Benjamín Alemán Castilla, founding partner of ALTTRAC and former head of the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) , commented that passenger trains will be built in the main rail freight corridors, such as in Veracruz, Puebla, Mexico City, Celaya, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo , so the confinement works must “be very relevant.”

In this regard, he explained that promoting mixed-use corridors provides an opportunity to correct fiscal and regulatory asymmetries between the two modes , develop a one-stop shop for multimodal planning, increase safety and punctuality in traffic mixes, and implement programs to reduce accidents, among other actions.

“There are several elements that place a heavier regulatory burden on one mode of transport than another, and this makes one service comparatively more expensive than another, which impacts the different modes of transport in the country,” he said during an event held by the Mexican Railway Association (AMF) .

Juan Carlos Miranda Hernández, coordinator of the Railway Subcommittee of the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) , highlighted the differences in the operation of passenger and freight trains, including speed, capacity, compensation, infrastructure, schedule restrictions, and industrial development , to name a few.

Meanwhile, passenger services using concessioned right-of-way, the modality under which the projects proposed by the current federal administration will be developed, face limitations in terms of growth, as do connectivity for industries and others.

However, he asserted that ” it was a wise decision not to allow passenger services to operate on freight lines and to build new infrastructure and operate with different specifications, techniques, and operating regimes.”

“It must be taken into consideration that these are freight-operated tracks; the construction itself could create unsafe conditions for freight trains, or the trains could create unsafe conditions for workers and the construction site,” he explained.

For his part, Óscar Hernández Oviedo, head of the Maya Train Infrastructure Management Unit , noted that a mixed operation allows for maximizing the use of railway infrastructure, serving mobility and logistics markets.

“The challenge is clear: without regulations or technology, differences in speed and weight can reduce the network’s effective capacity. The Maya Train, from its design, contemplates the coexistence of passenger and freight trains under interoperability,” he stated.

Therefore, he indicated that passenger trains currently operate at a speed of 160 kilometers per hour (km/h) and freight trains will travel at 100 km/h. “This will limit effective capacity if schedules are not properly managed, and we must consolidate them efficiently. Tools must be developed for fixed schedules, scheduled crossings, double-track sections, and in high-demand areas, with laredos with a minimum length of 1.5 km. We must also monitor trains per hour, punctuality, track occupancy, and other factors to fine-tune operations.”

He asserted that the joint venture in the country represents a strategic opportunity to consolidate an efficient, resilient, and high-impact railway model .

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El cargo Safety and regulations among the challenges in mixed train operations apareció primero en T21.

The Federal Motor Transport Directorate (DGAF) is working on installing dynamic arches to enforce weight and dimension regulations, simplifying and digitizing procedures, and implementing new legislation to increase safety on the country’s roads, among other initiatives.

“In the case of the arches, all the actions are aimed at improving safety and operating conditions,” said Luis Ruiz Hernández, head of the DGAF.

During his participation in Dialogues with Engineers , held by the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) , he indicated that in the case of weights and dimensions with the arches, the corresponding sanctions will be established for those who exceed the limits.

“A schedule similar to the one for photo tickets will be sent to each permit holder, with the penalties, but the goal is not to impose fines, but rather to prevent them from incurring these types of penalties,” he commented.

He specified that around 250 thousand inspections are carried out on roads each year and with these arches, which they plan to start with Caminos y Puentes Federales (Capufe) , they will help with license plate recognition, measuring speed, dimensions and weight of units, as well as verifying standard 012 , which establishes the maximum weight and measurement limits that motor transport vehicles must comply with.

Juan José Orozco, vice president of the CICM Board of Directors , said it is essential to sanction anyone who violates these regulations or circulates without the corresponding technical verification.

“In many countries, we’ve seen authorities using satellite and GPS tracking systems that allow real-time monitoring of routes, speeds, and operating times. These technological tools enable automatic fines and sanctions that can lead to the revocation of permits or the suspension of licenses for those who fail to comply with regulations,” he stated.

