight that offset another drop in Canadian freight. Trucking cross-border freight has been trending upward since November 2020. Only four decreases have occurred since then, three of which have taken place within the last 12 months.
Cross-border freight hauled by trucks across the U.S. southern border increased by 10% compared to August 2023, led by a sustained surge in computer-related freight that began in January. At the northern border, another fairly large drop in vehicle cargo that has been going on since May weighed down overall Canadian freight to a 5% decrease.
The top three truck commodities at the northern border were computers/parts ($6.1 billion, down 3%), vehicles ($4.9 billion, down 20%) and electrical machinery ($2.6 billion, down 0.7%). At the Mexican border, top commodities included computers/parts ($14 billion, up 41.5%), electrical machinery ($12 billion, up 4%) and vehicles ($7.8 billion, up 4%).
By weight, cross-border freight hauled by trucks was down by 3% compared to the previous year and dipped by 1% compared to July. Year-to-year, North American freight by weight has increased only seven times since July 2022. Four of those increases occurred this year.
Top Canadian commodities for trucking by weight included wood (down 3%), vehicles (down 31%) and paper (up 3%). In Mexico, the top three commodities were vehicles (up 4%), computers/parts (up 0.2%) and edible vegetables/roots (up 3%).
Surge in Mexican imports
Since the beginning of 2024, Mexican imports have been rapidly increasing.
A spike in computer-related cross-border freight has significantly contributed to that rise.
In its latest holiday outlook report, fleet management technology company Motive points out that retailers are shifting nearshoring operations to Mexico. Not only does the United States’ southern neighbor offer shorter lead times and lower tariffs, but companies also mitigate global supply chain risks.
“Mexico’s proximity to the U.S. offers more than convenience — it enables faster response times and better adaptability to unexpected disruptions, such as labor strikes or geopolitical conflicts that may affect imports from other regions,” Motive states in the report. “By strategically balancing imports from both China and Mexico, retailers are minimizing risks while creating more resilient supply chains.”
Cross-border imports by trucks coming through the Laredo port jumped by more than 24% in August, marking a record high at that crossing.
This trend is likely to continue. Although Motive expects cross-border freight out of Mexico to peak in October, it also anticipates continued growth next year.
Uber Freight is one company reaping the benefits of the surge in Mexican cross-border freight. On Tuesday, Oct. 22, the company announced a 77% year-to-year increase in cross-border new business production. CEO Lior Ron also pointed to companies moving nearshoring to Mexico.
“As nearshoring transforms supply chains and cross-border trade expands, our priority is ensuring that our shipper partners have the resources and support they need to thrive in this evolving landscape,” Ron said in a statement. “By deepening our presence in Mexico and strengthening our team with industry-leading talent, we’re committed to making cross-border logistics simpler and more efficient for our customers, helping them unlock new growth opportunities and navigate challenges with ease.”
Uber Freight claims to be one of the largest warehouse providers in Laredo. The company manages more than 2,000 daily cross-border freight shipments. LL
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