By Humberto Cruz and Alberto Milo

The 2027 Federal Expenditure Budget Project (PPEF) proposes a net expenditure of 10.6 trillion pesos , with an amount of  167 billion 075 million pesos (mdp) for the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) , and 81 billion 223 million pesos for the Ministry of the Navy (Semar) , with which the federal government maintains its commitment to the development of logistics infrastructure; however, when analyzing the same periods of six-year terms prior to that of President Claudia Sheinbaum (2021, 2015 and 2009), discrepancies emerge that impact the sector.

Although the amount represents a real increase of 5.4% compared to 2026, its growth is less than that observed in comparable exercises of past six-year terms: in 2021, in the administration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Branch 09 of the SICT (corresponding to infrastructure, communications and transport) increased 2.8%; in 2015, when the federal Executive was in charge of Enrique Peña Nieto, it increased 6.2% ; and in 2009, during the six-year term of Felipe Calderón, it grew 24.4 percent .

The percentage allocated to the Integrated Transportation and Communications System (SICT) also changed within federal spending. The proposed 167.075 billion pesos represent 1.57% of total net spending in 2027. In 2021, when public spending was recalibrated due to the COVID-19 pandemic and priority projects, the proportion was 0.89% of total federal spending (6.29 trillion pesos). The increase for 2027 reflects an expansion in sectoral allocations driven by the resumption and integration of the passenger and freight rail network, specifically for the Maya Train and the Interoceanic Corridor .

In 2015, the Federal Expenditure Budget was 4.71 trillion pesos. In percentage terms, the road and communications budget represented approximately 2.5% of total federal spending; whereas in 2009, the total federal budget slightly exceeded 3.4 trillion pesos, with infrastructure accounting for more than 2.2% of total spending.

In comparison, although the agency’s budget reaches a nominal maximum in 2027, its relative share of the federal budget is below that observed in the fiscal years 2009 and 2015.

The budget also reflects a shift in priorities. By 2027, the federal government plans to allocate 150,875.6 million pesos to the construction and commissioning of railway projects, while 24,121.2 million pesos are earmarked for highways and roads , in addition to 3,598.8 million pesos for bridges and interchanges.

These last two items represent 16.6% of the SICT’s budget . In total, road and highway infrastructure absorbs a small fraction of the agency’s more than 167 billion pesos, with a greater allocation directed towards the railway sector.

This budget imbalance becomes significant when considering that 85% of goods nationwide and over 90% of passengers travel on the federal road network . Allocating just over 27.7 billion pesos to roads, highways, and bridges, compared to the budget for trains, demonstrates the prioritization of modernization and new projects in the Mexican rail sector over the maintenance of the federal highway network.

For users and transport companies facing rising fuel costs, coupled with risks of accidents and insecurity on the roads, the allocated amount is limited compared to the operational demands of the country’s supply chains.

Marina gains weight

Another significant movement appears in the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) , which would have 81,223 million pesos in 2027. The amount represents an increase of 19.4% compared to 2026 and is equivalent to 0.76% of net federal spending.

The historical comparison shows a significant expansion. In 2021, the Navy received 35,476.7 million pesos, equivalent to 0.56% of federal spending; in 2015 it was 27,025.5 million pesos, or 0.58% of spending; and in 2009 it totaled 16,059.3 million pesos, 0.53% of the budget.

The proposed budget for 2027 is 2.3 times that of 2021 and more than five times that of 2009. However, the comparison must take into account that the responsibilities of the Navy have expanded, particularly in port and customs matters.

Physical infrastructure

The 2027 Economic Package proposes that physical investment —railway infrastructure, highways, hydraulic works, energy and other items— will increase 3.5% annually, equivalent to 2.6% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) .

In 2021, federal physical investment contracted and was concentrated on megaprojects such as the Dos Bocas refinery, the Maya Train and the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) , leaving little room for conventional public works in states and municipalities, with public investment levels that hovered around just 2.5% of GDP.

In 2015, physical investment was marked by the push for large public-private partnership projects and toll highways, at a time when public investment as a proportion of GDP reached levels close to 3.5% or 4%, although heavily dependent on oil revenues.

In 2009, in response to the global recession, the federal government activated countercyclical funds focused on public works projects, including highways and hydraulic infrastructure, temporarily increasing physical investment as a proportion of GDP to mitigate unemployment and boost the domestic economy.

