The Detroit region’s location at the crossroads of North American economic activity, coupled with a comprehensive transportation infrastructure, offers significant opportunity for southeast Michigan to create jobs and economic opportunity for its people through capturing increases in trade and building on its world class transportation and logistics assets.

Southeast Michigan is vital to trade and transportation in the United States. The following statistics demonstrate the importance of the Detroit region to the economic stability of the state and the nation.

Global Access

• On average, over $1.6 billion in goods cross between the U.S. and Canada every day
• The Detroit-Windsor border is the busiest trade corridor in the world
• Each year, the Detroit and Port Huron borders handle almost $200 billion in trade
• Detroit handles over 43% more trade than the 2^nd busiest crossing, Laredo, TX
• Detroit is the nation's NAFTA gateway; over 70% of the truck freight passing through Detroit originated or terminated outside of the state
• The logistics industry brings approximately 374,000 jobs to Michigan, with over 235,000 of those jobs based in the Detroit region.

National Economy

• $300 million just-in-time deliveries pass through the Detroit-Windsor border daily
• Over 11,700 companies in Michigan export goods from locations in Michigan to other countries
• Michigan moves more commodities than any other state with over $250 billion inter- and intra-state shipments
  

Statistics by Transportation Sector

Airports:

• Detroit Metropolitan Airport is the 17^th busiest passenger airport in the country
• Michigan has 231 airports open to public use
• Michigan's 18 commercial airports handle more than 40 million passengers per year

Rail:

• The Detroit region supports four Class 1 railroads: CSX, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific and Norfolk Southern
• Michigan has almost 4,000 miles of operating rail track, and MDOT manages approximately 650 miles of state-owned rail lines operated by four railroad companies
• Rail crossings in Port Huron handle the most trade in the country, moving $28 billion of goods each year combined

Waterways:

• Michigan has more than 100 ports serving recreational, ferry, and commercial interests
• Michigan has 39 commercial cargo ports handling more than 92 million tons of cargo each year

Workforce:

• Michigan stands to gain nearly 66,000 transportation and logistics jobs over the next decade
• Michigan transportation and logistics companies serve over 200 countries on every continent
• In 2008, nearly $200B in goods traveled across regional Detroit's borders ranking the Detroit region in the top 10 for each of the modes of transportation and #1 in total trade
• Over the next 30 years truck traffic at regional Detroit borders is expected to increase 128 percent
• The average wage for transportation and logistics occupations is $68,689 for the Detroit region

Sources:

• Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG)
• International Trade Administration
• U.S. Department of State
• Association of American Railroads
• Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) - USDOT

Find out more about doing business in Michigan:

Michigan Economic Development Corporation - The Michigan Advantage

New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan - Helping to Restore Southeast Michigan to a Position of Leadership in the New Global Economy