He commented that excessive weight and dimensions not only jeopardize vehicle stability, but also cause serious damage to the infrastructure, impacting road maintenance and upkeep costs by 15% to 30% or more .

“With the information obtained from these arches, more reliable analyses could be made of the cost overruns that society ultimately pays,” he explained.

He also noted that they are working on a training standard for this activity , not just for the handling of gas pipe devices, and that they will therefore apply the Airports and Auxiliary Services (ASA) model “since it yields good results.”

Likewise, Luis Ruiz Hernández mentioned that, in the case of the transportation of dangerous cargo, such as natural gas, in conjunction with the Agency for Safety, Energy and Environment (ASEA) and the Ministry of Energy (Sener) , speeding will now be treated as a safety violation and sanction in operation and industry.

He stated that, in coordination with Capufe and concessionaires, they are analyzing the improvements that need to be made to the toll booths , because they are overcrowded and their collection design is obsolete.

“We need to incorporate design and technology, because we don’t have to wait to make payments when they can be done automatically. The same goes for ports and customs. What’s being done? Technology to streamline processes,” he emphasized.

They are also working on simplifying procedures and digitizing them, although this final stage will not begin until 2026, with the support of the Digital Transformation and Telecommunications Agency .

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El cargo This is the DGAF’s plan to increase safety on Mexico’s roads. apareció primero en T21.

With an investment of 112,173 million pesos (mdp) for the period 2025-2030 , the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) is advancing in the expansion and modernization of 10 priority highway axes , whose extension is two thousand 220 kilometers (km) in 14 federal entities of Mexico.

Carlos Arceo Castañeda, director general of Highways at the SICT, said the work also includes construction and, in some cases, maintenance of state roads.

“Investment is never enough; the important thing here is to consider where it’s invested. With what we have right now, we’re going to stretch it as much as possible to meet the greatest possible goal with fewer resources. That’s a given,” he stated during his participation in the Dialogue with Engineers event , organized by the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) .

“We are building roads to close the inequality gap. We’re not just thinking about a road, but about the benefits that road will bring to the communities,” Carlos Arceo emphasized.

Meanwhile, he specified that the investment in bridges and interchanges, which represent 16.13 km in nine states of the country, will be 12.505 billion pesos .

He recalled that some of the projects being carried out this year include the Cuautla-Tlapa-Marquelia Highway, connecting Morelos, Puebla, and Guerrero; the Pachuca-Huejutla-Tamazunchale Highway, between San Luis Potosí and Hidalgo; and the Bavispe-Nuevo Casas Grandes Highway, from Sonora to Chihuahua, among others.

Juan José Orozco y Orozco, vice president of Government and Legislative Relations at CICM, emphasized that each new kilometer reduces distances and “tears down the walls of inequality.” He also asserted that it is important to build with quality to avoid accidents, which means lower costs for users and for Mexico.

“It means that public investment is more efficient, but above all, more effective, because a quality project lasts longer and requires fewer resources for maintenance. And the better we do the original work, the fewer maintenance resources it will require, and the lower the economic and environmental impact it will have,” he explained.

Arceo Castañeda detailed that in 2024, 58% of cargo in Mexico was moved by road, that is, approximately 572 million tons, while by ship it was 272.6 million tons, by train 135.7 million tons, and 1.3 million tons by plane, figures that will increase as the different projects of the current federal administration are completed.

Under this scenario, the official commented, without providing details, that part of the actions planned for rail infrastructure is to “unload” roads and direct freight via rail.

“58% of freight passes through our roads, and we’re trying to balance this with what’s being implemented in rail infrastructure projects, so that less freight travels on the roads and more freight opts to use the railroad. There’s currently a plan for Highway 57, where we’re trying to modernize the route from Saltillo to Monclova and widen it to two lanes; today, it’s seven meters wide,” he said.

