The conversation about electromobility in Mexico is no longer solely about innovation and sustainability. Today, for the transportation industry, the real discussion is much more uncomfortable and strategic: how viable is it to electrify an operation without compromising productivity, profitability, and logistical continuity? Because while public discourse tends to focus on the electric future of transportation , operational reality still demands a practical approach.

Fleet electrification is indeed progressing, but at very different speeds depending on the type of operation, the available infrastructure, and the financial capacity of companies. In Mexico, technological enthusiasm still coexists with significant structural limitations: high investment costs, insufficient charging infrastructure, and logistics operations that simply cannot be halted.

And that is perhaps the most important point, one that is rarely stated clearly: in transportation, time is profitability . A vehicle stopped, even if only to recharge, is an asset that ceases to produce.

Therefore, at least in the short term, electromobility seems to find its most natural foothold in the last mile ; there, conditions are favorable with predominantly urban routes, shorter distances, and operations that allow vehicles to return to the distribution center to recharge outside of operating hours. A vehicle with a range of around 300 kilometers can be perfectly functional for operations that cover between 100 and 150 kilometers daily.

This also explains why adoption is concentrated mainly in cities like Mexico City, State of Mexico, Nuevo León and Jalisco, regions where urban density favors shorter journeys and where the charging infrastructure is beginning to develop more rapidly, unlike in less dense cities, where journeys are longer and more dispersed, the equation changes radically.

However, it would be a mistake to interpret this situation as a definitive halt. Rather, we are witnessing a transitional phase where the private sector is playing a decisive role in accelerating the ecosystem; we see how companies in the food, beverage, and courier industries have already begun building their own cargo hubs , driving infrastructure that the public sector has not yet been able to develop at the necessary speed.

And there is an important message for the industry: electrification will not advance solely through technological will, but through a collaborative strategy where government, private initiative and technology providers will have to coordinate to strengthen the infrastructure in key logistics nodes , guarantee energy stability and create viable operating conditions for fleets.

In parallel, telemetry is becoming a critical part of this transition; managing an electric fleet involves not only monitoring routes, but also understanding battery behavior in real time, optimizing charging cycles, identifying premature degradation, and efficiently coordinating the rotation of units and chargers. Here, energy management becomes as important as logistics management.

This is where one of the most interesting aspects of this new stage lies: electromobility no longer depends solely on the vehicle, but on the operational intelligence surrounding it. The energy transition in transportation will not happen suddenly or uniformly , and perhaps that is the most common mistake when talking about electromobility: thinking of it as an immediate replacement, when in reality it will be a gradual coexistence of different technologies and different operating models.

Check out Eduardo’s previous column:  The human factor in the age of telemetry .

*Eduardo Allegre is the general manager of  Métrica Móvil .

Connect and comment with  Eduardo Allegre on LinkedIn .

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @GrupoT21

El cargo Electromobility in Mexico: the operational reality behind the electric future apareció primero en T21.

Introduction: From Insight to Execution

The first wave of AI in transportation and logistics was centered on insight generation, analytics, dashboards, and prediction layers that improved decision-making but did not fundamentally alter how work was executed. The current wave represents a structural shift toward autonomous execution embedded directly into physical systems and operational workflows, where AI is not supporting decisions but actively performing work.

This shift is reflected in how capital is being deployed. Investment is concentrating in technologies that directly influence physical operations or replace manual workflows, rather than purely analytical tools. AI is moving from a decision-support layer to an execution layer, with implications for cost structure, labor, and competitive advantage across logistics networks.

Capital Flows and Emerging AI Capabilities

Capital allocation across AI logistics and transportation platforms is increasingly best understood through the capabilities produced, rather than the platform categories, which often obscure how capital translates into operational systems. While headline funding is often concentrated in large autonomy platforms, the most relevant investment patterns in logistics are those translating directly into operational systems across four layers: physical infrastructure, decision execution, network optimization, and data orchestration.

Physical AI, robotics and warehouse automation, represent the fastest-growing category in logistics-relevant AI investment. Robotics funding reached $13.8B in 2025, growing approximately 48% year over year, with an additional $4B raised in Q1 2026 alone. This growth reflects a tight coupling between capital deployment and operational ROI. While autonomous vehicle platforms such as Waymo ($16B Series D) and Wayve ($1.2B Series D) dominate headline funding, they are primarily focused on passenger transport, and logistics-specific autonomy remains more capital intensive and slower to commercialize. By contrast, warehouse robotics providers such as Locus Robotics have deployed over 13,000 robots across 300+ sites globally, while DHL has implemented thousands of robotic systems across its network. These deployments demonstrate that robotics investment is already translating into scaled operations. For supply chain organizations, physical AI directly improves warehouse throughput and labor efficiency, delivering step-change productivity gains in controlled environments with relatively fast implementation cycles.

