Intermodal transport in Mexico continues to grow. As of the end of June 2026, it had increased by 8% year-on-year ; however, to further boost this segment, public policies are needed to balance freight movement in the country, thereby achieving environmental benefits by reducing emissions and promoting more sustainable freight mobility.
“If there are no certain measures, public policies, or governance mechanisms for intermodal transport, it will be difficult to achieve more rapid growth,” says Carlos Martner, coordinator of Integrated Transport and Logistics at the Mexican Institute of Transport (IMT) .
There are measures that apply to the sector as a whole but not to trucking. One such measure is Annex 29 of the Miscellaneous Tax Resolution (RMF), which is required for cross-border intermodal shipments . “This slows things down because it’s not always digitized; there are paper-based procedures, and it’s somewhat subject to the discretion of the person reviewing it. These kinds of details don’t encourage this type of transport. Protocols are needed to prevent blockages on the rail lines. If you don’t have clearly established policies or protocols, these become factors that discourage this mode of transport.”
While the issue of revoking licenses for drivers who don’t speak English has been a benefit to the sector, “that’s part of the reason several carriers are leaving and the low supply on the American side. We don’t have clear data, but there is a benefit to it,” notes Luis Hernández, president of the Mexican Intermodal Transportation Association (AMTI) .
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