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El cargo SICT invests to expand and modernize 10 highway axes apareció primero en T21.

Continuous road upkeep and maintenance, increased freight capacity, increased private investment, and project planning are some of the actions needed to increase transportation efficiency in Mexico, experts agreed at the 4th National Transportation Infrastructure Forum , held by the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) .

Leonardo Gómez , executive president of the National Association of Private Transportation (ANTP) , explained that greater efficiency and productivity are needed in the construction of free or toll roads , as well as in their maintenance.

“It’s essential to improve investment, increase it, but also maintain it; in that sense, Mexico spends 12% of its GDP on logistics, while the United States spends 8%, so we must strive to be more efficient if we want to continue competing in the North American market. Having infrastructure isn’t enough if there’s no efficient connectivity,” he said.

He stated that one of the challenges is to increase the number of high-specification roads, establish express lanes for toll collection, as well as rest and service stops, and conduct a comprehensive review at the state level to ensure improved last-mile infrastructure, among other things.

For his part, Marco Antonio Frías , director of the Mexican Association of Road Infrastructure Concessionaires (AMCIVAC) , agreed that the country has a major problem with the conservation and maintenance of communication routes , where financing is the major bottleneck.

“This creates risks and challenges for the Mexican government, but also for road users, and for those of us who build and operate them. Financing is the biggest bottleneck we face as a country,” he said during his participation in the panel ” For a Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure .”

He emphasized that “the private sector has shown that it generates significant value in terms of the number of kilometers on the network, jobs created, investment, and the use of technology. The highways operated by private companies are generally safer.”

“We believe it is very important that the government not close the door to private investment. There is talk of joint ventures where the state and the private sector will participate in the construction and modernization of various sections. Public-private partnerships, which have also yielded positive results, are also being used. The intention is for the private sector to have a more intense participation through unsolicited proposals,” he mentioned.

Meanwhile, Vianey de la Mora , director of the Mexican Railway Association (AMF) , commented that the infrastructure is at its limit in ports, and that there are bottlenecks in yards , “there is increasing demand and movements are slower, limitations for operations and needs for investment in double track.”

However, he indicated that the railroads have made various investments, such as in innovation and technology, as well as in renewable energy, where there has been a 2.65% increase in diesel-electric locomotives, as well as a 2.25% increase in rail cars and crossings between Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

He recalled that in 27 years they have invested nearly 14.5 billion dollars (mdd) in infrastructure, systems and technologies .

Antonio Moreno Gómez, president of the  Mexican Association of Port, Maritime and Coastal Infrastructure (AMIP) , said that the capacity of ports to handle any type of cargo is fundamental.

“If there isn’t enough space, it can be the bottleneck that, at a given time, limits the capacity of that terminal, and the other is the delivery and reception of ground transportation, whether rail or truck, and this only applies to the capacity of one terminal,” he said.

At the event, specialists agreed that a level playing field is needed for all modes of transportation, as well as private investment as a complement to infrastructure construction, human capital, and better planning of public works.

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El cargo Freight transport efficiency requires more private investment and project planning, experts agree. apareció primero en T21.

“Manzanillo’s only solution is to develop the Cuyutlán Lagoon, and it must be done as quickly as possible, because it is causing congestion problems and is a waste of resources. These are penalties that take away cargo and ultimately end up in convenience stores, which significantly increases the cost of the port,” the executive stated.

During his participation in the IV National Forum on Transportation Infrastructure , organized by the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) , he said that a governance forum is already being sought to address this situation, “because while infrastructure is difficult to develop and takes a lot of time, it can still greatly improve the processes.”

He recalled that the construction of the port of Manzanillo was planned, however, the development of the industry and the new capacity of the ports meant that “it became too small, and another mistake was not stopping the urban sprawl.”

Lecona also noted that ships measuring 400 meters are now being received in Manzanillo, which has complicated the port’s draft, and the current port design is 20 meters deep.

