Based on the Measurement of the Informal Economy (MEI) by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi), it was identified that in 2022 (the most recent indicator), informality already contributed 24.4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the highest level since 2003.

In freight transportation, due to the very nature of the sector, which is defined as an overregulated activity, participants are motivated to seek ways out of formality. This is the case with the issuance of the Cargo Complement (CCP), a requirement that is difficult and costly for micro-enterprises to implement, often discouraging them due to the lack of facilitation in compliance.

1. “When a small transporter is faced with such a high administrative burden, it complicates things for them because it incurs additional costs that are burdensome, which sometimes leads to informality and pushes them to work with clients who do not require receipts and pay in cash,” explains José Luis Gallegos, a member of the Tax Commission of the Mexican Institute of Public Accountants (IMCP).

The Mexican Institute of Transportation (IMT) explains in its publication “The Business Informality of Freight Transportation in Mexico” that informality constitutes a vicious cycle made up of low service rates and zero tax payments. This results in low incomes for these companies, which prevents them from having sufficient resources to cover the labor rights of operators, workers, and tax payments, thereby fostering the crime of tax evasion.

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The “Badger” parked in northern lands, in a very special area for the Mexican trucking sector. The new limited edition Kenworth T880 tractor-trailer, designed exclusively to represent the spirit of classic trucks in the region, was delivered to Juan Raúl Tamez Tamez, president of the Tracto Clásicos de Nuevo León club, and César Raymundo Aguirre Salazar, vice president.

The manufacturer stated that the Kenworth T880 “Badger” model stands out for its design, style, and quality.

“The interiors are covered in black leather, with accents on special moldings and diamond double stitching in royal blue, while on the exterior it features an engraved exhaust cover, a badger engraved on the cabin, and an Allende edition emblem, achieving a fusion of luxury, craftsmanship, and modern style,” according to the company.

Alejandro Novoa, CEO of PACCAR Mexico, Juan Leonardo Fiorentini, Deputy Commercial Director of PACCAR Mexico, and Oscar Diddier, from Kenworth DAF de Monterrey, were in charge of the delivery, which took place in the main square of Allende, Nuevo León.

“The ‘Badger’ trucks reflect Kenworth’s pride, the passion for classic trucks in Allende, and the effort of all the families that are part of them,” highlighted the manufacturer.

Additionally, it was reported that the so-called “cradle of trucking,” the municipality of Allende in Nuevo León, was chosen as the location to fulfill the commitment made by the manufacturer to the classic trucks by designing a unique model to represent them. The agreement was made as part of the celebrations for the brand’s 100th anniversary, during a visit to the production plant in Mexicali, Baja California.

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MONTERREY, NL.- Total Trucks Mexico (TTM) has welcomed its new branch in Monterrey, a location set to be a growth catalyst for Mack Trucks in one of the most dynamic regions for freight transportation in the country.

Juan Carlos Uribe, director of TTM, explained during the inauguration that the new branch is part of the master dealer’s business plan to meet customer demands, stating, “We want to grow, but to do so we need to be prepared with good support for the trucks.”

TTM Monterrey largely responds to the dynamism observed due to the nearshoring effect, which has increased the demand for logistics and transportation services for goods and merchandise. “We find ourselves in an environment of great opportunity, and that is why we are making this investment, which will be replicated throughout the country to improve the support we provide to our customers with the Mack brand,” Uribe stated.

He emphasized that the company is more than just a truck supplier, as it is dedicated to technology, evolving and disrupting the market by offering innovative equipment with efficient and aerodynamic engines. Additionally, it is moving towards electrification, “to provide transporters with a more efficient product that allows them to save on operating costs and meet their customers’ demands, all while having a lower environmental impact.”

The executive explained that in 2024, the master dealer will total eight branches, with four more openings planned in different parts of the country for next year. To date, the group has 40 service bays, with the goal of constantly increasing this number.

“We are hiring and developing professional technicians to offer top-level service to all transporters. Additionally, we are investing in spare parts and implementing all the technology that Mack has to ensure customers receive the attention they need,” highlighted Juan Carlos Uribe.

Considering that Mack has just announced the construction of a plant in the country that will manufacture complete trucks, the opening of the new TTM Monterrey branch aligns with the brand’s growth plans in Mexico, ensuring the availability of trucks to meet national transportation demands.

Eduardo Herrera, Vice President of Mack Export, stated that the plant responds to the brand’s expansion in Mexico and Latin America. “The fundamental objectives of the new manufacturing center are to compensate for North America’s production capacity and expand Mack Trucks’ business in Mexico and Latin America,” he said.

Herrera emphasized that the most important aspect of serving the national market is having product support, hence the importance of having TTM as a master dealer in the country.

