QUER{ETARO, QRO.- According to estimates by the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (Canacar) , in Mexico about 11% of the total fleet is stopped due to the shortage of operators. Taking into account that in its latest statistics the International Road Transport Union (IRU) determined that at the end of 2023 in the country there were approximately 56 thousand unfilled jobs in the trucking industry, although it is still early to make estimates of the behavior for 2024, the outlook is not positive .
The problem has a multifactorial root and it is clear that the risk of the profession discourages new generations from joining the ranks of driving transport of goods and merchandise.
It should be noted that at the end of July of this year, the National Association of Vehicle Tracking and Protection Companies (ANERPV) recorded 993 thefts of cargo vehicles nationwide. In addition, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), last year 163 occupants of heavy vehicles died due to road accidents on the highway network.
In this context and with the aim of sharing good practices to encourage the incorporation of new talent, as well as the loyalty of the work team, the National Association of Private Transport (ANTP) carried out the panel Recognition of the work of the driver , within the framework of the eighth National Congress on Road Safety , where the key was the involvement of companies in motivating the team of operators based on training and public recognition of their work.
“For Grupo Bimbo, recognition of the work of operators is not just about giving a certificate for good skills, it is more of a comprehensive system that focuses on continuous improvement,” explained Diana Torres, representative of Grupo Bimbo .
She added that an important part of motivating drivers is that their loved ones know that they carry out a risky activity every day. “ Recognition can increase drivers’ morale and motivation . Knowing that their work is valued encourages them to continue striving and maintain high performance standards,” the spokesperson explained.
For his part, Ángel Correa Lizarriturri, part of the Health and Safety team at Cemex , explained that for several years the company has implemented a recognition methodology for operators that has helped to have better collaborators.
“The most important thing is to create links with operators to generate loyalty and encourage the adoption of a zero culture: zero road and industrial incidents, zero speeding, zero damage to units and zero diesel overcharges,” Correa said.
It is also necessary for society to recognize the work of operators, and for there to be a healthy coexistence between users of the roads that use the various modes of transport . In this way, road accidents will be reduced and at the same time interest will be generated in performing the work of cargo transport operator.