Unlike Manzanillo, he noted that the port of Lázaro Cárdenas in Michoacán has “very generous” docks and yards, allowing it to accommodate these types of vessels without any problems.

“What I’m trying to say is that while we initially made mistakes in our planning because we didn’t have a crystal ball for predicting what would happen in the future, we now know that gigantism is coming; it’s designed with those standards. Today, the port of Lázaro Cárdenas, starting from scratch, handles more than two million TEUs (20-foot containers) annually,” he emphasized.

Regarding the recent operational problems at the port of Manzanillo, he stated that there is congestion, with container stays increasing to 10 or 12 days, compared to the normal five or six days.

“A truck congestion that is a loss for truckers is a lot of problems, but this issue has already prompted authorities and users to propose processes for improvement,” Lecona said.

It’s worth remembering that workers at the Manzanillo customs office demonstrated twice in mid-May, paralyzing the entry and exit of transport vehicles from the port  in protest of poor working conditions and unjustified dismissals  since Captain Rodolfo Torres Chávez took over the customs office a month earlier.

In response, on June 2,  Mexico’s National Customs Agency (ANAM)  held a meeting with the business and logistics sectors to present  the work carried out to resolve the operational problem  that arose at the country’s main  maritime hub in the Pacific.

Meanwhile, Antonio Moreno Gómez, president of the Mexican Association of Port, Maritime and Coastal Infrastructure (AMIP) , considered that leaving the city complicates operations and the work, so what they are looking to do in Cuyutlán would help resolve this situation.

“More logistics infrastructure is needed for the clearance of goods, and these departures are linked to customs inspections, but we need to find ways to facilitate the clearance of goods,” Moreno asserted.

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El cargo Expansion to Cuyutlán Lagoon, a solution for the port of Manzanillo: Hutchison Ports apareció primero en T21.

The  Mexico City Airport Group (GACM) estimates that interconnectivity between Mexico City International Airport (AICM) and Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) via train will be implemented by 2040.

Arturo Flores , AICM’s Remodeling Coordinator, stated that this action is part of the strategic plan for long-term urban interconnectivity between airports.

In an interview following his participation in the IV Transportation Infrastructure Forum , organized by the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) , he explained that this project is not only about interconnectivity, but also has implications for security, interconnected domestic flights, mobility on communication routes, runways, among others.

“It is aimed at achieving more efficient interconnectivity, where the arrival and departure of passengers in the metropolitan area is better distributed,” he said.

In this regard, he indicated that regarding connectivity for the 2026 World Cup, the AICM and AIFA are working on various fronts, such as the implementation of stations that allow attendees to be transported to the stadiums via buses.

He also commented that there is an opportunity to increase operations at AICM again.

“The slots (takeoff and landing times) were very congested at the time. The airport was declared congested because there was poor flight control, as there were airlines that managed too many slots, and today the slots are well managed,” Flores said.

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El cargo They seek to connect AICM and AIFA via a train in 2040. apareció primero en T21.

Given the lack of greater investment in infrastructure in Mexico, the Chamber of Deputies is seeking to take different actions to have sufficient resources, such as the creation of a fund with private investment, the creation of a nearshoring plan  and a law to supervise public works, among others.

Roberto Albores Gleason, a member of the Labor Party (PT) and president of the Infrastructure Commission of the Chamber of Deputies LXVI Legislature, explained that the legislature will implement various changes that will lead to the transformation of the country.

He said that in the face of insufficient investment in infrastructure, it is necessary to reallocate the budget to different sectors such as the road sector , as well as create innovative financing mechanisms and “make them transparent.”

He also explained that resources from the private sector are required, as well as strategic planning, to know what the opportunities for relocation ( nearshoring ) are, to identify sustainable infrastructure and territorial equity.

He also indicated that they are working on a project to create an infrastructure fund with private investment similar to Fonadin, a national highway modernization program, a transparency law in infrastructure, a national plan for nearshoring, a law for supervision of public works, digital accountability, regulation of Public-Private Partnerships, among others.

