Cargo security has evolved beyond simply tracking vehicles. Today, companies are looking for tools that allow them to monitor fuel, temperature, cargo, and operational performance from a single platform.

This transformation responds to both operational needs and the security challenges facing the sector. Cargo theft remains one of the main risks to logistics in Mexico, and according to experts, a driver experiences an incident on the road every 30 minutes .

Given this scenario, technological solutions have ceased to be merely tracking tools and have become comprehensive systems for prevention, monitoring, and operational management.

Based on that premise, Total Protect has expanded its portfolio of solutions with new tools focused on the security of the units and also on fuel control, cold chain and the monitoring of goods during their transport .

The Total Protect ecosystem consists of six main solutions: Total Protect , which integrates the different layers of security; Protect Video , focused on video surveillance; Vault , for the protection of merchandise; Secure , oriented towards the security of the unit and the operator; Locate , focused on geolocation and tracking; and Addons , which incorporates complementary tools such as fuel monitoring, temperature and telemetry.

María de los Ángeles Useche, the company’s Commercial Director, explained to T21 that the development of these products arises from the needs that the customers themselves have expressed as their operations evolve.

“After we managed to reduce the incidence of security incidents, clients started requesting more things. They tell us what is happening in their operations, and from there we look for technologies that are adapted to the Mexican market,” he said.

One of the most recent developments is a monitoring system for refrigerated transport capable of performing up to three simultaneous temperature measurements within the same box.

This allows for the separate monitoring of frozen, chilled, and dry goods using a single device.

The information is recorded throughout the journey, facilitating cargo traceability and allowing the identification of possible temperature deviations or incidents during the trip.

From data to decision making

Another area where the company has detected a growing need is fuel control .

According to María de los Ángeles Useche, nearly half of a fleet’s operating costs correspond to diesel consumption , so losses resulting from illegal extractions or unauthorized unloading can represent significant impacts for carriers.

To address this problem, the company incorporated sensors that allow monitoring the behavior of the tanks in real time and generating geolocated alerts when atypical decreases are detected.

The platform offers information per unit or per fleet, including performance, kilometers traveled and possible fuel extractions.

Beyond generating alerts, the collected information allows carriers to identify consumption patterns , validate performance, detect operational deviations, and make decisions aimed at improving the efficiency of their fleets.

A similar approach is applied to temperature monitoring for sensitive goods. The records generated by these devices provide traceability of the cargo’s journey and facilitate the identification of incidents that could compromise its integrity during transport.

In addition to the economic benefit, the executive assured that visibility into these operations also contributes to changing behaviors within organizations .

“When people know they are being monitored, their habits improve. That’s one of the things we’ve observed in our clients,” he commented.

In this way, the information generated by the various systems ceases to be merely an operational record and becomes a management tool . Analyzing this data allows companies to make more informed decisions regarding safety, productivity, maintenance, and efficiency within their logistics operations.

Video, artificial intelligence, and evidence in the cloud

Technological evolution also reached video surveillance systems.

Currently, Total Protect has platforms that allow evidence to be stored in the cloud to prevent the loss of information in case of damage or tampering with the devices installed in the units.

The solution automatically generates clips associated with specific events, such as panic button activations, sudden braking, or sudden acceleration.

In this way, monitoring operators can review what happened before and after the incident, identify potential risks, and have evidence for investigations or determining liability.

In addition, there is a volumetric camera equipped with a battery and solar panel that allows monitoring of the cargo space inside trailers and boxes.

In addition to detecting unauthorized openings using light sensors, the tool helps verify the correct distribution of merchandise, a factor that can influence the stability and safety of the units during transit.

Centralized monitoring and recovery of up to 97% 

The foundation of all these solutions continues to be the security suite developed by the company.

The ecosystem integrates geolocation, anti-assault systems, engine stop, electronic locks for cargo compartments and video surveillance.

According to data shared by the company, the combination of these tools allows for recovery rates exceeding 95%, and reaching up to 97% when video and merchandise protection systems are incorporated.

Behind these tools operates a centralized monitoring model that allows real-time event monitoring, incident response coordination, and the transformation of operational information into actions to improve fleet safety and efficiency.

The company reported that it conducts approximately nine thousand weekly test runs to verify the proper functioning of GPS, panic buttons, engine stop systems, and other devices installed in the units before starting operations, which allows it to have reliable information to react to any eventuality.

In addition, it recently launched a second alternate monitoring center with backup capacity, with the aim of ensuring operational continuity, maintaining service levels and supporting the growth of its customer base.

A World Cup with more movement… and more risks

Regarding the increase in the movement of goods resulting from the economic activity associated with the 2026 FIFA World Cup , the company anticipates an increase in logistics activity similar to that observed during high-demand seasons such as Black Friday or Christmas.

The strategy includes continuous monitoring of incidents, analysis of road impacts, and constant communication with customers to recommend alternative routes, safe waiting areas, or adjustments to delivery windows.

Useche estimated that the volume of trips could increase between 15 and 20% during these periods of higher activity.

