GUADALAJARA, JALISCO – For years, some in the trucking industry believed that European tractor-trailers would struggle to gain traction amidst the inertia of Mexican highways. Alejandro Mondragón, president and CEO of Scania Mexico, recalled this sentiment amid anecdotes and reflections, suggesting it was too risky to change the course of a fleet and opt for a different configuration in a market accustomed to following the same path .

Seven years later, that decision, which many considered too risky, ended up becoming a fleet of 500 trucks traveling Mexican highways . What began amidst doubts about European tractor-trailers, incredulous comments, and resistance within the industry itself, is now moving forward with 132 new trucks (32 R420 units and 100 R460 units) incorporated into the Autotransportes Pilot operation .

All of this is happening at one of the most challenging times for the industry. According to the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA) , between January and April 2026, retail sales of heavy vehicles fell by 28.88% compared to the same period in 2025, while the cargo segment declined by 28.34% and tractor-trailers by 30.27%, reflecting an environment where sustaining investments and renewing fleets has become increasingly difficult. Even so, Scania and Pilot continue to focus on the growth of their operations and the incorporation of new technologies.

In Guadalajara, Jalisco, the delivery of the 500th unit was a reunion of those who have shared the road for years. Amid hugs, jokes, reminiscing, and references to the crises they faced together, executives and employees from both companies spoke of long nights in workshops, operators learning different technologies, and technical teams solving problems on the fly to sustain an operation that grew practically against the current.

“500 units is no small feat. We don’t get here by chance, we get here by choice,” Mondragón said.

He recalled that when the automaker resumed its commitment to the cargo segment in Mexico, there was still doubt that European tractor-trailers wouldn’t find a place in the national market. But seven years later, the story took a different turn.

What began as a disruptive venture ended up building one of Scania’s strongest business relationships in the country. An alliance that grew in volume, infrastructure, maintenance, technical support, and technologies focused on safety and operational efficiency.

But behind the number 500, the executives insisted, what is truly important is not the numbers.

“500 is a great responsibility,” said Roberto García, founding partner of Autotransportes Pilot.

He explained that behind every tractor-trailer there is much more than just a moving asset. There are drivers spending entire days on the road, workshops working through the night, routes that must be followed, and entire supply chains depending on a single unit arriving on time.

“It doesn’t impact one truck. It doesn’t impact two companies. It impacts a product not arriving, a supermarket not being stocked, or a production line failing,” he commented.

In a context marked by road insecurity , operational pressure and greater demands on fleets, Pilot assured that safety remains one of the most important pillars of its strategy.

Arturo Sánchez, founding partner of Autotransportes Pilot , recalled that from the beginning they were looking for an ally that not only offered units, but also technical support, training and technologies capable of protecting the operator on the road.

“Pilot, now more than ever, is still Scania and we are going strong with Scania and we will continue to invest alongside the brand,” he stated.

Part of that strategy operates through the Customer Workshop Service (CWS) model , with specialized Scania personnel working within Pilot’s facilities to streamline maintenance, strengthen operational planning and increase unit availability.

Technology thus became another pillar of this relationship. Roberto García pointed out that the new units integrate systems focused on strengthening road safety , reducing risks on the highway, and providing greater protection for operators.

In parallel, both companies maintain a long-term vision focused on sustainability . Pilot confirmed that it is working on a project to develop a fleet with lower emissions using technologies such as natural gas, a strategy that is part of its plans for the coming years.

What seven years ago seemed like just a test now points towards a new goal.

The celebration of the 500th unit ended up becoming something more profound than a truck delivery. It was, in reality, a snapshot of everything that happens behind the scenes of an operation that rarely stops: the people, the difficult decisions, the early mornings, the miles, and the trust needed to keep moving forward despite any challenges.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Karina Quintero /  @GrupoT21

El cargo Scania Mexico and Pilot strengthen alliance with delivery of 500th unit apareció primero en T21.

On the morning of Sunday, February 22, 2026, the National Intelligence Center and the Attorney General’s Office (FEMDO) , along with Special Forces of the Mexican Army, planned and executed an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, to arrest Ruben “N” (a) Mencho, the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena) reported in its afternoon information card .

It was later revealed that the man known as “El Mencho,” leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, had been killed.

Following this situation, groups associated with this criminal organization carried out various acts of violence, primarily focused on the states of Jalisco, Colima, Morelia, and Nayarit. Later that evening, the National Guard (GN)  reported 252 road blockades across 20 states.

This morning, Capufe reported no incidents related to these blockades on its X account. Meanwhile, the National Guard also reported no vehicle fires , although its last report was at 7:26 pm this Sunday.

In response to this situation, yesterday, Sunday, the trucking and logistics sector began issuing information to protect the lives of its employees and prevent further damage to its infrastructure.