“We have great challenges and we can work in various areas with the College since they have a lot of experience and solutions to various issues to legislate and for these issues,” he said during his participation in the conference Connecting Mexico: Legislation and Challenges of Infrastructure, Roads, Railways and Logistics.

At the event, held by the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) , he considered that having legislative reforms in infrastructure will allow for greater investment and sustainable financing, reduction of logistics costs and execution times, greater transparency and fight against corruption, growth of nearshoring , among others.

Reyes Juárez del Ángel, president of Planning and Foresight at CICM, commented that increasing investment in infrastructure in the country is one of the great challenges and it is necessary for it to become a long-term public policy.

“Investing at rates that could reach around 5% of the Gross Domestic Product represents doubling the great effort that we intend to make this year, which will lead us to 2% of public investment and the same amount must be boosted by private investment,” he said.

He recalled that the Infrastructure Policy Council was formed in conjunction with other engineering institutions, and that its main task was to make the group available to improve and increase infrastructure in the country.

He mentioned that this group will be able to contribute to issues of planning and projects, transparency and accountability, among other actions.

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El cargo They seek to increase investment in infrastructure in Mexico apareció primero en T21.

Having separate infrastructure for freight and passenger trains that the Mexican government is seeking to integrate ensures that the capacity of both systems is not limited, according to railway and infrastructure specialists.

Iker de Luisa, general director of the Mexican Railway Association (AMF) , explained that the passenger train will require several frequencies and by having an operation either in the morning or afternoon, there will not be the necessary influx for this type of transport.

“There are buses, for example, Mexico-Querétaro, with one line every 15 minutes, but if different origins arrive from all the lines, maybe there is a bus every five minutes, so how do you compete with one frequency against another that has 50, that is a bit of the point and it is not so easy to compete in price, quality, service and location,” he explained.

In this regard, he mentioned, for example, the Buenavista-Cuautitlán suburban line, which shares the right of way while maintaining separate operations for cargo and passengers.

“More than 60 freight trains coexist daily with passenger frequencies of every six minutes in each direction. It is a solution in which there are different right-of-way for freight and passengers given the high flows of both systems,” he said.

In addition, in the case of the expansion of this transport to the Mexico City International Airport (AIFA) , he commented that alternative projects were established that strengthened the freight railroad, such as relocating a yard and building the track for the passenger train.

Juan Carlos Miranda, coordinator of the Railway Subcommittee of the Transportation Committee of the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) , considered that the railway routes announced during the current administration, Mexico-Monterrey-Laredo, Mexico-Guadalajara, Mexico-Pachuca, ” are lines with high traffic potential; it is very positive that it was decided to separate the freight infrastructure from the passenger infrastructure.”

However, he commented that both systems have different characteristics and systems that require different infrastructure and operation.

Regarding the Mexico-Veracruz train, where the same tracks may be used, it is “very important that it be analyzed very carefully,” since it has many operational challenges because there are about 30 freight trains running daily, it is very complex.”

He also pointed out that all projects must comply with environmental and social impact studies, right-of-way release, technology to be developed, routes, accessibility, planning, compatibility, regulations, among others.

Iker de Luisa mentioned that so far they do not have information on the plan or tenders for passenger train projects for the current administration.

“We have no information on how the tenders will be carried out. So far, they are announcements, we have not seen a plan that we can analyse and somehow get involved and give an opinion,” he confirmed.

During his participation in Dialogues with Engineers organized by the CICM, he mentioned that these will occur as these works progress.

However, he highlighted the more than 150 billion pesos that have been announced for these projects, and considered that the almost 1.6 billion pesos that the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) requested for the pre-investment studies belong to these resources.

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El cargo Freight and Passenger Trains to Operate on Separate Tracks: AMF apareció primero en T21.