Agentic workflow automation represents the execution layer of this shift. Capital in this category is less concentrated in large standalone rounds and is instead embedded across enterprise platforms and logistics providers. For example, Flexport has deployed AI across customs and compliance workflows, automating up to 80% of associated tasks. Similarly,

Uber Freight is deploying agent-based AI systems to automate load matching, pricing, and carrier coordination, moving core freight workflows from manual execution toward real-time, algorithm-driven decision-making. These investments are not typically captured as isolated venture rounds but rather as product development and operational scaling within existing platforms. As a result, capital flows are steady but diffuse, reflecting a model where value is created through adoption rather than infrastructure buildout. For operators, these systems address one of the most persistent inefficiencies in logistics: manual coordination across high-volume, repetitive workflows, enabling higher throughput and scalability.

Investment in network optimization systems, spanning fleet management, routing platforms, and decision engines is driven less by large funding events and more by sustained enterprise adoption and revenue growth. Companies such as Samsara and Motive have scaled into large enterprise platforms (with ~$1.9B and ~$500M in ARR respectively), reflecting significant embedded investment in AI-driven fleet intelligence. At the same time, incumbents such as UPS and FedEx continue to invest internally in optimization systems rather than relying on external funding. This category is therefore less capital intensive but highly mature. Its impact is primarily incremental: AI-driven systems continuously optimize routing and asset utilization, producing compounding efficiency gains as demonstrated by recent investments from operators such as FedEx, which are deploying AI-driven dynamic routing and logistics planning systems across their networks.

Supply chain data platforms and orchestration layers are driven by a different capital dynamic, less defined by rapid growth and more by the accumulation of large proprietary datasets and enterprise integrations. Transactions such as Coupa’s $8B take-private highlight the value of platforms built on multi-trillion-dollar datasets, while companies like project44 have scaled AI-driven orchestration systems capable of managing nearly one million agent interactions annually. Rather than relying on rapid venture cycles, these platforms compound value through data network effects and integration depth. For operators, they solve the fragmentation of logistics data across systems and partners, enabling end-to-end visibility and coordinated decision-making. As data scale increases, these platforms evolve from visibility tools into orchestration layers that enable other AI systems, optimization engines and agentic workflows, to operate effectively

Tailwinds and Headwinds

Adoption of AI in transportation and logistics is being driven by clear and measurable economic outcomes, but in Mexico and broader Latin America, adoption is shaped by a distinct set of structural dynamics. Nearshoring across the U.S. – Mexico corridor amplifies opportunities for AI optimization, as increased cross-border freight volumes and tighter

delivery timelines push logistics networks toward real-time, AI-driven decision systems for routing, coordination, and cross-border operations. At the same time, platform-based ecosystems and mobile-first logistics models have enabled faster deployment of routing, matching, and visibility tools than in more legacy-heavy markets. This trend is reflected in platform-led logistics networks such as Mercado Libre, which expanded fulfillment capacity by approximately 41% year over year as part of broader investments in its digital and logistics infrastructure.

These tailwinds are offset by structural barriers that constrain adoption. AI adoption in the U.S. – Mexico market is not constrained by technological limitations, but by inconsistent data infrastructure and operational systems. Logistics data remains siloed across the region, reducing model effectiveness and limiting the reliability of optimization systems. Infrastructure constraints, including uneven connectivity, limited data center capacity, and higher last-mile costs, further restrict real-time applications. As a result, while Mexico and Latin America represent high-growth markets for logistics AI, adoption will depend less on access to technology and more on the ability to integrate data and align operations within existing systems.

Conclusion

The current phase of AI in transportation and logistics is defined by a transition from analysis to execution. Capital is concentrating in technologies that directly reshape how logistics networks operate, by automating workflows, augmenting labor, and optimizing physical systems in real time.

The companies that benefit most will not be those that simply deploy AI tools, but those that integrate AI into core operations and build proprietary data advantages. The next phase of competition will be defined not by access to AI, but by the ability to operationalize it at scale.

El cargo AI in Logistics: From Insight to Execution apareció primero en T21.

Attracting and retaining operators in the freight transport industry is a strategic challenge that must be addressed from a holistic perspective. Organizational culture functions like the company’s DNA, directly influencing results, growth, and organizational stability . Therefore, the daily practice of its values ​​must be a conscious and ongoing exercise, initially carried out periodically and systematically until it becomes a habit and integrated into the organization’s daily operations.

Every organization has a culture that originates from its founders, but it isn’t always given the importance it deserves. Consequently, it becomes distorted when its interpretation and correct practice are left to the discretion of leaders, losing strength when it is precisely the fundamental source of organizational energy. This is only true if the correct interpretation is maintained and disseminated primarily through the behavior of its leaders, until it becomes the good operating habits of organizational behavior. From an axiological perspective, a virtue is a good operating habit, and a vice is a bad operating habit. What kind of habits are you promoting in your organization?

How organizational DNA is formed

Culture is built upon beliefs, values, attitudes, behaviors, and habits. This diagram explains how individual behaviors transform into collective practices that define an organization’s identity.

