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May 27, 2005 1:30 PM, EDT

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urface trade among the U.S., Canada and Mexico rose 5.6% in March to $59.4 billion from last March, the Department of Transportation reported Friday.

Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline. About 90% of U.S. trade by value with North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico moves by land.

U.S. imports by truck rose 2.4% over March 2004 to $22 billion, while exports increased 4.5% to $20.3 billion, DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics said in its monthly report.

ail imports rose 2.6% to $7 billion year-over-year, while exports jumped 13.3% to $3.2 billion. Pipeline imports rose 28% to $3.2 billion while exports leaped 184% to $219 million, BTS said.