The construction of the Maya Train, the Dos Bocas refinery and the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) represented 19.2% of the total investment destined for infrastructure during the last six-year term, revealed the Mexican Chamber of the Construction Industry (CMIC) .

He highlighted that this was 683 billion pesos, an amount greater than that allocated to the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) , the Ministry of Energy (Sener) and the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) , which in total amounted to 541 thousand 890 million pesos, 15% of the total resources allocated for this area.

Luis Méndez, president of the organization, stated that during the last six-year period, investment in infrastructure was three trillion 566 billion pesos, of this amount, 53% was for Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) .

“Almost 700 billion pesos were allocated to the mega projects of Dos Bocas, AIFA and the Maya Train. These are projects that we can think will be successful, we have to see it in the medium term, let’s hope that the Maya Train becomes a freight train, that AIFA has connectivity and Dos Bocas, I wouldn’t have many comments,” he said.

During his participation in Dialogues with Engineers organized by the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) , he mentioned that the sector with only 10 billion pesos in investment was agriculture and rural development.

He recalled that in 2014 more than 4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was invested in infrastructure , while last year it was only 2.8 percent. Although the average for the previous six-year period was 2.7 percent.

He mentioned that  Mexico currently occupies 54th place out of 141 countries in terms of infrastructure quality , with Singapore in first place.

“We see countries like Chile, which is in our continent and is better positioned. We are in 54th place when we are the 11th market and the 12th economy in the world and 11th in market size, and this tells us what we have to work on,” he explained.

In this regard, she commented that they hope that during the current six-year term “the infrastructure will not be so damaged, we believe that double the investment will be made with different mechanisms. We are pleased that President Claudia Sheinbaum has the perspective of recovering or returning to this type of actions.”

He said there is great expectation about what can be achieved with the infrastructure plan and the 100 commitments of the current federal government.

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El cargo The “big winner” projects in AMLO’s administration budget apareció primero en T21.

The College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) recommended that the next federal administration develop public policies that promote an increase in the participation of railroads in land modal distribution, so that cargo traffic goes from 25% to at least 40 percent.

This would allow for a reduction in its general cost , including external costs such as environmental and safety costs.

According to the document Importance of Infrastructure in the Social and Economic Development of Mexico, for the government period 2024-2030 , it is necessary to take measures to facilitate and support the modernization of the country’s freight railway axes, this would contribute to the economic and social development of the country.

To this end, he mentioned that work must be done to improve infrastructure and equipment , signage, safe management systems and the construction of bypasses in the main cities, consolidating the multimodal and intermodal land complementarity and redundancy of strategic accesses to land and sea ports and to the main population and production centers.

“This will allow national, intercity and international freight transport to circulate continuously, more quickly and safely, to achieve greater logistical competitiveness for the country,” he said.

Likewise, intermodal services should be increased through the consolidation, expansion and construction of intermodal and cargo transfer terminals in metropolitan areas and large and medium-sized cities in the country.

Also build bypasses in cities with greater interaction between railways and urban mobility (greater number of at-grade crossings with greater frequency of trains and vehicles) and promote the construction of overpasses to improve safe coexistence between roads and railways, considering the existence of more than seven thousand at-grade crossings, establishing priorities in the execution plans and programs.

Preserve the track infrastructure and other railway assets , whether concessioned or non-concessioned, in disuse or reverted, evaluating development opportunities that form part of urban, interurban and regional passenger rail service projects, as well as tourism, industrial, agricultural, mining or energy development projects.

Develop mass passenger transportation on rails with safe and sustainable comprehensive mobility programs in metropolitan areas and regions with high urban population density in the country.

Likewise, improve the design, construction and maintenance of railways, as well as the operation and provision of public railway transport services, to promote the safety and reliability of services.

As well as reviewing, updating and expanding the regulatory system for the design , construction and maintenance of railways, as well as the operation and provision of public railway transport services, incorporating new technologies.

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El cargo Public Policies Needed to Boost Freight Rail Transport: CICM apareció primero en T21.