99minutos has closed the logistics circle to become a comprehensive platform and, with the goal of offering a safer, more transparent and technologically advanced service in freight transportation, officially presented Freight99 , its new business vertical focused on middle-mile solutions, port towing and full truck load (FTL) .
With a decade in the market, 99minutos’ business has ceased to be exclusively last-mile to become a comprehensive logistics operator , capable of covering the entire supply chain, operating first mile, middle mile, last mile, warehousing, fulfillment, and now also freight transport.
During the presentation, Santiago Saviñón, Chief Growth Officer of 99minutos, highlighted that Mexico is the largest transportation market in Latin America, with more than 600 million tons moved by 2024 , even surpassing Brazil.
However, he warned that the sector faces structural challenges, such as fragmentation, with 92% of carriers operating with fewer than five units, as well as a shortage of approximately 99,000 operators , rising fuel and wage costs, and security risks.
“The industry continues to grow at a rate of 5% annually, but faces a huge technological gap. Many carriers still operate using calls or WhatsApp instead of digital platforms. With Freight99, we want to close that gap with innovation and proprietary technology,” Saviñón explained.
In an interview with T21, the executive explained that the launch of Freight99 was the result of a preparation process that involved legal, technological, and operational adjustments to serve a very different market than the last-mile market.
“Although we knew the industry indirectly through the services we already offered, fully entering the freight transportation industry involved redesigning safety protocols, procurement , supplier processes, and even unit standards. We spent months researching and conducting empirical testing with real customers to arrive at this launch with a solid foundation,” he noted.
He also highlighted to this media outlet that part of the strategy was to leverage the complementary infrastructure that 99minutos already has, such as parcel delivery and 3PL services.
“Today, we not only offer freight transportation, but also a comprehensive solution that allows customers to solve multiple logistics challenges through a single provider,” he explained.
Since 2022, the company has raised more than $120 million in investment capital, resources allocated to both infrastructure and technology, as well as the acquisition and leasing of its own units . “Thanks to these schemes, we have been able to expand our fleet and work with suppliers who dedicate units to us under high operating standards,” Saviñón noted.
A comprehensive solution for businesses
During the presentation, Manuel Brenner, director of Freight99, noted that the new business unit seeks to simplify access to reliable and safe transportation through a platform that integrates traceability, real-time security, document management, and direct communication with operators.
“We designed a solution that addresses the main barriers companies face, such as lack of visibility, limited transparency, and high risks,” Brenner noted.
The platform includes automatic bill of lading generation, integration with more than 60 GPS systems, real-time monitoring, operator validation with Artificial Intelligence (AI), and redundancy in data capture to ensure route safety.
Gabriel Asis, SVP of Tailor Made at 99minutos, emphasized that Freight99 relies on tracking and theft prevention mechanisms designed by a specialized team.
In addition, it has a traceability model that allows it to identify the safest route and anticipate deviations.
For his part, Jonathan Andrade, CTO of 99minutos, explained that the platform’s core is an AI engine that detects anomalies, verifies credentials, and enables direct communication between customer and operator from the app or even via WhatsApp, but in a controlled and centralized manner.
“We know that a large part of the industry continues to use WhatsApp. We’re not looking to replace it, but rather to optimize it with AI to make it more efficient and secure,” Andrade said.
Freight99 already operates with more than 400 of its own units and 40 strategic partners, adding to the network of three thousand operators that 99minutos mobilizes daily in Mexico.
Currently, this business vertical will focus on domestic half-mile services and port towing, with plans to expand to Colombia, Chile, and Peru (countries where 99minutos operates) in a second phase.
“We want to grow three or four times faster than the market, which currently grows at 5% annually. Freight99 is a strategic commitment that complements our vision of being a comprehensive partner for the supply chain,” said Santiago Saviñón.
With an industry valued at more than 800 billion pesos annually and marked by the need for digitalization and security, Freight99 seeks to position itself as a key player in the transformation of land transportation in Mexico and Latin America.
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