Beliefs → Values ​​→ Attitudes → Behaviors → Habits

Beliefs are assumptions formed from the experiences we have in community and always from the statements that a leadership figure repeatedly mentions and instills in the rest of the organization the ideas about those experiences, that is, the beliefs and their favorable or unfavorable effects when they are not respected.

This is when beliefs become values, which are the virtues or positive qualities that guide people in distinguishing right from wrong, and predispose behavior toward correct action (a good operating habit). We can call this predisposition an attitude.

Attitude precedes behavior, so it is important and key to be aware of this process because they are the basis of organizational behavior. That is, to the extent that we focus our efforts and programs on establishing what the belief system behind organizational success is, we will be able to achieve a standardization of behaviors in all members of the organization.

As the above is repeated, encouraged and rewarded, its practice will become a habit (a virtue and not a vice) and when this happens, its daily exercise is done unconsciously and permanently, and it is at this moment that it becomes integrated into the culture.

Therefore, the organization must be aware of what it is promoting through its daily behavior, not just what it says on its promotional posters. This is where the phrase “the noise of your actions prevents me from hearing what you say” comes into play .

If a company aims to be people-oriented, management should focus first on analyzing organizational behavior and then on the numerical analysis of results, since these results largely reflect its cultural system.

Organizational integration

In the transport industry there are two worlds: the one experienced by the operators and the one experienced by the administration , and integrating them requires a 360-degree vision that aligns emotions, results, strategies and working conditions.

First, we must understand the lives of our employees as individuals, whether they are young people, parents, or family members, with aspirations for self-improvement in every sense, and join them in their daily efforts to achieve their personal goals and aspirations. Few leaders understand that work is the means for personal fulfillment and must be valued and respected.

To dignify means to emotionally connect with everything people seek beyond the economic, everything that gives profound meaning to their lives. Otherwise, life becomes a boring and overwhelming routine that quickly drains their energy and empties their sense of purpose.

On the other hand, in the world that administration lives in, there are also people who live different stages and have different needs in life, and with whom the first step is to dignify their work, in order to connect with each of the team members and from this point develop a productive and lasting relationship.

Leadership and alignment

Leaders must prioritize talent management and alignment of wills through a communication process that allows all members of the organization to work towards common goals.

When we connect with each employee’s personal aspirations and goals, it becomes easier to find points of convergence with organizational goals, facilitating their achievement. Organizational goals are only achieved when they translate into benefits that allow each employee to reach their personal goals.

In this sense, leadership with a humanistic approach plays a fundamental role by prioritizing the well-being of its employees , creating an environment where they feel valued within an atmosphere conducive to their personal and family growth.

Factors of permanence

An employee’s retention within an organization depends on much deeper human factors than simple monthly financial compensation. The greatest weight of retention factors lies in more intangible, but highly important human-social factors, such as self-motivation, self-esteem, recognition, and working conditions, which together we can call Emotional Salary .

A positive environment that prioritizes Emotional Salary strengthens employee commitment and gives them a solid vision of their future where their family’s assets are secure.

Paradigm shift

In our industry, it is necessary to take a fundamental step that would take transportation in Mexico to the next level, and this is a change of paradigms that have discredited the profession of Freight Transport Operator for decades.

Some of these paradigms include thinking that the operator is a driver, a trucker, or a lorry driver, with many bad practices and negative attitudes, who must be kept at a distance and treated roughly, because that is how they respond to the demands of their work to barely reach the minimum productivity standards, and we have repeated it so many times that we no longer need to say it, just by believing that this is the way, the attitude is generated and with it a behavior that reinforces their place in the organization day after day.

The pressure to “meet the numbers” can lead to disregarding the dignity of the people behind every position in the organization and every truck driver.

This is a decision for each transport business owner; it’s not easy, but you have to take the first step. If you want to grow your business through increased sales volume, this can only be achieved with better service and a strong focus on productivity. But above all, you must treat all your employees like customers—there’s no difference. Treat your employees the way you treat your best customers.

Training and future

There is certainly a real condition that will worsen if no action is taken in time, and that is the growing disinterest in being a Professional Freight Transport Operator, but there is the option of training operators and changing the focus in their organizational environments.

Out there is a large population of Mexican men and women with great potential for world-class talent, as has been demonstrated in all the industries in which Mexican entrepreneurs have invested and excelled internationally, and transportation does not have to be the exception, but we must inspire and train them, starting by dignifying the profession under a humanistic leadership that considers within its management all the human, technical and administrative aspects that are required under a comprehensive approach.

The solution to the challenge of attracting and retaining staff, especially professional operators, is cultural and strategic, and requires leadership with a humanistic approach and a long-term vision that gives each employee certainty in their future and wealth creation.

Our youth need opportunities, and the transportation industry can provide them; they just need training . Human beings learn to love things when they understand them, and when they understand them, they master them with expertise, and when they reach this level, it becomes a vocation.

*Sergio Hernández is the Human Capital Director of Trayecto , a company that is part of Drive Is Great , the ecosystem that gives visibility to best practices in operator management .

