Challenges? Many! Do you want to overcome them? More. Transportes Kugar del Papaloapan has projected a 30 to 40% growth in its vehicle fleet for the next five years and diversification into markets such as beer, containerized and specialized cargo.

In an interview with T21, Alfonso Tuccella, CEO, and José Roberto García Zavala, Commercial Director of the company, talked about some of the challenges they have faced and their future goals . Kugar (number 42 in the Top 100 of Autotransporte® ) also has a total fleet of 1,444 units.

“Obviously we want to explore all the new technologies that the market has. We have recently tested gas cars and also electric cars,” said García Zavala.

Both highlighted the company’s efforts in training operators , through its internal school and the use of advanced simulators, given the shortage of professional drivers in the sector.

However, they acknowledged that high turnover, which reaches 40%, makes it difficult to meet demand.

In terms of sustainability, Tuccella highlighted the installation of solar panels , waste recycling and certification as a clean industry, as well as the expansion of its infrastructure.

“We have invested a lot more in the northern part of the country. We are expanding towards the north and of course there are also talks of entering the United States market,” said Tuccella.

Challenges that remain in the sector

Insecurity in transportation and the critical conditions of road infrastructure in the center and southeast of the country marked the main challenges for Kugar in 2024. According to Alfonso Tuccella, the central and southeastern areas of the country continue to have very high rates of robberies .

“We have lost units and had to implement an internal convoy program, sending five or six trucks together and restricting operating hours. This impacts productivity,” he explained.

In addition, José Roberto García highlighted the lack of maintenance on key routes . “We are seeing that investment in repairing the road network has been minimal or non-existent in 2024. It has hit us very hard,” García commented.

Another challenge they faced in 2024 and that still persists is the lack of spare parts and inflation in truck and maintenance costs.

“The price of a new tractor-trailer has doubled in three years, and the time to obtain spare parts has been extended to three weeks, which halts operations,” said Tuccella.

Despite the difficulties, however, Tuccella stressed that its personalized service is one of the company’s strengths.

“We make tailor-made suits, it is not really a general service, it is a very precise service tailored to what they are looking for. We have world-class clients, where the demands are very high,” said Tuccella.

Finally, Kugar representatives agreed that the company will always be committed to innovation, sustainability and expansion to consolidate its position as a benchmark in the logistics sector.

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The shortage of freight drivers is a growing problem that not only affects Latin America, but also threatens economic stability globally. In light of this, specialists discussed the causes and possible solutions to mitigate this crisis , which is expected to intensify in the coming years.

For specialists, the situation in Mexico is alarming.  Augusto Ramos, general secretary of the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (Canacar) and vice president of RAME Autotransportes , explained that 74% of transportation companies face difficulties in filling driver vacancies .

“In Mexico today there are 56 thousand vehicles stopped due to lack of drivers, the United States still surpasses us with 64 thousand vacancies,” explained Ramos in the framework of the international round table organized by the World Organization of Cities and Logistics Platforms (OMCPL) .

He said that in 2028 the number will increase. “Mexico will jump from 56,000 to 106,000 in three years. The United States will jump to 125,000 vacancies for drivers,” said Ramos, who also indicated that one of the main factors contributing to this shortage is the mass retirement of drivers .

“Many of today’s drivers are retiring and the younger generation is not interested in following this path,” he said.

Generational inheritance, where children follow in their parents’ footsteps as drivers, is also declining.

“Nowadays, many young people prefer university courses and do not opt ​​for a profession that they consider lonely and dangerous,” Ramos said.

Furthermore, the legal migration of drivers to the United States further aggravates the situation.

“Mexican drivers move to work in the United States, where they earn more than twice as much as in Mexico and have better working conditions,” Ramos said.

Spain and Europe, a similar panorama

The drivers crisis is not exclusive to Mexico. In Europe, the situation is equally serious. Nuria Lacaci, general secretary of the Association of Shippers of Spain (ACE) , highlighted that in Europe 500 thousand drivers are needed, and in Spain, more than 30 thousand professional drivers .

“The average age of European drivers is 55, and in the next 10 years, seven out of 10 drivers will retire,” Lacaci warned.

Lack of work-life balance is one of the main reasons for the shortage of drivers. “Drivers have to spend long periods away from home, which makes family life difficult,” said Lacaci.

In addition, working conditions are not the best on that side of the world. “ Long waits at loading and unloading centres , lack of trained personnel and lack of adequate facilities for drivers to rest are problems that seriously affect the profession,” said the specialist.

Lacaci also mentioned the “ invisibility of drivers ,” which contributes to the lack of recognition of their work and the precarious conditions in which they operate.

“It is essential to dignify the profession and improve working conditions to attract new generations,” he concluded.

The experts agreed that the drivers’ crisis is not a phenomenon isolated to a specific region; it is a global reality that requires coordinated and long-term solutions.

In both Mexico and Europe, the lack of effective public policies, the lack of adequate infrastructure and poor working conditions are common factors affecting the transport industry.

“The profession of freight and passenger drivers has been very poorly regarded, and this is true worldwide, not just in Mexico. Bringing more and more women into our sector has helped to completely change that perception. Dignifying the profession also means getting closer to the authorities, to the municipal police in the states throughout the country, to ensure safety,” said Ramos.

By 2028, the driver shortage is expected to become more acute , potentially jeopardizing global supply chains . Specialists say it is imperative that governments, companies and associations work together to ensure that there are enough trained and motivated drivers to keep freight transport running.

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In the most recent study on operator shortages by the International Road Transport Union (IRU), Mexico is the region where companies face the most significant challenges in recruiting operators. Nearly 74% of them experience severe or very severe situations, compared to 62% in Europe and 65% in Russia.

In Europe, measures are being implemented to comprehensively address the operator shortage issue. This includes the European standard for safe rest areas, aimed at providing favorable conditions for truck operators.

Another approach involves collaboration with shippers to create favorable conditions for operators at their facilities or during loading and unloading activities.

“The issue of infrastructure, in general, is crucial for addressing operator shortages. Globally, there are measures that could be emulated in Mexico as a way to tackle the challenges we face,” commented Martin Rojas, IRU’s Principal Advisor for the Americas.

Rojas also noted that meetings were held with Mexico’s Directorate General of Federal Road Transport (DGAF) to discuss rest areas and how they are categorized based on the services provided to operators. This could be a factor in addressing the generation and retention of this workforce.

“The main problem faced in operator shortages is with long-haul operators, so infrastructure needs to be addressed,” he added.

Additionally, at its upcoming June assembly, the IRU will address the possibility of incorporating non-European Union operators, such as migrants, into the workforce of those countries. This is seen as a way to address the global operator shortage issue.

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