In the images shared by the authorities and in various media outlets, units from various transport companies were seen that were used to carry out blockades (narco-blockades) in the 20 aforementioned entities, where many of these units were set on fire.

In response, transport companies such as Autotransportes Pilot , Transportes Innovativos , Transmontes , Transportes Monroy Schiavon (TMS) , Transportes Industriales Unidos (TIUSA) , Grupo Flecha Amarilla; among others, announced through their social networks that they were pausing operations to avoid traveling on highway sections that were being taken over by members affiliated with the CJNG, thus affecting drivers and vehicles.

In her morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum reported that there are no road blockades at the moment.

Focus on the port of Manzanillo

Due to the CJNG’s area of ​​influence, the port of Manzanillo was the most affected , and although around 2 p.m. this Sunday a message was released by Asipona Manzanillo , “requesting all terminals and users of the port to remain on alert within their facilities and reinforce all necessary measures to safeguard the integrity of their personnel.”

Later, around 3:28 p.m., Asipona Manzanillo itself issued a statement emphasizing that the port continued to operate regularly and there was no suspension of port activities or partial closures.

However, several terminals operating in this port, such as SSA Marine Mexico and Hutchison Ports TIMSA, announced that their operations would resume on Monday, February 23, at 8:00 a.m., with the goal of safeguarding their workers and facilities. As for the Contecon terminal in the same port, it reported that operations were continuing as directed by ASIPONA.

The Mexican Navy (Semar) indicated that in the case of the Manzanillo customs office – the second busiest and highest revenue-generating in the country – its closure does not imply a general closure of the port, since other areas of the customs facility were operational.

“In order to guarantee the safety of workers and facilities, all access points to the port have been reinforced, drone teams have been deployed for surveillance, and smaller vessels have been stationed in San Pedrito to control vessel traffic in the docks. Supervisory patrols are being carried out throughout the port area,” the Navy stated in a press release.

The Confederation of Associations of Customs Agents of the Mexican Republic (CAAAREM) recommended that its members “stay attentive to official notices and coordinate with their teams and clients.”

Puerto Vallarta, the most affected airport

Regarding the airports in the most affected area: Jalisco and Nayarit, the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) reported this Sunday that the airports of Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Tepic were operating normally.

However, airlines reported canceling operations to and from Puerto Vallarta airport, such as Volaris , while Viva reported canceling flights between this tourist destination and Monterrey and Toluca. Air Canada also reported canceling flights to this destination.

Aeromexico, for its part, reported that it canceled all its flights scheduled for February 22 to Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo and Tepic, and therefore implemented its passenger protection policy.

Code red

In Skyangel ‘s Red Code Special Report , the situation is described as a pressure tactic by the CJNG towards the State, affecting mobility and generating chaos in the country.

Skyangel’s analysis identified critical areas such as the west (Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán, Nayarit and Guanajuato), the epicenter of the situation; and the north/northeast, which is the border risk involving the states of Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Baja California and Nuevo León.

In the central-southern/southeastern region, the states of Guerrero, Puebla, Veracruz, and Quintana Roo were identified.
The logistics corridors most affected were those from Mexico City westward, the Pacific ports (Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta), and the northern border (Tamaulipas and Nuevo León).

Skyangel reported that the tense situation could be prolonged due to the criminal group’s reaction activities; real-time route reconfiguration is recommended, suggesting suspending sections with active reports. For this , official communications from Sedena, GN, and private sources should be monitored.

It is also suggested to reduce or postpone travel to the most affected areas: Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán and Tamaulipas.

Skyangel believes it is essential to coordinate with clients and suppliers to activate force majeure clauses when necessary, as well as to establish security protocols.

Businesses at risk

Although there are still no estimates of the economic losses caused by the road blockades in some states of the country, such as Jalisco, Michoacán, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, Oaxaca, Baja California, Guanajuato and others, the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco-Servytur)  asked the business sector to verify the status of roads and logistics routes before making transfers.

He also recommended activating internal operational continuity protocols and preventive adjustments, as well as maintaining communication with their local chamber to channel incidents and receive verified information.

In a statement, the agency indicated that it activated coordination with federal and state security authorities, and with local chambers of commerce to protect the population and provide certainty to commerce and tourism.

In the affected areas, there are more than 80 chambers of commerce, services and tourism, which maintain active and permanent communication for the exchange of information and timely assistance to companies and family businesses.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn: @Evangelina del Toro / @Humberto Cruz Moya / @Enrique Duarte Rionda / @Didier Ramírez Torres / @GrupoT21

El cargo Logistics as “collateral damage” in the operation against “El Mencho”; trucking as a focus for road apareció primero en T21.