“When there are more vehicles on the road, the risks also increase. That’s why prevention and timely information are essential,” he said.

Constant evolution for transport and logistics

With eight years of experience in the market, Total Protect has developed an ecosystem of solutions focused on security, monitoring and operational management for transport and logistics companies.

During its early years, the firm concentrated its efforts on developing and perfecting technological tools geared towards security and operational management.

“Our DNA is to protect, care, and solve problems,” Useche explained.

Today, the company serves more than 140 organizations , mainly in the transportation and logistics sector, and continues to incorporate new technological capabilities into its security ecosystem.

Among the upcoming developments are applications based on artificial intelligence aimed at analyzing crime patterns, identifying risks, and continuous learning from the incidents that its monitoring center handles daily.

For Useche, the goal is not to add technology based on trends, but to respond to specific problems in Mexican logistics operations.

“Everything we develop has one objective: to solve real problems in the Mexican market. We don’t innovate for the sake of innovation, but to improve operations, save costs, and support our clients,” he stated.

And that’s precisely where the company seeks to differentiate itself. In a sector where risks are constantly evolving, the strategy is no longer limited to reacting to an incident, but to anticipating it.

The combination of monitoring , data analysis , artificial intelligence, and operational knowledge seeks to become a tool that allows companies to make better decisions before a loss, disruption, or security event occurs.

Because in an industry where every trip involves risks, protection has ceased to be merely a safety measure and has become a strategic factor in the operation, Useche emphasized.

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In a context where highway insecurity continues to be one of the main challenges for trucking in Mexico, freight companies also face another blow to their operations: fuel theft and the increase in downtime of their vehicles .

In addition to the operating costs that fleets already face for fuel, maintenance and tolls, there are illegal practices such as so-called “diesel theft,” which can represent significant losses for transport companies, according to Ángeles Useche, Commercial Director of Total Protect.

The specialist commented that fuel represents up to 50% of a fleet’s operating costs, so any illegal extraction directly impacts the profitability of companies.

He said there are cases where units can lose between 80 and 300 liters of fuel in a single unauthorized unloading, a situation that is aggravated by the current price of diesel and the number of units that operate daily on the road.

Added to this is the operational pressure stemming from peak seasons or large-scale events that cause traffic congestion and downtime for the trucks. Under this logic, the phrase “stopped cargo, stolen cargo” remains prevalent within the sector, especially in corridors where trucks are held up by traffic , blockades, or circulation restrictions .

World Cup would increase operational pressure

According to Useche, during peak travel seasons companies operate virtually their entire fleets, increasing the number of trips by 15 to 20% .

The executive pointed out that this type of scenario requires strengthening prevention and constant monitoring of the units, since the increase in circulation also raises the risk of incidents and robberies.

“They have the advantage of knowing when they are going to act, and we simply have to be very vigilant,” he commented, referring to the criminal groups that operate on highways.

In this environment, the industry also faces the challenge of changing the perception of security as an operating expense and beginning to see it as an investment linked to business continuity.

Useche believes that some companies still limit the adoption of monitoring tools solely due to demands from their clients or insurers, even though daily operations demonstrate that immediate reaction and constant supervision can make a difference in an incident.

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Cargo theft follows defined patterns: it occurs mainly at night, in strategic logistics corridors , and under increasingly organized schemes

According to Numaris , a fleet monitoring company that analyzes events through its tracking centers, heavy transport continues to be the most affected segment. Corridors such as the Arco Norte, the Puebla-Veracruz highway, and various routes in the State of Mexico and the central region of the country remain among the areas with the highest incidence, according to the company’s annual report.

The document, supported by data from the National Association of Vehicle Tracking and Protection Companies (ANERPV) , found that the highest risk period is between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., the period in which the highest number of recorded events are concentrated.

One of the determining factors is the notification time. According to data analyzed by the company, when an incident is detected and addressed within the first 30 minutes, the probability of recovery is considerably higher (with a 99% success rate). However, when the report occurs six or eight hours later, the chances are drastically reduced.

In addition to the total theft of units, there are also events such as route deviations, stops at unauthorized points and illegal extraction of fuel, situations that in some cases precede an assault.

The problem, they warn, is not limited to isolated incidents, but to operations with a higher level of coordination, where criminal groups identify schedules, routes, and operational vulnerabilities.

In this context of high crime rates, transport companies have opted to strengthen their prevention and monitoring systems. According to Numaris , one of the strategies involves combining tracking technology with predefined response protocols to reduce response times to any anomalies encountered along the route.

The firm operates two monitoring centers that work in a complementary manner: one focused on the preventive detection of alerts through geolocation, telemetry and artificial intelligence, and another focused on reaction and support in case of a possible robbery.

These systems generate alerts for route deviations , stops at unauthorized points, variations in fuel levels or atypical driving behaviors, information that can also be used to adjust operating practices within fleets.

Numaris points out that preventive monitoring and immediate reaction have become key tools to increase the chances of recovery and mitigate losses in an environment where insecurity continues to be one of the main challenges for trucking in Mexico.

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