The implementation of new regulations for the transport and distribution of fuels and high-risk goods has brought the need to strengthen traceability and control of vehicles to the forefront of the debate. These measures include vehicle marking , the implementation of GPS tracking systems , and the use of QR codes to identify registered vehicles with valid permits, in an effort to improve oversight and safety in operations.

The emerging regulations NOM-EM-006-ASEA-2025 and NOM-EM-007-ASEA-2025 , issued by the Agency for Safety, Energy and the Environment (ASEA) , establish the mandatory nature of these identification and monitoring mechanisms. However, in an environment where thefts and accidents occur in a matter of seconds, the challenge for companies is not limited to regulatory compliance, but also to having the capabilities to react immediately to an incident.

In this context, some companies have chosen to turn regulatory obligations into a catalyst for operational transformation. Such is the case of FREJI Transportación Especializada , which anticipated regulatory compliance by fully digitizing its operations through the Samsara® Connected Operations Platform .

As a success story, with the application of these solutions, prior to the technological adoption, the company faced limitations in its ability to react to theft and accidents, which increased operational and financial risks, as well as compromising the safety of its operators. This was compounded by slow maintenance and administrative processes , resulting from operations with poor real-time visibility.

The implementation of advanced telemetry , dashboard cameras with artificial intelligence (AI), connected workflows, and asset tracking made it possible to change this scenario.

According to the company, digitizing its fleet resulted in an 87% reduction in accidents , an 85% decrease in vehicle theft, and a 95% improvement in incident response times. Furthermore, integrating cameras into more than 250 vehicles contributed to a 40% increase in driver performance.

Beyond the numbers, the adoption of the platform strengthened FREJI ‘s prevention culture by increasing real-time visibility and streamlining critical maintenance and administrative control processes, in a context of greater regulatory and operational demands.

“The digital transformation we have undertaken with Samsara has resulted in greater protection for our operators and fleets, improved operational efficiency, faster decision-making, and lower costs. We are convinced that technological innovation is the path to safer and more sustainable transportation,” stated Carlos Rábago, Project Director at FREJI Specialized Transportation.

With more than 250 operational units , the FREJI case illustrates that regulatory compliance in beacons, GPS and QR codes needs to be accompanied by operational capabilities that allow real-time visibility and immediate response to incidents.

What the regulations require and what the sector faces

In practice, the provisions published in the Official Gazette of the Federation have broadened the scope of vehicle marking beyond a purely visual measure. According to the guidelines issued by the National Energy Commission (CNE) , vehicles transporting and distributing petroleum products, gas, and petrochemicals must incorporate markings that meet durability and visibility criteria, active and certified GPS systems with real-time transmission, and QR codes issued by the authority to identify valid permits, authorized routes, and the legal origin of the products.

This scheme also incorporates digital monitoring tools such as the SIRACP system , which will allow authorities to access complete information on the units, while citizens will have partial access to the data.

The omission, manipulation, or deactivation of the GPS is considered a serious offense, and operating records must be kept for at least 12 months, which increases the operational and administrative responsibility of the permit holders, in accordance with the guidelines published by the CNE.

For the sector, the challenge is significant. Specialists and industry stakeholders have pointed out that, while markings can facilitate the identification of vehicles, their effectiveness against highway crime is limited when robberies occur in a matter of seconds and under increasingly violent methods.

In this context, several companies have chosen to complement regulatory compliance with monitoring technologies , reaction protocols and risk management schemes that allow them to act during the event, and not only after the crime has been committed.

Thus, compliance with the new regulations has begun to take shape not only as a regulatory exercise, but as a strategic decision that forces companies to review their technological capabilities , their monitoring processes and the way they manage the safety of their operators and assets on the road.

With information from Samsara .

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The land transportation of hydrocarbons faces a complex situation, with the entry into force of new regulations (beaconing rules, QR codes, and the Hydrocarbons Law regulations), which have imposed an additional burden on companies that transport fuels in Mexico, according to specialists.

During the panel “Impacts of the new regulatory framework on fuel transportation and storage ,” held at the Midstream Forum Mexico 2025 , organized by Grupo T21 ( Energy21 and T21 ), participants agreed that these provisions result in higher costs, duplicate procedures and a climate of regulatory uncertainty.

In this regard, Marcial Díaz Ibarra, president of the Association of Energy Sector Regulated Companies (ARSE) , warned that this overregulation “far from helping, is hindering daily life,” and noted that fuel transportation in Mexico—a high-demand, high-risk activity—requires clear rules that are also viable for the companies that support it.

According to the panelists, the implementation of QR codes  to strengthen traceability and control of fuel transportation entailed additional costs ranging from three thousand to ten thousand pesos per unit, in addition to the need to re-register vehicles with the National Energy Commission (CNE) .

This process revealed delays, creating a new source of risk for transporters, according to Alicia Zazueta, CEO of Eservices , who noted that many business owners “discovered that not all of their units were authorized by the authority, despite operating for years,” so she urged a review of current permits and registrations on the platform of the former Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE).

Adding to this is the confusion among authorities . Arrests by state and municipal agencies—without federal jurisdiction—have become a source of extortion and uncertainty. “The most serious thing isn’t the fine, but being linked to the illicit origin of the hydrocarbons,” the panelists explained.

The “man-truck” challenge

Compliance with the new regulations hits small transporters particularly hard.

“If large companies struggle to stop their vehicles to mark them, imagine the truck driver who makes two trips a day,” said Fabiola Tomasini, senior partner at GMB Abogados .

Added to this are civil and environmental liability policies that can exceed 10,000 pesos annually, a figure difficult to absorb for those operating on minimal margins.

The operator has become the most vulnerable link in the system, explained Sayonara Jarillo, an independent consultant, who warned that “many do not know how to defend themselves during an inspection or arrest, which worsens the situation.”

He proposed strengthening legal training for operators, since “on the road, ignorance can lead not only to a fine, but also to a serious charge.” In an environment where road safety and inspections are constant, training becomes a survival tool.

Among the new regulatory tools is the SIRACP platform , which will require companies to manually record information on operators, units, and products transported.

Omar Camacho, General Manager of Motive Mexico , believes the challenge will be twofold: administrative burden and data security.

“The authority will have real-time mapping of all units that transport oil products. If this information falls into the wrong hands, the consequences would be serious,” he noted, emphasizing the need to ensure the cybersecurity of the CNE’s systems.

Despite the adverse context, the panelists agreed that these provisions could represent an opportunity to professionalize the sector .

“The fuel market is becoming more formal; there will be opportunities, but they won’t be for everyone; they will only be for those who are able to comply with the regulations,” Díaz Ibarra emphasized.

He acknowledged that dialogue with the authorities will be key to adjusting the guidelines and preventing regulations from hindering the competitiveness of land-based hydrocarbon transportation.

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