When comparing the performance of physical investment in infrastructure against the recommendations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) , Mexico faces a structural lag.

While international organizations and studies by the International Transport Forum (ITF-OECD) suggest that emerging economies maintain sustained infrastructure investment of between 4% and 5% of their GDP to close competitiveness gaps, reduce logistics costs and adequately support the flows derived from nearshoring (relocation of production lines), Mexico has historically remained in a range of public investment between 2% and 3% of GDP.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Humberto Cruz Moya  / @Alberto Milo / @GrupoT21

El cargo Positive figures in the Expenditure Budget contrast sharply with previous six-year terms. apareció primero en T21.

MAJALCA, CHIH.- A network of safe rest stops is not built overnight; between identifying the corridor, defining the point, developing the project, coordinating authorities and investors and finally putting it into operation, months, even years, can pass.

The first Safe Rest Stop with Integrated Services , inaugurated in this city in northern Mexico, allows us to understand part of that process. Carlos Aguirre Quiroga, B2B director of OXXO Gas , explained to T21 that there was prior work to analyze the highways and roads before determining where to develop the project and that, once the decision was made, it took about two years of work with the authorities until its realization.

The facility also did not begin operating with all its services simultaneously. Different commercial partners gradually joined the complex starting in January, a process that continued over the following months until its official opening in August.

The precedent gains relevance after the federal government announced 15 safe rest stops as part of the actions recently presented for road safety, including the C4 Highway.

A need that goes beyond the announced projects

The scale of the need had already been recognized by the sector itself. Last April, during a press conference attended by T21, the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) indicated that it had identified approximately 1,400 rest stops across the country , although there was no certainty as to how many of them actually met the conditions to be considered safe and comprehensive.

The organization also estimated a need for more than two thousand such spaces to serve the trucking industry in the country.

The problem isn’t limited to finding parking. According to information presented at the time by Canacar, 50% of cargo thefts occurred when drivers took breaks to attend to basic needs, such as eating or resting.

This data adds another dimension to the announced infrastructure: while the federal government is initially considering 15 new safe rest stops, the sector has raised a need that numbers in the thousands and, moreover, recognizes that not even all the spaces currently identified offer certainty about their safety conditions.

From the advertisement to the road

Tania Carro Toledo, Undersecretary of Communications and Transportation of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) , reported that, through the General Directorate of Federal Motor Transport , the agency has authorization to continue with the preparation of the executive project of nine other rest stops , while five additional ones remain under review .

This means that, in addition to the complex already operating in Chihuahua, the other 14 sites under consideration are still going through stages prior to their commissioning .

The expectation of dependency, however, does not end with those first 15.

“This is just the beginning for us. The reality is that we are already making commitments to all investors so that there will be many more,” Carro Toledo stated.

The official called on concession holders, investors, and decision-makers to participate in the development of this infrastructure. She also noted that a notice promoting investment in the construction and expansion of rest stops was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on July 18 .

Another 14 are still in process

While the first rest stop has already entered operation, the information provided by the SICT shows different levels of progress for the remaining ones: nine must continue with the preparation of their executive project and five are still under review.

For Alex Theissen, president of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Private Transport (ANTP) , the development of this infrastructure must reach the country’s strategic corridors, so he called for maintaining coordination between authorities and private initiative.

“Our expectation is that this rest stop will be a benchmark and that this effort will continue to spread to the other strategic corridors of the country,” he said.

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

El cargo Safe rest stops: the challenge is not advertising them, but getting them to the road apareció primero en T21.

The saturation of the port of Manzanillo and the expansion work on the highway towards Colima are putting pressure on freight transport, generating congestion, longer travel times and additional costs for companies that depend on Mexico’s main commercial port, according to Yax Tzel Nolasco Gómez, president of the Manzanillo Freight Transporters Union (UTCM) .

According to UTCM , the combination of both factors has complicated the daily operations of carriers and is beginning to affect the entire logistics chain , from operators to importers and exporters.

“Today the port is experiencing considerable saturation, which has caused the collapse of each and every road leading to and from the port, as well as its entrance,” Nolasco noted.

