More containers – which typically end up on the back of commercial trucks – are being shipped to America and trucking routes between America and its north and south neighbor are on the rise, offering further proof that the commercial trucking industry is as healthy as its ever been.
Container imports to America showed a 9.7 percent increase in July when compared to the previous year, another indication that the commercial trucking industry is rapidly growing.
According to import-export data traker PIERS, U.S. containerized imports grew to 1.56 million twenty-foot-equivalent units, in part because of strong growth in auto parts and furniture. Container imports were also up 6.2 percent in June and containers – which are shipped by commercial trucks once in America – are up by over 3 percent for the entire year.
The growth — imports also advanced 6.2% over June — marks impressive expansion of the import trade, especially considering last July’s year-over-year drop of 5.2%, said Mario O. Moreno, economist for The Journal of Commerce/PIERS.
Year-to-date, U.S. containerized imports were up 3.5%. Import growth will continue to accelerate during the second half of 2012, said Moreno, who expects full-year growth of 4.6% for imports and 2.3% for exports.
“Sales of existing homes were up 2.6% through July,” said Mario O. Moreno, economist for The Journal of Commerce/PIERS. “Auto parts rose 25 percent. Other containerized commodities showing sharp gains included bananas, up 32 percent; toys, up 13 percent; and refrigeration equipment, up 36 percent.”
Growth in products being shipped into America is good news for commercial trucks because over 70 percent of all products in America spend some time on the back of a commercial truck.
The growth of the commercial truck industry means a growth of commercial truck driver jobs and now is the perfect time to receive professional training to enter this growing career field.
International trucking routes also continue to grow and commercial truck routes between America and its neighbors to the north and south are growing every month, which continues to push the demand for professionally trained drivers even higher.
Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners, Canada and Mexico, was 6.6 percent higher in June 2012 than in June 2011, totaling $82.6 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Adjusted for inflation and exchange rates, the June 2012 total was $61 billion in 2004 dollars, up 11 percent from June 2011.
Statistics from the BTS also show that the 2012 value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico rose 11.4 percent from June 2008, seven months into the recession, and 62.8 percent from June 2009, at the end of the recession. The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in June increased by 79 percent compared to June 2002, a period of 10 years. Imports in June were up 69.7 percent since June 2002, while exports were up 90.8%.
Surface transportation includes freight movements by commercial trucks, which shop more than 70 percent of all goods in America, according to the American Trucking Associations.
