At least 20,000 Mexican truck drivers lost their work visas in the United States between April 2025 and April 2026 for failing to meet English language requirements, reported Augusto Ramos Melo, president of the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) .

During the presentation of the results of his first 100 days in office, he explained that the figure was shared by the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and is part of the actions derived from an executive order issued by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, in April 2025.

“They were from April 2025 to April 2026. These operators returned to Mexico after their work visas were revoked,” he said.

Ramos clarified that the impact is not limited to Mexican operators . According to information shared by the ATA, the president of Canacar commented that approximately 30,000 foreign operators have been removed from operations in the United States, of which 20,000 are Mexican.

Although the leader acknowledged that there is still no precise assessment of the economic impact of this measure , he explained that the reduction in the availability of operators is already beginning to generate pressures in the US market.

“The only thing that happened here was the supply-demand effect, where obviously the cost of freight in the United States has been starting to have an upward effect,” he said.

However, he emphasized that North America’s economic performance has so far prevented a greater impact. Nevertheless, he warned that if economic activity picks up, the shortage of operators could be more clearly reflected in logistics costs.

“It is very likely that this impact will be seen gradually,” he stated.

The measure comes in a context where the trucking industry is facing a growing shortage of drivers both in Mexico and in other regions of the world.

Canacar estimates that there is currently a shortage of approximately 96,000 truck drivers in Mexico , a figure that could increase in the coming years due to the aging workforce. According to Ramos, around 30% of active truck drivers are over 55 years old, while only 13% are under 25.

Globally, the problem has also become a concern for the logistics industry . During Canacar’s participation in the International Road Transport Union (IRU) , the organization predicted a global shortage of more than 2.8 million operators by 2030.

Given this scenario, Canacar launched an English language training program aimed at operators, transporters and their families.

The tool is available online and can be used on mobile devices. According to Ramos, the goal is to strengthen the language skills of operators involved in cross-border operations and reduce the risk of further disruptions stemming from regulatory requirements in the United States.

The agency also reported that it maintains a close relationship with the ATA to monitor the evolution of this issue and obtain more accurate information on the impact that the departure of operators has had on the US market.

For now, Canacar acknowledged that one of the main challenges will be identifying how many of the operators who returned to the country have rejoined Mexican companies and how many remain outside the transport industry .

“It has been difficult to track them all down to find out if they are already working in Mexico or in some other profession,” Ramos emphasized.

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The National Energy Commission (CNE) granted a 15-year permit to the Maya Train for the transport of petroleum products by tanker truck or semi-trailer by various means, although to do so it must comply with a series of regulations applicable to this activity .

According to the permit title, this activity will be subject to the Law of the National Energy Commission (LCNE), the Law of the National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection of the Hydrocarbons Sector and its Regulations, among others.

Carlos Barreda Westphal, director of  Ferroviaria.mx , emphasized that the Tren Maya’s obtaining the permit to transport fuels is in accordance with the original project, which included a mixed rail operation for tourism and cargo, even with a connection to the Interoceanic Corridor.

“However, this does not mean that the state-owned company will begin operating these transfers in the short term, as it will first be necessary to comply with a large catalog of official regulations that apply to this very specific activity. These range from the most recent regulations on the use of geolocation devices and QR codes on tank trucks, to operational safety, the handling, operation, and functionality of all cargo-hauling equipment, as well as those related to the handling of hazardous materials, emergency response protocols, and more,” he explained.

The document specifies that, among other things, it must designate operators who meet the characteristics and technical requirements necessary to operate the vehicles, contract and maintain valid insurance against damages, transport the authorized products, to mention a few.

Barreda Westphal considered that the incorporation of this mode of transport will bring important economic benefits not only for the railway “which truly needs them, but also for the southeast of the country.”

“Specialized jobs will once again be created in the region due to the very nature of its operation. It will surely attract national and foreign investment specializing in logistics, and will also reduce tanker truck traffic on the main routes longer than 200 kilometers (km). However, the biggest challenge will be consolidating a safe operation combined with passenger transport service along the 1,500 km of the Mayan circuit,” he said.

It is worth remembering that in 2025, the federal government started the works for the construction of the freight infrastructure of the Maya Train through the Felipe Ángeles Engineering Group of the Ministry of National Defense .

This project includes 10 cargo complexes with five intermodal terminals: Poxilá, Progreso, Cancún, Palenque and Chetumal, four operations yards and a fuel spur interconnected through the 1,553 km of railway already built.

The first phase of the works includes the construction of the intermodal terminals of Poxilá and Progreso, Cancún and Palenque, as well as the construction and rehabilitation of a railway bypass and two branches between Mérida and Progreso, of 70 km of railway tracks, of which 40 km will be new construction and 30 km of rehabilitated tracks.

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