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After just over two years since the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) took control of the flow of goods in and out of the country, the transition has not been entirely smooth. It’s worth noting that in February of this year, a system outage completely paralyzed foreign trade for two days. Although no further incidents have occurred since then, transporters emphasize that such interruptions in trade, especially with the northern neighbor, must not happen again.

As the Vice President of the Northwest Region of the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar), Israel Delgado told T21 that after the learning curve for the military in charge of customs, we should now have an agile and secure customs system to leverage the competitive advantage of being the main trading partner of the United States.

“I believe that customs systems need to be harmonized with the Tax Administration Service (SAT). Remember that the tax authority and ANAM are practically sharing an institution that involves inspections, controls, systems, and legal matters. Harmonizing the SAT system with ANAM, or alternatively, separating them for practical operational purposes, is one of the major issues that need to be addressed,” Delgado asserted.

In Delgado’s opinion, the civilian staff who worked at customs before the military took over had extensive knowledge and experience with the procedures. It’s also important to highlight that ANAM lacks a contingency plan for any eventuality, something that the previous General Customs Administration (AGA) had.

“This should be one of the major customs issues, both at ports and land customs, having an urgent need for a backup plan when technology fails. Although technology was designed to avoid deficiencies, we know that system outages can occur due to external factors, which puts us on alert to ensure that trade does not come to a standstill,” detailed the Vice President of the Northwest Region of Canacar.

Despite the challenges experienced, the importance of customs is undeniable, with responsibilities not only in revenue collection but also in national security. Their goal is to control what enters and exits the country.

Another major problem at customs is the flow of illegal immigrants seeking to reach the United States, which has sometimes paralyzed trade, as happened in Texas. “This geopolitical phenomenon, which is unrelated to customs, affects foreign trade. Additionally, the customs authority is responsible for ensuring the safety of vehicles and operators and detecting any crossing of illicit substances,” stated the transporters’ representative.

Despite the complexities, Delgado assured that progress has been made, as they have gone more than three months without issues. “Currently, the Tijuana customs office is working very well. Today, we have a head who is involved in operations and issues, which speeds up processes. I believe this is what is needed in all customs offices, that the heads get involved to empathize with users’ problems, allowing trade to flow efficiently and safely,” he said.

The latest statistics indicate that there is an average of seven million commercial crossings between Mexico and the United States, with Tijuana alone averaging eight thousand daily import and export operations. This dynamism places Tijuana’s customs as the second most important in the country.

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Nowadays there is considerable complexity in maintenance areas to keep fleets in optimal condition, especially regarding repairs, due to delays that may occur in the workshop, either due to lack of components or qualified labor.

Fernando Noriega, general director at Idealease Mexico, shares that there are three main reasons why a truck may be stopped: lack of spare parts, shortage of technical talent for repairs, and diagnostic failure, mainly derived from technology in the units.

“In 80% of cases, trucks are stopped due to lack of a spare part. Due to the growth the trucking industry is experiencing worldwide, the aftersales part has been neglected. Technology is changing so rapidly that it’s difficult to quickly follow up on spare parts, and if there’s an epidemic of a certain spare part, it can’t be found. Another factor is that plants cannot grow fast enough to produce the necessary spare parts,” Noriega detailed in an interview with T21.

Taking this into account, it is necessary to have a balance between the inventory as working capital in spare parts and what the supplier and manufacturer must have in stock. In Noriega’s opinion, this is an important issue since despite technology and managing fill rates (service level) of 90%, the remaining 10% can cause significant delays in repairs.

One of the strategies Idealease has implemented to avoid complications is communication with manufacturers and maintaining a healthy inventory. “For consumables and spare parts that will be used over a year, we try to have sufficient inventory. Another strategy is to use remanufactured parts, and in some cases, we already start remanufacturing some (original) spare parts,” detailed the Idealease representative.

According to Noriega, this strategy should be the industry standard to avoid over-inventorying. However, this balance must also be based on the information generated by the truck itself, so it is important to know the “health” of the fleet and anticipate the parts that will be necessary in the short, medium, and long term.

Refurbishment for electric vehicles

While the incorporation of electric vehicles into fleets for the transportation of goods and merchandise in the country is in its early stages, it is essential to plan for the spare parts that these types of units will require in the future.

In this regard, the general director at Idealease Mexico pointed out that the complexity of electric vehicles is an issue that must be addressed, as while spare parts related to the engine are eliminated in these units, other components are incorporated, for example, cooling systems.

“In reality, we don’t know how much the electric vehicle will fail because we don’t have the experience; along the way, we are learning, and we will have to have the right balance, although it is said that these units have 30% fewer moving components. However, to replace the combustion engine, different components are used that can also fail and are not necessarily considered in the spare parts scheme. That’s why we will have to pay close attention to the enfant care (spare parts necessary for the care of electric vehicles) in the launch of new products,” he affirmed.

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