Technical documentation 12-3: Border Crossings, U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico (Thousands)

See notes for Table 9-1a.

Table 12-3: Border Crossings, U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico (Thousands) - Northbound

Table 12-3: Border Crossings, U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico (Thousands) - Southbound

Border crossing/entry data are available for U.S. Customs and Border Protection land ports on the U.S.-Canadian and U.S.-Mexican border. Data represent incoming crossings to the United States but do not include trip, travel, vehicle or nationality characteristics. These data represent activity at Border Protection ports, not individual transportation facilities or infrastructure. These data also represent the number of crossings, not the number of unique vehicles, passengers, pedestrians, etc. (full definitions below) that enter the United States. Generally, data for an individual port facility (e.g. bridge) is collected by the company or government agency responsible for operating and maintaining that facility. Similar outbound data are not collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Border Crossing/Entry data are collected at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection port level based on the U.S. Census Bureau list of Customs districts/ports, codes and descriptions, as indicated in Schedule D. The most recent Schedule D is available from the Census Bureau's Foreign Trade Division.

The Schedule D port definitions represent the sum of activity at the port, and not activity at the individual port facilities. Data for specific port facilities such as roads, tunnels or bridges that pass through the same port are not released separately by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. BTS and counterpart agencies in Canada have compared the geographic level at which each country reports border crossing activity.

Tables outlining the border ports and facilities are available in the BTS report North American Transportation in Figures: Appendix C

Truck crossings: Number of arriving trucks; does not include privately owned pick-up trucks.

Train crossings: Rail data for U.S.-Mexico border are for rail (loaded and unloaded) containers and U.S.-Canada numbers are for number of trains, not containers.

Privately owned vehicle crossings: Number of privately owned vehicles (POVs) arriving at a particular port. Includes pick-up trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, taxis, snow-mobiles, ambulances, hearses, and other motorized private ground vehicles.

Passenger crossings in privately owned vehicles: Persons entering the United States at a particular port by private automobiles, pick-up trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, taxis, ambulances, hearses, tractors, snow-mobiles and other motorized private ground vehicles.

Passengers crossing in Trains: Number of passengers and crew arriving by train and requiring U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing.

Bus crossings: Number of arriving buses at a particular port, whether or not they are carrying passengers.

Passenger crossings in buses: Number of persons arriving by bus requiring U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing.

Pedestrian crossings: The number of persons arriving on foot or by certain conveyance (such as bicycles, mopeds, or wheel chairs) requiring U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing.

Table 12-3: Table 12-3: Border Crossings, U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico (Thousands) - Northbound

Table 12-3: Border Crossings, U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico (Thousands) - Southbound