Connect and comment with Sergio Hernández on LinkedIn .

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El cargo Attracting and retaining freight transport operators apareció primero en T21.

Imagine the impact of 5.5 million fans arriving in Mexico in the second quarter of 2026, not only to cheer on their national soccer team, but also to unleash a wave of consumption, investment, and business opportunities. The FIFA World Cup, co-hosted with the United States and Canada, could generate up to $3.5 billion in economic activity nationwide , according to estimates from both the organizers and the Mexican Ministry of Tourism .

In Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, key venues for this sporting event, a significant boost to commerce, tourism, and services is expected. Beyond the packed stadiums, restaurants, and Fan Fests, and the excitement in the streets, offices, and homes of fans, the real game will be played in businesses, retail chains, and online marketplaces , because this event will not only be a sporting spectacle but also a strategic platform for economic growth.

Those who stand to gain the most are Mexican entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) capable of transforming football fever into sustainable sales. From food, beverages, and clothing to souvenirs, logistics, and e-commerce, demand will grow like never before.

However, to compete on a global playing field, a good product is not enough. Order, efficiency, and responsiveness are essential. This is where crucial tools like GS1’s international standards GTIN, GLN, and EPC come in , fundamental for strengthening and streamlining modern supply chains.

Translated into business terms: these identifiers allow the excitement of the initial whistle to be transformed into a hat-trick of efficiency, traceability and access to formal markets, especially in retail , e-commerce , exports and logistics .

To understand its strategic value, the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is a GS1 barcode that uniquely identifies each product or service, including different presentations of the same item (unit, box, or pallet) on the shelf or at the point of sale. The GLN (Global Location Number) , on the other hand , is used to identify companies, warehouses, stores, and even internal areas within an organization, specifying who participates in and where each operation takes place.

Equally important is the EPC (Electronic Product Code) , a digital identifier linked to smart tags that allows for the automatic capture of information using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology. Its main advantage is enabling real-time tracking and traceability of products and shipments throughout the entire value chain. Together, these standards reduce errors, accelerate deliveries, and improve operational control.

A market that will move billions of products

Mexico will host 13 of the 104 matches, which translates to weeks of intense consumer spending. The National Chamber of Commerce of Mexico City (Canaco) anticipates a 50% increase in food and beverage sales, as well as 35% in merchandising and 40% in hospitality .

For a Mexican SME in the snack, sportswear, or promotional products sector, this can mean contracts with distributors, retail chains, or digital platforms for amounts ranging from 500 million to 1 billion pesos, which would normally take years to achieve. The challenge is that seven out of ten of these companies lose between 10% and 15% of their annual sales due to logistical errors , disorganized inventory, or a lack of visibility; in other words, they have talent and a desire to succeed, but they operate without a strategy.

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This is where GS1 standards are a game-changer, reducing errors by 92% and enabling real-time tracking of 10,000 units. Goodbye to excess inventory, hello to just-in-time deliveries for Fan Fests!

In this regard, e -commerce will be the main stage . Platforms like Mercado Libre and Amazon Mexico anticipate a 60% increase in traffic. With a GS1 barcode, products from local entrepreneurs and SMEs will be able to stand out in marketplaces and digital catalogs, seamlessly complying with NOM-051 regarding the labeling of commercial and health information.

For example, an energy drink bottling company in Monterrey integrated these codes and saw its online sales grow by 45% , expanding to other regions of the United States through logistics processes that occur from when a customer makes a purchase until they receive their order ( fulfillment ).

Certified businesses report 30% greater visibility and a 25% increase in revenue—like a scoreboard going from 0-0 to 3-0 in stoppage time. This translates to more visibility, increased consumer trust, and higher conversion rates.

Exports will also play a key role. The nearshoring phenomenon , strengthened by the USMCA, finds in the World Cup an extraordinary opportunity for Mexican companies to take their products beyond our borders.

Countless visitors from around the world will be seeking out all kinds of local brands to take a piece of Mexico back to their countries. In this scenario, digital customs and traceability technologies can significantly accelerate logistics processes, reducing clearance times from seven to two days.

Let’s consider a textile company in Puebla that exports t-shirts to Texas during Mexican National Team matches, taking advantage of its commercial and geographic proximity to the United States. Cases like this reflect a growing trend. Companies that incorporate GS1 standards will be better positioned to integrate into international chains, handle larger orders, and respond quickly to more demanding markets. In other words, they will go from selling locally to competing in the big leagues, exporting 40% more than their competitors.

Logistics completes the counterattack . With 16 stadiums and fan buses everywhere, the demand for transportation and pop-up shops will skyrocket. Electronic messaging, EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), will reduce costs between 18% and 22%, scaling from 100 to 5,000 orders per day with precision. Thus, companies that adopt it will capture 15% more market share in the tournament’s supply chains, equivalent to an additional 200 million pesos.

