While Mexico stands as the number one exporter of tractor-trailers worldwide, the fourth exporter and fifth producer of cargo vehicles, and the eighth producer of buses, on the other hand, the country’s vehicle fleet is aging, reaching an average age of 19.46 years by the end of 2023, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT).
This situation could worsen due to the increasing influx of used vehicles labeled as “scrap,” as by the end of the first quarter of the current year, eight thousand two hundred ten heavy units had been imported. This represented an increase of 166.1% compared to the same period in 2023 and a 377.6% increase compared to 2022.
To reverse this trend, it is necessary to update the environmental agreement coordinated by the Ministry of Economy (SE) and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) to update the regulations and standards in road safety and environmental measures applicable to imported used vehicles, according to Alejandro Osorio, Director of Public Affairs and Communication of the National Association of Bus, Truck, and Tractor Manufacturers (ANPACT).
When comparing the entry of waste units during the first quarter of the year to the new units sold in the same period, it is observed that for every ten new units sold in the country, an average of six “scrap” vehicles enter. This situation not only impacts the environment but also the economy and the businesses of domestic automotive distributors.
Guillermo Rosales, Executive President of the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA), stated that the foundation for modernizing transportation in our country requires the joint implementation of various measures, many of which are rooted in public policies with the support of the automotive industry and transporters.
“This is why the focus of our sector’s agenda at the start of the new administration corresponds to the modernization of transportation, requesting a mechanism of direct stimulus for vehicle renewal, combined with a strengthening of development bank instruments to establish guarantee and funding schemes for financial institutions,” detailed Rosales.
The AMDA representative highlighted the need to reinforce a route corresponding to vehicle technical inspections, as despite the existence of NOM-068 under SICT, it is not universally applied to all vehicles.
“It is necessary to increase mechanisms that incentivize formality in transportation because the main affected by the importation of vehicles from the United States labeled as scrap are formal transporters, as there is unfair competition,” affirmed Rosales.
