SAN PEDRO GARZA GARCÍA, NL – The growing economic integration between Mexico and the United States continues to drive the flow of goods to record levels, but it is also putting pressure on infrastructure, customs processes, and the availability of transportation operators. Given this scenario, industry specialists agreed on the need to move toward efficient electronic toll collection systems on highways and freeways, as well as to promote greater technological interoperability.
During the panel “Saturated Borders: The Critical Challenge of Mexico-United States Trade”, held within the framework of ETYL MTY 2026 , Manuel Zapata, general director of ROADIS Mexico , said that the saturation of the corridor made up of Highway 57 and the Monterrey-Nuevo Laredo route reflects the need to rethink infrastructure investment schemes.
The executive emphasized that Mexico maintains a strategic position as a trading partner of the United States, making it essential to develop projects with a long-term vision.
“Investments should be made considering future data and needs, not just current conditions,” he said.
In that regard, he stressed that private capital participation can play a relevant role in accelerating highway projects, provided there are clear rules, legal certainty, and balanced mechanisms for recovering investments.
For his part, Humberto Treviño, External Advisor for Texas DOT, stated that one of the main challenges is to achieve greater synchronization between the various authorities, operators, and border facilities.
Currently, he explained, there are significant differences even among Mexican customs offices, which generates delays, uncertainty, and additional costs for companies. “Standardization reduces delays and allows for better use of existing capacity . ”
Luis Hernández, executive vice president of Intermodal at Grupo México Transportes (GMXT) , highlighted that the intermodal scheme represents an alternative to alleviate the pressure faced by highway crossings .
He indicated that the railway crossings on the northern border still have room for growth, so the main challenge is to promote greater adoption of this model by users.
“The capacity exists; the challenge is to generate consistent and standardized processes that allow us to take advantage of it. Regarding the standardization of processes, and specifically customs, we should start looking at what other countries, particularly our neighbor to the north, are doing well. The American pre-clearance system, where goods can arrive at the port of Los Angeles a week in advance, also reduces congestion at ports,” he commented.
Noé Montes, CEO of Grupo TM , warned that the shortage of operators has become a structural problem for the entire logistics chain and not just for transport companies.
“The problem with the operator isn’t just the carrier’s problem, it’s the problem with the entire industry. We all depend on them to move goods,” he stated.
Therefore, he considered it essential to promote training programs, professional development, and better working conditions to ensure the replacement of a workforce that is essential for international trade.
The panelists agreed that the solution to border congestion lies not only in building more infrastructure, but also in digitizing processes, reducing unnecessary procedures, and improving coordination among all stakeholders.
Comment and follow us on LinkedIn: @Evangelina del Toro / @GrupoT21