In our organization, we maintain a permanent support effort for SMEs, micro-businesses and entrepreneurs in the country, bringing them tools such as the traditional barcode and the innovative 2D code that allow them to professionalize their products, strengthen their operations and facilitate their integration into commercial chains.

Today more than ever, on the road to the World Cup , these capabilities will be key for them to compete on equal terms, grow sustainably and access new opportunities in national and global retail .

*Juan Carlos Molina is currently the general director of GS1 Mexico .

Comment and connect with Juan Carlos through LinkedIn .

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El cargo Retail is also played on the field apareció primero en T21.

The Laredo, Texas , City Council approved on June 15, 2026, by a vote of seven to two, a phased increase in toll rates for the international bridges, effective from January 2027 to January 2029, with an automatic annual adjustment beginning in 2030. The decision was made against the recommendation of the Laredo Port of Entry Advisory Committee and generated public rejection from at least three representative organizations in the sector: the Nuevo Laredo Freight Carriers Association (ATC) , the Laredo Motor Carriers Association (LMCA) , and the Association of Logistics & Forwarding Agents (ALFA), which represents freight forwarders and logistics companies.

The controversial decision by the Laredo City Council was voted against by Mayor Victor Treviño and Councilwoman Alyssa Cigarroa but approved by the majority, who based their vote on Ordinance 2026-O-114. The city government argues that inflation, labor costs, maintenance, technology, insurance, public safety, debt service, and infrastructure have increased substantially since the last rate update (2017) for commercial and pedestrian tolls (2013) for non-commercial vehicles . Therefore, they proposed a phased increase plan as a responsible alternative to a single, much larger adjustment.

It should be noted that the main users of the Laredo international commercial bridges ( World Trade Bridge in Laredo and Solidarity in Colombia) have publicly rejected this increase.

ATC, LMCA, and ALFA all rejected the toll increase, though each from a different perspective: ATC focused its objection on the City Council’s disregard for the recommendation of its own Port of Entry Advisory Committee, which voted 12 to 1 against the increase, and on the inappropriate timing given the uncertainty surrounding the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA); ALFA was more emphatic regarding leadership, noting that the decision sends the wrong signal to those who generate employment and investment and that efficiency alternatives should have been explored before passing the cost on to the user; and LMCA, with the most conciliatory tone of the three, did not oppose the need for infrastructure funds but rather the process followed , highlighting that the city collected approximately $88 million in tolls in 2025, of which, by a 1998 resolution, roughly half is transferred to the general municipal fund instead of being prioritized for the operation and expansion of the bridges themselves. They agree that the decision was made without exhausting alternatives and without listening to the sector that best knows the daily operation of what is recognized as the most dynamic land crossing for goods in America, which concentrates about 42% of the trade between Mexico and the United States and with a daily crossing, just through the World Trade Bridge, of between 16 and 18 thousand tractor trucks.

Use of the increased resources

However, it is important to note that while the ordinance states that the first priority of the bridge system’s revenue is operation, maintenance, rehabilitation, technological modernization, public safety, debt service, reserves, and infrastructure preservation, the same text recognizes that the bridge system must continue to generate revenue for municipal purposes “authorized in accordance with city policy,” meaning that the historical transfer to the general fund is neither modified nor limited.

Not everything is gray.

Something to highlight in the ordinance presented to the City Council is that the municipal government of Laredo is obligated to present an Annual Performance Report detailing income, expenses, debt, reserves, crossings, among others.

But perhaps the most important commitment assumed by the government and the City Council is the clause on extraordinary economic conditions, which indicates that the City Council can postpone, suspend, or modify future adjustments in the face of federal tariffs, changes to the USMCA, changes in the operation of CBP or Mexican customs, recession, pandemics, or supply chain disruptions.

They also proposed the mandatory review of the tariff study every five years at most and the authorization of commercial traffic management programs through incentives for peak/off-peak hours, volume, seasonal or promotional prices.

What’s coming

Although the increase might be considered marginal, it does reduce the competitiveness of the International Bridges and could make other crossings attractive for goods that do not depend on this route.

While customs agents or logistics operators will not pay this toll directly, they will be pressured with tariff adjustments by the trucking industry.

The aforementioned clause for an automatic 4% increase starting in 2030 fails to consider future scenarios of uncertainty, such as those experienced this year under the Trump administration. Trade dynamics cannot be dictated by decree. If, by then, the USMCA faces adverse renegotiation or new tariffs, this automatic increase could strike the sector at its most vulnerable moment.

What we will see in the coming days or months is increased pressure from the foreign trade sector to truly be taken into account in such crucial decisions that directly impact its competitiveness. But above all, we will see increased pressure to create a more cohesive bloc that promotes a more efficient revenue-sharing formula for bridges, one that is exclusively earmarked for the costs of infrastructure, technology, operation, and administration of international bridges, and not for municipal operating expenses.

*Eleazar Ixba is a marketing and institutional communication consultant with more than 25 years of experience in transportation and logistics, with a focus on cross-border issues.

Connect with Eleazar on LinkedIn.

