It’s early morning on a Mexican highway. A tractor-trailer is transporting fuel. Suddenly, the driver notices a problem, a blockage, a strange vibration. What he does in the next few minutes could mean the difference between a minor setback and a tragedy. This hypothetical scenario is familiar to anyone in the industry and shows that in the land transport of hydrocarbons, there’s little room for error .
For Isaías Santana Villarreal, commercial director of Transportes JSV , the main challenge in moving this type of product is being able to maintain a safe, efficient and continuous operation in an increasingly demanding environment and with the ability to respond to any eventuality.
“It’s not just about transporting a product; it’s about building trust and ensuring that every trip is carried out in the safest and most professional way possible,” he explained in an interview with T21.
Santana highlighted that the transportation of hydrocarbons encompasses four issues: road safety, the availability and professionalization of operators , the increase in operating costs, and the greater demands for compliance and traceability from clients and authorities.
But what happens when things go wrong? “The first thing, in any eventuality, is to protect people and secure the area,” Santana emphasized, adding that the protocol is activated immediately afterward, depending on whether it’s a mechanical failure, an accident, or a leak. The operator must stop safely, assess the situation without putting themselves at risk, and notify the monitoring center, which, from that moment on, becomes the brain of the operation. This center determines the unit’s location, identifies the product, measures the level of risk, and activates the necessary support, whether it be internal supervision, mechanical assistance, firefighters, civil protection, or other authorities. The key, he pointed out, is a defined chain of command, because “in an emergency, there is no room for improvisation or contradictory instructions . ”
However, it all starts before hitting the road. The equipment must be suitable for the product and the route, and is supported by regulations such as NOM-020 on tank trucks, NOM-068 on physical-mechanical conditions, NOM-012 on weights and dimensions, and NOM-004 on hazardous materials labeling.
In this regard, NOM-020-SCT-2-2022 establishes specifications for the design, construction, and testing of tank trucks intended for the transport of hazardous substances, materials, and waste. The standard includes, among other elements, requirements related to the locking systems for loading and unloading outlets and safety mechanisms for certain materials.
In daily operations, Santana Villarreal placed equipment maintenance and preparation as part of that same chain of prevention . The tractor-trailer must maintain adequate physical and mechanical condition, functional braking and safety systems, and tires in good condition; while the tanker requires compatibility with the product, airtightness, valves, and safety devices, in addition to its tests and inspections. “Complying with the standard is the starting point, not the goal,” he stated.
The other variable is the driver . In an emergency, technology can provide alerts, but the person behind the wheel is still making decisions. Therefore, JSV Transport provides ongoing training in defensive driving, product knowledge, loading and unloading procedures, responding to leaks, fires, and accidents, as well as addressing fatigue, distractions, and decision-making. The company also uses a driving simulator to reinforce its response to different scenarios.
Once the incident is under control, the operation is not yet over. For the carrier, a second stage begins: reconstructing what happened, identifying the cause, and establishing corrective and preventive actions . This information can become a tool for modifying protocols, reinforcing training, or adjusting maintenance and route planning.
“Safety does not depend on reacting well when an emergency occurs, but on designing the entire operation so that the likelihood of that emergency occurring decreases,” Santana Villarreal stated.
Technology has also changed the dashboard . Before, a GPS was enough to know where the truck was; today, telemetry, cameras, and assistance systems detect sudden braking, speeding, distractions, and signs of fatigue; however, “having data is useless if you don’t know what to do with it,” he emphasized.
This logic also applies to artificial intelligence (AI). According to the executive, the main contribution of this technology lies in analyzing vast amounts of information and finding patterns that can anticipate risks , from abnormal operator behavior to signals related to a possible mechanical failure. “Artificial intelligence doesn’t replace the operator or the monitoring center; it makes them better,” he stated.
These measures help reduce tragedies like the one that occurred on September 10, 2025, when a tanker truck carrying LP gas exploded after overturning under the La Concordia bridge, on Ignacio Zaragoza Avenue, in the Iztapalapa district, which left 32 people dead and dozens injured.
Looking ahead, the challenge is collective. In addition to standardized protocols among carriers, clients, and authorities, the executive called for improvements to road infrastructure , more monitored rest stops for heavy transport, and clear regulations, such as those aimed at bringing transparency to crane and salvage operations and fees.
The goal “is for safety not to depend on reacting well when an emergency occurs, but on designing the entire operation so that such an emergency becomes increasingly less likely to happen.” The difference between companies will lie in who can best anticipate risks,” he concluded.
The discussion on how to respond to a disaster will be part of ETYL MTY , a meeting organized by Grupo T21 , which will take place on October 14 and 15 at the Presidente InterContinental Monterrey.
Within the agenda, the workshop “Accident on the Road: What Would You Do?” will address immediate actions in the event of an accident, communication and decision-making, the evidence the carrier must collect, and the documentation and traceability the freight forwarder must maintain.
Comment and follow us on LinkedIn: @Humberto Cruz Moya / @GrupoT21
