The truck has reached the end of its lifespan, but it remains on the road . Not because there aren’t options to replace it, but because stopping it (even to replace it) poses a greater risk.
In the trucking industry, taking a unit out of operation is not just a technical decision; it is a move that can affect the entire chain: revenue, customers, and continuity of service .
That’s where renewal stops being a goal and becomes a calculation.
For micro and small businesses , that calculation rarely adds up. It’s not a lack of intention, it’s a lack of margin. “It’s not that we don’t want to renew; we’d all like to bring in new units,” explains Wendy Cano, administrative and logistics manager of Transportes Calesa , a small family business.
The problem, he adds, is sustaining it: paying for the operation today while the income continues to arrive late.
Renew, yes, but not at any cost
While carriers immediately cover diesel , tolls , maintenance, and drivers , payments for their services can take up to 120 days to arrive. In that scenario, taking out a loan ceases to be a solution and becomes a risk. Added to this are the operational delays: “It’s not just about buying the truck,” warns Eduardo Mendoza, CEO of CM Logistics , pointing out that procedures such as permits, license plates, or registration can take up to four months.
Access to financing is also a problem. For many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), meeting credit requirements is simply not an option.
The result is reflected in the fleet : with an average age of 20.38 years , the vehicle fleet of the motor transport sector in Mexico is not only aging, but doing so faster than it can be renewed.
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