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El cargo New increase in tolls for international bridges in Laredo apareció primero en T21.

There is a practice that is destroying the portfolios of thousands of carriers and almost no one talks about it with the clarity it deserves: double intermediation, or as it is called in the United States, double brokering .

Here’s how it works: a freight forwarder receives a shipment from a shipper, but instead of assigning it directly to a trucking company, they re-intermediate it with another freight forwarder or broker, sometimes without your knowledge. You move the shipment, deliver on time, do everything right, and when it’s time to get paid, you discover that your actual counterpart isn’t who you thought, that the original broker has already been paid and disappeared, and that the person who hired you has neither the authority of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) nor the funds to pay you.

Your freight business has become a chain of intermediaries where the last link—you, the one who provided the truck, the diesel, and the driver—ends up not getting paid . This isn’t an isolated case. It’s an epidemic that in the United States has led the FMCSA to tighten regulations, and which operates with total impunity in Mexico because the regulatory structure still can’t distinguish between a legitimate intermediary and one who simply resells loads without operational capacity or financial backing.

The most dangerous aspect of double intermediation is that you don’t see it until it’s too late. You receive a freight order, verify that the broker’s name exists, and assume everything is in order. But you don’t investigate who was originally behind that shipment, you don’t ask if the shipment passed through another intermediary before reaching you . And when payment doesn’t arrive within 30 days, you start calling and discover that the freight forwarder has already been paid by the shipper, has no intention of paying you, or worse, that their phone line is disconnected and the company is no longer operating. At that point, you’ve already lost.

You have no contractual relationship with the original shipper, your documentation points to an intermediary who vanished , and your right to payment is left floating in a legal vacuum that may take months or years to resolve, if it is ever resolved at all.

What can you do before this happens to you?

First, and this is non-negotiable: verify your counterparty before moving a single kilometer of cargo . In the United States, check the status of the MC and DOT number in the FMCSA database; it’s free and takes five minutes. Confirm that the BMC-84 bond is active, identify the insurer, and document everything. If the broker is not listed, or if their authority is “Not Authorized” or “Inactive,” do not move that cargo .

In Mexico, verification is more difficult because there isn’t a federal equivalent with the same transparency, but you can check the intermediary’s history on the Transportation Bureau website (burodeltransporte.com) , verify at least three references from other trucking companies, and ask the trucking community if anyone has had experience with that company. It’s not perfect, but it’s infinitely better than blindly trusting an email with a rate confirmation that no one has verified.

Second, protect your documentation as if it were money, because it is . Every shipment you move should have a Bill of Lading signed at origin and destination, a rate confirmation that clearly identifies the parties, and a record of communication that proves who hired you and under what terms. If something seems suspicious—if the broker asks you to invoice to a different name, if they change the payment instructions mid-service, if they offer you a rate that seems too good to be true—document everything and take the time to verify. In collections, one of the most common reasons an account becomes unrecoverable is that the carrier cannot prove the chain of contract. Without solid documentation, your claim becomes a story, not an enforceable right .

Third, understand that double intermediation doesn’t just affect you; it affects the entire industry . Every shipment that moves through a fraudulent chain of intermediaries weakens trade trust, distorts rates, and creates a market where legitimate freight forwarders compete against unscrupulous operators offering unsustainable rates because they never intended to pay the trucking company. It’s a structural problem that isn’t solved with a collection call; it’s solved with prevention and verification .

If you already have unpaid freight charges because you fell into a double-intermediation scheme, act quickly. Don’t wait 90 days thinking “they’ll pay eventually .” Every week that passes, the intermediary distances themselves further, the paperwork goes cold, and your legal position weakens. Assign those accounts to a specialized freight collection agency that understands the fraud structure and knows where to apply pressure. And thinking about the future of your company, make pre-payment verification a mandatory process: not a recommendation, not something done “when there’s time,” but an operational policy that no one can ignore . Double intermediation is a silent cancer, but like any cancer, it’s best fought with early detection rather than late treatment.

Until next time .

See Salvador Bañuelos’ previous column: Your client is from Texas. He owes you for three freight shipments. Do you know how to collect?

*The author is a founding partner of the binational collection firm specializing in freight transport, AFS International, with offices in Mexico and the United States ( www.cobranzadeltransporte.com and www.freightcollections.com ) .

Connect and comment with  Salvador Bañuelos on LinkedIn .

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El cargo Double intermediation: The silent cancer of freight apareció primero en T21.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 11, with Mexico as one of the three host countries. The world’s biggest sporting event comes just as our supply chain faces its most demanding test in years: the renegotiation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) . 

Behind every match lies a massive logistical operation across the three host cities in our country, driven by the peak demand, concentrated consumption, and population movement that each game represents. The stadiums and various fan festivals , as well as a large number of restaurants, bars, and hotels, will require constant, simultaneous, and error-free supplies, which, multiplied by the number of events, will have a considerable cumulative effect. 

Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey announced their mobility plans, which include multiple road closures with exclusive corridors, security perimeters, and last-mile zones designed to prioritize mass transportation for soccer fans. This will force dozens of producers and distributors in Mexico to reconfigure their usual routes , adding extra pressure to businesses for several weeks. 

The problem is that the infrastructure was already at its limit.

The World Cup arrives when our supply chain was already operating under maximum pressure . That same infrastructure must now simultaneously absorb the highest export volume in its history (we remained the top U.S. trading partner, with international manufacturing sales at record levels) and the pressure of an event that will bring more than five million international visitors. 

In addition to increased urban mobility, the surge in consumption, distribution, and transportation of goods during the World Cup will likely raise the risks of theft and losses for retailers , carriers, and supply chains. Furthermore, highway congestion, downtime, and unsafe stops could become critical issues just as Mexico seeks to solidify its position as a regional logistics hub.

An additional challenge that few companies are considering 

Exporting companies operating in the three markets must navigate three different customs regulatory systems (CBP in the United States, CBSA in Canada and ANAM in Mexico) with their own documentary requirements, tariff classifications and clearance times. 

This means that a misclassification, an incomplete invoice, or an inconsistency in documentation can not only cause delays but also halt a shipment at the worst possible time. Therefore, companies with real-time visibility of their supply chain, planned alternative routes, and suppliers available to respond to peak demand will have an advantage that extends far beyond the World Cup. Because the ability to operate under extraordinary pressure is precisely what the USMCA will demand of Mexican supply chains going forward. 

Undoubtedly, these next couple of months will be a real demonstration of how prepared companies in Mexico and their supply chains are to manage modern complexity.

On the field and in the supply chain, the difference is made by whoever arrives best prepared . 

We invite you to read Paulina’s latest contribution:  Mexico produces for North America; it needs to move at the pace it demands .

*Paulina Aguilar is currently co-founder and CRO of  Mundi .

Comment and follow  Paulina on LinkedIn .

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El cargo The supply chain also plays a role in the World Cup apareció primero en T21.

As an organization grows or its processes become more complex, the importance of the quality of information received by those providing, for example, a service or performing an activity, increases. In other words, the quality of what is delivered is closely linked to the quality of the information provided to the recipient, which, in turn, depends heavily on the quality of communication—an art not everyone masters and therefore requires professionals who can either design an appropriate communication strategy or implement it in operations.

I have recently witnessed how important processes related to the provision of certain services critical to the success of a large international undertaking, carried out simultaneously in Canada, the United States and Mexico, have been put at risk as the information that should flow to the areas and people in charge of the processes is not received with the necessary quality, that is, with timeliness , clarity and truthfulness , through the appropriate channels, which must be perfectly identified and coordinated.

I witnessed the same information being transmitted by two or more sources, often contradicting each other. A lack of information is just as detrimental as an excess of it, and the number of sources from which it originates is equally harmful. Lacking information prevents things from happening, while having too much of it on the same subject complicates matters and jeopardizes their timely and proper execution. Receiving five or six messages about a matter, providing or requesting information from different people within the same department or from other departments, is stressful for anyone.

Overwhelming an employee involved in processes that require concentration, precision, and action with untimely, confusing, inaccurate, irrelevant information, and worse, pressuring them to work based on it, only to suddenly receive a new message radically changing something, does not contribute much to the success of their work. Nor does it help to overwhelm them repeatedly with requests for information on the same topic from various sources, especially when the information has already been provided to the same areas of the organization.

What’s incredible is that internal and external communication problems aren’t limited to small businesses, medium-sized enterprises, or organizations based in developing countries. I’ve seen, not once, but several times, how a large, globally-oriented entity, based in one of the world’s most prosperous and organized nations, with substantial budgets and resources, and supposedly staffed by top-tier professionals with access to cutting-edge information technologies, ends up doing a terrible job of communicating effectively. I repeat, they complicate and jeopardize even their most essential processes, starting with those related to providing critical information.

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El cargo The quality of information communication and the quality of service apareció primero en T21.

They no longer want to be treated as operational filler or as bargaining chips in labor negotiations. The staff are tired of propping up stagnant structures, of masking inefficiencies with job security. And I understand them.

I’ve spent years working in the supply chain , where every minute counts, every decision has consequences, and every mistake has ripple effects. I learned that time isn’t managed, it’s designed. It’s not about having more hours, but about knowing what to do with them. And now, with the proposal to reduce the workweek to 40 hours, that truth has become urgent.

Faced with imminent change, we must first understand that Mexico is one of the countries with the longest working hours per year, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) . More than 2,100 hours per person. But it is also one of the least productive . This isn’t a contradiction if we think about it carefully; it’s a sign. Something isn’t working, and it won’t be fixed with more time, but with a better strategy.

Reducing working hours isn’t just a legal adjustment. Now it needs to be approached as a profound reconfiguration. In logistics, when cargo space is reduced, merchandise isn’t eliminated: packaging is optimized, routes are redesigned, and essential items are prioritized . With this same process, it’s even better if we focus on time. Fewer hours don’t mean fewer results; they mean smarter decisions.

