The Latest NAFTA Numbers Just in from the BTS

[Network of North American SuperCorridors. (Map by Infranet Lab.)]

While there have been many critiques of NAFTA and other trade agreements, NAFTA seems to be the trade agreement that keeps on giving to the US, Canada and Mexico for almost 20 years since 1994.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) at the US Department of Transportation announced today that surface trade between Canada and Mexico Rose 6.6 Percent from June 2011 to June 2012.

The numbers show that in the last 10 years the US has gotten the better end of the bargain, by almost 20%. Exports were up by 90.8% and imports were only up by 69.7% since June 2002. In 2012 87.7% of trade between the NAFTA countries moved via land (including by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, Foreign Trade Zones, and other modes of transport) , 8.3% moved by vessel, and 4% moved by air.

The top commodity traded between the U.S. and Canada by land in June was vehicles, valued at $9.9 billion. The top commodity traded between the U.S. and Mexico by land in June was electrical machinery (including equipment and parts), valued at $7 billion.

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MAP-21 & the Future of Public Transit in the US

What does MAP-21 Do For the Future of Public Transit Systems in the US?

It gives a new safety oversight role for the Federal Transit Admnistration (FTA), which means the FTA will develop a consistent consistent set of safety standards for transit systems around the nation.

State of Good Repair for transit systems will be paramount. MAP-21 requires the FTA to develop State of Good Repair performance measures and gives them the authority to conduct investigations and audits. It also requires transit agencies to develop asset management plans to meet the performance standards.

For the first time transit agencies will also be able to access New Starts and Small Starts grants for projects that expand "their core capacity."

Authorized funding only saw marginal increases from FY2012 at $10.458 Billion to FY 2013 at $10.578 Billion, for a net increase of $120 Million. Here are some highlights of the funding allocations for FY 2013:

• $2.1 Billion - State of Good Repair 
• $422 Million - Bus and Bus Facilities formula program
• $1.907 Billion New Starts and Core Capacity 
• $4.398 Billion - Urbanized Area Formula Grants 
• $255 Million - Enhanced Mobility for Seniors & Individuals with Disabilities
• $519 Million - Growing States & High Density States Formula
• $10 Million - Transit-Oriented Development Pilot (TOD)

Here is a link to an overview presentation of the FTA's MAP-21 funding allocations:
http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/MAP-21_Public_Presentation.pdf
Published August 2012