BTS recorded 439,429 inbound truck crossings from Canada and 650,466 from Mexico in July 2026, showing stable Mexican traffic and a 2.4% annual decline from Canada.
July's two land borders recorded 1,089,895 inbound truck crossings
The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported 439,429 trucks entering the United States from Canada and 650,466 entering from Mexico in July 2026. Adding those two official figures produces 1,089,895 inbound truck crossings, or about 1.09 million. The total is a calculation from BTS data, not a separately quoted agency statistic.
Canadian truck traffic was lower than a year earlier
BTS said July truck entries from Canada were down 2.4% compared with July 2025. The release did not attribute the change to one commodity, carrier, policy or crossing. A year-over-year decline in the aggregate count therefore should not be treated as evidence about a particular lane or customer's freight demand.
Mexican truck traffic was essentially unchanged
The 650,466 trucks entering from Mexico in July were essentially unchanged from the same month in 2025, according to BTS. Mexico accounted for roughly 60% of the combined July crossings calculated from the two border totals, while Canada accounted for roughly 40%. Those shares describe counts of inbound crossings, not the value or weight of freight.
January-through-July totals exceeded 7.5 million
BTS displayed 3,024,325 truck entries from Canada and 4,491,820 from Mexico for January through July 2026. Together, those figures equal 7,516,145 inbound crossings. Because the figures are crossing events, the same power unit can be counted more than once when it makes multiple trips.
The dataset counts entries, not unique trucks or drivers
Border Crossing Entry Data measure inbound crossings at U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico land ports. They do not identify a nationwide fleet of unique vehicles, count outbound movements, or show how many individual drivers made the trips. A crossing count also is not the same as a shipment, load, container or customs entry.
Truck counts do not measure freight value
The figures describe traffic volume. They do not by themselves show cargo value, tonnage, carrier revenue, rate levels, dwell time or profitability. Analysts evaluating trade should pair crossing counts with commodity, value, weight and economic data appropriate to the question rather than converting one truck entry into an assumed dollar amount.
Commercial traffic is steadier than passenger activity
BTS said commercial truck traffic remains relatively stable throughout the year because cross-border supply chains create consistent demand. In contrast, the agency noted stronger seasonal changes in personal-vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Stable national totals can still conceal day-to-day congestion, weather interruptions and capacity constraints at an individual port.
Drivers should plan for the specific port and trip
A national monthly count cannot predict today's wait. Drivers should confirm the designated commercial port, hours, lane restrictions, permits, cargo documents, inspection requirements and any hazardous-material routing before departure. Use official customs, transportation and state or provincial sources, then allow lawful time for staging and inspection.
Carriers can use the data as context, not a dispatch forecast
The Canadian decline and steady Mexican total can help frame broad network conditions, but neither is a substitute for customer orders, appointment data, port notices or live operations information. Fleet planning should separate a historical national trend from the current capacity and border-processing conditions on a specific lane.
The release does not create a new trucking rule
BTS published a statistical update, not a safety regulation, customs requirement or hours-of-service exemption. It does not change CDL qualifications, vehicle standards, cabotage rules, cargo documentation or inspection authority. Drivers and carriers must continue following the rules that apply to the vehicle, commodity, route and border movement.
BTS data can be revised and should be dated
The September 14 release compiled information available through July 2026. Users comparing the numbers later should check the current BTS dataset, definitions and revision notes, because administrative transportation data may be updated. Record the access date and filters when using a download in business analysis.
What to watch next
Future monthly releases will show whether the Canadian decline persists and whether Mexican crossings remain near their year-earlier level. Useful comparisons include the same month a year earlier, several-month averages and port-level results. One month alone is not enough to establish a durable freight trend.
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Official sources
BTS: Mid-Year 2026 Border Crossing Data Release, September 14, 2026BTS: Border Crossing Entry DataCDL Truck Pro provides educational information. Confirm licensing, safety, tax, and regulatory requirements through current official sources and qualified professionals.