I know this presents a challenge for many companies: costs, reorganization, fear of losing competitiveness and profitability. However, from another perspective, it’s an opportunity to review what truly generates value. Are we measuring productivity or simply presence? Are we rewarding impact or burnout?

A Stanford study made it clear: after 50 hours a week, productivity plummets . And after 55, it simply collapses. I’ve seen it in teams that burn out without making progress, in processes that are pointlessly repeated, in metrics that celebrate effort but ignore results.

Efficiency isn’t measured by the clock. It’s about intention. For this particular sector, every minute counts; however, not all minutes are created equal. A key point is knowing which minutes multiply value and which ones simply consume energy.

Reducing the workday won’t be profitable if we continue to measure productivity by time spent at work. It’s time to redesign the logistics of time management. To stop thinking of hours as blocks to be filled, and start seeing them as units to be invested. Because in this new economy, every hour must be an investment, not an expense.

Yes, the hours are on a diet; but the important thing is to take them to the gym, replace fat with muscle, modify their “nutrition,” and increase their energy. To achieve this, we can’t just work the same way and think everything will be different. We have to execute differently : eliminate repetitive activities, train our teams, and invest in tools that make our employees more efficient and less worn out. It’s not about changing a machine; it’s about keeping it well-oiled.

The authorities will likely drive this transformation, but the real question is: what are you doing to make every hour count?

I invite you to read my previous column: When the chain stopped being a line .

*David Lati is currently Chief Revenue Officer at  LDM .

Comment and follow David through  his LinkedIn account .

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El cargo Time is on a diet; let’s take it to the gym apareció primero en T21.

For years, we understood logistics competitiveness in Mexico as a race to accumulate assets to solve problems individually: who had the largest fleet, the most modern distribution center, or the most comprehensive software . We operated under a proprietary logistics model, where information secrecy and absolute control of resources were the norm. However, in the context of 2026—with companies relocating and saturating our capacity ( nearshoring ) and constant geopolitical volatility— this model reached its limit .

Today, “I’ll do it alone” is a recipe for inefficiency . It’s time to move towards what I call Radical Collaboration .

But first, let’s see why we’re at this turning point. 2026 isn’t just the year of the World Cup or the consolidation of nearshoring , but the year where the gap between companies that “move cash” and those that “manage intelligence” has become insurmountable .

As professionals in the sector, we face a convergence of geopolitical tensions, disruptive technological advances, and unprecedented pressure for sustainability.

In my view of the current system, I propose five pillars that define the survival and success of our supply chains in Mexico today:

1. The Nearshoring Mirage : Geographic location is irrelevant without real operational efficiency.
2. Logistics 5.0: The return of human talent as the true orchestrator in the face of automation.
3. Radical Collaboration: The end of “Ownership Logistics” and the birth of shared ecosystems.
4. Logistics Shielding: Integrating logistics security with cutting-edge technology for risk prediction.
5. The Discipline of Data: The most advanced software fails without a solid process culture.

And to understand the trend and transform execution, we must begin the transition towards collaborative economy models — what I call Collaborative Logistics — to optimize the country’s idle assets and gain resilience as a bloc, Radical Collaboration .

The cost of operational isolation

We cannot ignore the data: trucks traveling with 30% idle capacity, empty return trips eating away at profit margins, and underutilized distribution centers while the neighbor desperately seeks space. In a Mexico that aspires to be the Hub of North America, this waste of assets is not just an administrative error; it represents a loss of national competitiveness.

True resilience will not come from buying more equipment, but from optimizing what we already have through sharing resources.

Synchronization over possession

In Radical Collaboration I propose three pillars that we must adopt as a professional association:

1. Shared Assets: If my route coincides with that of a “competitor” and we both carry a partial load, collaboration is the only logical way to reduce costs and carbon footprint.
2. Network Visibility: Breaking the Information Secrecy. Real-time data visibility (traffic, risks, customs) is most valuable when shared. A connected ecosystem reacts faster than an isolated company.
3. Systemic Trust: This is the biggest challenge. We need clear protocols and partnerships that act as guarantors of this trust.

We Have The Perfect Laboratory

From my practical perspective, I see Mexico’s potential not only as a transformative hub, but also as a collaborative node. We can be the great laboratory where industry, transportation, and government cease operating in isolation and begin functioning as a synchronized network.

In conclusion, the era of competing for assets is over; the era of competing for collaborative architectures has begun. As supply chain professionals, our job today is not just to manage inventories, but to orchestrate communities .

In logistics, if you’re not collaborating, you’re wasting the future of your organization and Mexico’s.

Is your organization ready to open up its data for the sake of collective efficiency?

*Rodolfo López Cerdán is an independent supply chain consultant and advisor to #SoyLogístico .

Comment and connect with Rodolfo López Cerdán on LinkedIn .

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El cargo Radical Collaboration: The End of “Proprietary Logistics” apareció primero en T21.