Truck robberies, highway robberies, and violence against drivers are part of a reality that the freight transport industry faces every day.

Behind every journey are kilometers traveled under tension, operators who move forward looking beyond the road, and companies that try to keep operations moving while insecurity also circulates on the country’s highways.

Food and beverage products remain among the most vulnerable to highway theft, according to Overhaul . During the first quarter of 2026, this sector accounted for 25% of cargo thefts reported nationwide, while the central and Bajío regions accounted for 68% of the incidents. The states of Mexico, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Puebla, Veracruz, and San Luis Potosí alone accounted for 65% of the reported cases.

In addition, the criminals focused their attacks mainly on tractor-trailer trucks and double-trailer units, especially during nighttime hours and times when the operators were resting.

Given this scenario, the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) began meetings with prosecutors from various states to review files related to cargo theft and strengthen the follow-up of cases.

Augusto Ramos, national president of Canacar, explained to T21 that, in addition to the permanent meetings with the three levels of government, they have now also begun meetings focused on reviewing investigation files related to cargo theft.

He noted that three meetings have already been held under this scheme and announced that, starting this May, Canacar will replicate in Puebla the permanent security table that it currently maintains in the State of Mexico, because together with Veracruz they concentrate around 50% of the robberies of motor transport .

Ramos also assured that the weekly exchange of information on cargo theft continues with the National Guard and other organizations in the sector, such as the National Association of Private Transportation (ANTP) and the National Confederation of Mexican Transporters (Conatram) .

He also explained that Canacar operates a 24/7 call center to handle theft reports and support carriers in immediate communication with authorities and C5 centers.

One of the issues that most concerns the organization, he added, is the attacks against truck drivers. In April alone, Canacar identified four deaths related to cargo truck robberies, a figure that has begun to be included in the organization’s internal monitoring.

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El cargo Canacar holds meetings with prosecutors to address cargo theft apareció primero en T21.

Highway insecurity has once again become the central issue. Not just as a topic of discussion, but as an operational reality. Blockades on various stretches of road across the country, exposed drivers, and stranded goods have demonstrated that the problem is not merely a matter of perception. It is structural. And in this context, the president of the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) , Augusto Ramos, outlined a position that attempts to navigate between two lines: acknowledging the official figures while simultaneously admitting that the reality on the roads does not yet align with them.

During the presentation of the results of his first month in office, Ramos outlined the progress made in dialogue sessions, institutional coordination, and actions to address the main challenges of the sector, in an environment marked by road insecurity.

Official data points to a decrease in cargo theft of around 21% by 2025. However, the violence with which these crimes are committed and the vulnerability of drivers continue to put pressure on the sector. “The theft is very aggressive,” Ramos warned, and insisted that the challenge is not only to reduce the number of crimes, but also to better understand what is really happening on the road.

That’s where the contrast emerges. While official figures show a downward trend, reports of extortion, kidnappings, and assaults persist in daily operations . Far from dismissing either perspective, Canacar chose to develop its own.

Since March, the Chamber has begun collecting direct information from companies, operators, insurers and tracking systems, with the intention of cross-referencing it with the authority and, if necessary, confronting it.

The next step will be to institutionalize this process. In its first 100 days in office, the Chamber plans to establish a system for reporting cases of extortion and corruption. The stakes are high: if the reports consistently point to irregularities, they could even lead to the dismissal of public officials .

Meanwhile, the operation continues to set the pace. In March alone, four armed attacks against operators were recorded, one of them fatal. And while direct crime is the focus, road blockades amplify the problem: they stop goods, raise costs, and increase the risk of theft in a country where more than 80% of cargo is moved by road.

This interpretation is complemented by another perspective within the sector. Some companies have reported a decrease in thefts , but this is not necessarily attributable to improved public safety; rather, it stems from increased investment in technology, monitoring, and prevention. This opens a second line of analysis: if the reduction is due more to private strategies than to structural conditions, the underlying problem may persist.

Diesel and structure: the pressure that doesn’t let up

Adding to this pressure is diesel , the other major challenge for the trucking industry . Fuel represents about 30% of operating costs, and any price fluctuation immediately impacts rates. Ramos explained the equation: “For every peso the price of diesel increases, freight costs can rise by around four percent.”

The problem, however, is not within the sector’s control. Ramos acknowledged that fuel prices are driven by global factors , so companies have had to rely on both government incentives and their own operational efficiencies. Even so, the margin is getting narrower.

In this context, the sector’s very structure explains some of its limitations. He stated that more than 215,000 companies hold concessions, according to data from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) , but only about 15,000 are formally registered with the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) . Furthermore, 97% are micro and small businesses, and more than 80% operate with fewer than five vehicles, Ramos explained.

