In response to growing uncertainty from new U.S. administration tariffs and shifting global trade policies, businesses, investors, and supply chain leaders need sharper tools to monitor cross-border activities.
That’s why we’re excited to introduce the INRIX Cross Border Insights dataset— a new solution designed to deliver immediate observed vehicular movements across every major U.S. land border entry point (Canada/Mexico) including 100+ U.S.-Mexico and 40+ U.S.-Canada border crossings.
Built on INRIX’s expansive network of connected vehicle data, the Cross Border Insights dataset provides observed, probe counts of freight and passenger activity at all points of entry at both the US/Canada and US/Mexico borders. Whether you’re analyzing market risk, adjusting supply chains, or evaluating the impact of new tariffs, INRIX now offers a clear, data-driven view of North American trade flows — at a time when understanding them has never been more important.
Helping Investors Navigate an Evolving Trade Environment
At INRIX, we believe that when the world changes, your data should change with it.
Recent shifts in U.S. trade policy — including the introduction of new tariffs — are already reshaping how goods move between countries and affecting the operational and financial health of major industries.
For investors, supply chain analysts, economists, retailers and even policymakers, monitoring cross-border traffic offers early, actionable signals of supply chain disruptions, sourcing shifts, and potential margin pressures — before these issues show up in earnings reports.
With the INRIX Cross Border Insights dataset, you can:
- Track Directionality: Monitor changes in observed probe counts of northbound and southbound flows to detect sourcing and production changes.
- Differentiate by Vehicle Type: Separate observed probe counts of commercial freight from consumer traffic to better gauge manufacturing vs. consumer impacts.
- Focus on Key Crossings: Analyze trends in activity via observed probe counts at any point of entry where the impact of distinct U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada border crossings on industries can vary significantly
Why Cross-Border Visibility is Critical Under Tariff Regimes
Understanding timely shifts in cross-border activity is essential for investors trying to anticipate how tariffs might impact corporate profitability, supply chain stability, and sector performance.
Here’s how the INRIX Cross Border Insights Dataset helps:
- Immediate Trade Flow Monitoring
Tariffs typically disrupt the natural flow of trade.
By tracking vehicle observed probe counts— particularly commercial trucks — investors can detect diversions, slowdowns, or bottlenecks that reflect how companies are adjusting to cost changes.
Example:
A sudden drop in observed probe counts southbound commercial traffic from the U.S. to Mexico may signal manufacturers cutting exports in response to retaliatory tariffs.
- Compliance and Enforcement Signals
Unusual anomalies in observed probe counts of cross-border traffic counts can indicate potential tariff circumvention, smuggling, or routing through less-monitored ports of entry.
Example:
An unexpected surge in observed probe counts of consumer vehicle crossings might suggest informal or gray-market trading routes opening up as businesses and consumers adapt to new restrictions.
- Impact on Supply Chains and Inventories
Automakers, agricultural exporters, and retailers depend on highly coordinated, just-in-time supply chains.
Tracking spikes in observed vehicle probe counts of northbound or southbound commercial activity can reveal critical behaviors like pre-tariff stockpiling, reshoring of manufacturing, or sourcing strategy changes.
- Understanding Shifting Trade Relationships
Prolonged tariff regimes often drive companies to reconfigure their supply chains entirely.
Monitoring long-term changes in observed probe counts of traffic patterns can uncover sourcing shifts — for example, moving production from Mexico to Asia (via West Coast ports) or from Canada to Europe (via East Coast ports).
Key Use Cases Across Stakeholders
The INRIX Cross Border Insights Dataset delivers actionable insights based on observed probe counts for a wide range of stakeholders:
- Investors & Hedge Funds:
Predict margin compression, production slowdowns, and sourcing shifts before they materialize in quarterly results.
- Supply Chain Analysts:
Anticipate lead time disruptions, cost increases, and the need for stockpiling or alternate routing.
- Logistics and Freight Operators:
Identify congestion points early to optimize routing and delivery schedules.
- Retailers and Manufacturers:
Understand evolving cross-border consumer behaviors and sourcing trends to better manage operations and inventory.
- Government/Policymakers:
Assess effectiveness of trade policy or identify needs for infrastructure investment.
Why Individual Crossing-Level Data Matters
Leveraging connected vehicle data, this new dataset offers timely tracking of observed and sampled commercial and consumer vehicle movements across every major U.S. land border crossings between the U.S, Canada, and Mexico—covering more than 140 crossings along the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders.
Each border crossing has distinct infrastructure, industry reliance, and supply chain dynamics.
That’s why INRIX tracks activity at the individual crossing level, giving users the precision they need to focus on key chokepoints. This dataset includes non-normalized, observed probe counts at each crossing:
- U.S.–Mexico Border:
Critical for low-cost manufacturing and agricultural imports, particularly at Laredo, Otay Mesa, and El Paso.
- U.S.–Canada Border:
Essential for automotive supply chains, energy, and high-tech industries, with high volumes at Detroit-Windsor, Buffalo-Fort Erie, and Blaine-Surrey.
With coverage of every major U.S. land border crossing with Mexico and Canada—and the ability to drill down into activity at specific crossings—INRIX Cross Border Insights provides investors and analysts with a powerful early warning system for sector-specific risks.
Unlock a New Level of Trade Intelligence
Cross-border vehicular flows are an early, reliable signal of how industries and companies are adapting to trade policy shifts.
The new INRIX Cross Border Insights Dataset gives investors, analysts, and businesses the tools they need to react faster, plan smarter, and capitalize on emerging opportunities in an unpredictable global trade environment. The dataset contains observed probe counts of vehicles on the road and is not normalized. It is intended for use in tracking trends not to represent modeled volumes.
Check out the INRIX Cross Border Insights brochure to learn more or contact us to explore how this unique data set can help you monitor tariff impacts as they evolve.