With that profile, the room for maneuver is limited. Therefore, according to Ramos, Canacar has begun to strengthen its internal operations with 25 committees and 23 commissions, in addition to permanent working groups that seek to address issues such as safety, training, and operational efficiency simultaneously.

At the same time, the Chamber has chosen to strengthen its ties with the industry. Through alliances with manufacturers and suppliers such as Daimler , International , and Cummins , it seeks to provide carriers with training programs, financing, and preferential terms that facilitate fleet renewal, especially in the segment that accounts for more than half of the country’s trucks.

Meanwhile, the sector is also observing the first steps in the fleet renewal program promoted by the federal government. Canacar indicated that it already has the guidelines that will define access to these incentives, focused primarily on micro and small carriers, although it acknowledged that this is only a first step in addressing the structural shortcomings facing the fleet.

Operators: the challenge that keeps growing

But even with these efforts, the sector faces a challenge that cannot be solved solely through financing or regulation: a shortage of drivers . Currently, the deficit exceeds 90,000 drivers, a trend that is not unique to Mexico.

Added to this is the generational shift that is beginning to put pressure on the sector, with almost 15,000 operators retiring , widening the gap between supply and demand. Faced with this scenario, Canacar proposes improving training, increasing the number of new operators trained—currently around 4,000 per year—and incorporating new sources of talent, including migrants.

Faced with this situation, the Chamber’s strategy has focused on three key areas: building its own data, maintaining ongoing dialogue with the authorities, and exerting institutional pressure based on evidence. The intention is clear: to move beyond reaction and toward prevention.

The challenge, however, remains balancing two realities. On the one hand, figures that point to improvements. On the other, an operation that is still perceived as vulnerable. Amid this tension, the trucking industry continues to keep the country moving, while attempting to bring order to a sector facing pressure from all sides.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Karina Quintero  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo Insecurity, diesel, and data under pressure: Canacar seeks to regulate the sector apareció primero en T21.

During the presentation of the results of the internal electoral process of the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) , the president-elect, Augusto Ramos, outlined the key points that will mark his administration for the 2026-2027 period and confirmed the integration of Rómulo Mejía Durán as general vice president of the organization .

The announcement came after an irreversible trend in their favor was confirmed, in a process that the current president, Miguel Ángel Martínez, described as orderly, transparent and in accordance with the statutes, highlighting the participation in 28 voting centers and the beginning of an institutional transition towards the Ordinary General Assembly on March 2, when the swearing-in of the new National Executive Committee will be formalized.

Five pillars for the 2026-2027 management

In his first message, Ramos assured that his administration will be governed by five non-negotiable principles: radical transparency, permanent accountability, participatory and decentralized government, data-driven decisions, and inclusion without exceptions.

The proposed actions include the periodic publication of management reports , the implementation of a dashboard to measure commitments, and the holding of regional forums to decentralize decision-making. He also indicated that he will rely on technical assessments and statistical analyses, in coordination with specialized institutions, to support the sector’s defense before the authorities.

He emphasized that the Chamber will represent companies of all sizes with equal strength, from single-unit carriers to large fleets.

Security, USMCA and operators at the center

Ramos identified security as the union’s top demand. He proposed promoting secure strategic corridors with technology and real-time coordination, as well as strengthening collaboration with federal and state authorities.

Internationally, he announced that in March they will deliver a diagnosis to the Ministry of Economy on the relevance of road transport in the review of the USMCA, noting that the sector moves most of the goods that pass through the country and participates in more than 100 industrial branches.

Another key focus will be professionalization. The president-elect indicated that they will aim to train more than five thousand operators in the coming year, addressing a shortage that has left thousands of vehicles idle due to a lack of drivers. He also proposed strengthening ongoing training and improving the working conditions of operators as a foundation for competitiveness.

Fleet renewal and institutional strengthening

Regarding vehicle modernization , Ramos acknowledged the drop in sales of new vehicles during 2025 and noted that renewal will require coordinated work with manufacturers and financial institutions, as well as the management of incentives that encourage the replacement of vehicles.

Finally, he reiterated that his presidency does not seek to divide, but to consolidate the organization, and highlighted the incorporation of Rómulo Mejía Durán to the General Vice Presidency as part of a project of union unity.

With this change, Canacar opens a new stage focused on institutionality, verifiable results and greater closeness with the rank and file of the trucking industry.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Karina Quintero  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo Augusto Ramos outlines data-driven management and unity at Canacar apareció primero en T21.