He explained that congestion at the entrances forces cargo units to wait longer to enter or leave the port area, which increases operating costs and reduces the efficiency of freight transport.

Adding to this situation are the ongoing road widening works on the Manzanillo-Colima highway . According to Nolasco Gómez, one section has been under construction for over three and a half years without completion, while another recently began; however, both continue to cause problems due to a lack of signage, traffic coordination, and a more efficient response to congestion, particularly in the section known as La Salada .

The leader warned that these factors ultimately affect the country’s logistical competitiveness , as it is the port with the highest volume of containerized cargo in Mexico.

“We must not forget that, of every 10 containers that transit through the country, four enter through Manzanillo,” he stated, noting that any delay in this corridor affects the supply of goods for various productive sectors.

The disruptions to freight transport are occurring within a context of sustained growth in port activity. According to the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo , between January and June of this year, the port handled 15.5 million tons of commercial cargo , a 4.9% increase compared to the same period in 2015. If total cargo is considered, including the movement of petroleum products, the volume reached 16.3 million tons , 5.5% more than last year.

This increase represents greater demand for the land infrastructure connecting the port to the rest of the country . During the same period, TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) traffic reached 2.07 million , 9.9% higher than in the same period of 2025, while vessel arrivals grew by 8.7% . These indicators imply a greater flow of goods and, consequently, increased traffic of freight trucks accessing the port area.

Regarding the surveillance of the corridor, he clarified that the problem is not the absence of the National Guard , but rather that the operational capacity is insufficient to handle the flow of vehicles that travel daily on the federal highway.

“Yes, there is a National Guard presence; the problem is that it’s not enough. We need more patrols and more support in terms of patrols,” he commented. He added that around eight thousand vehicles travel along this corridor daily , so he considered it necessary to strengthen the presence of authorities to respond more quickly to incidents and reduce disruptions to freight transport.

The need to strengthen coordination between authorities and stakeholders in the port community was also reflected in a document released by UTCM, in which the Manzanillo Customs Directorate proposes actions to address the congestion at the port’s entrances. According to information shared by the organization, these requested measures would involve the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo , whose director general also chairs the Manzanillo Port Community (Copoma) .

According to UTCM, until the pending infrastructure is completed and measures are implemented to expedite access to the port, freight transport will continue to face delays that impact logistics competitiveness and Mexican foreign trade.

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

El cargo At the limit! Port congestion and road construction are putting pressure on freight transport in Manzanillo apareció primero en T21.

SAN JUAN DEL RÍO, QRO.– “There’s no money.” This was the unequivocal admission made by the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) during the 9th National Road Safety Congress held this week.

The ruling, made by Juan Manuel Mares Reyes , executive director of Technical Development at SICT, highlighted the fragility of the Mexican highway network, where solutions seem to be reduced to preserving what exists and appealing to the shared responsibility of users.

“We don’t have the money to expand them. We don’t have the money to build alternative routes, but the participation of freight transporters is very important. On these 12-meter-high roads, please don’t invade us and don’t convert them to four lanes. They’re causing a lot of loss of life. This isn’t a complaint, it’s a favor ,” Mares said.

A contrast between the lack of public resources and the demands of the sector. When asked by T21 what technical criteria are used to prioritize investments, Mares explained that the SICT conducts surveys of the road network every year.

The statement ultimately confirmed the paradox:  the institution charged with providing solutions said it has no money and can only manage the deteriorated infrastructure instead of transforming it.

The words resonated throughout the room. Salvador Saavedra, president of the Automotive Industry Sector and technical director of Entorno Industrial , took the floor to point out the obvious: concessioned highways like the Arco Norte have serious flaws (cracks and repairs in the asphalt where concrete should be used), rendering them nearly impassable despite the high tolls.

He also requested clarity regarding the application of NOM-033-SCT-2-2023 , which, starting next November, will require crossings at toll booths to be limited to no more than three minutes.

Mares responded that the protocol is still being worked on, although he defended the rule as “a major step.”

Figures that reveal the scale of the challenge

During the panel, SICT specialists shared data that shed light on the state of the road network and road safety in Mexico:

• The federal highway network comprises 52,000 kilometers (km) ; of these, nearly 11,000 km are toll roads.
• The main highway system includes 15 trunk corridors covering nearly 19,500 km .
• Around 60% of freight and 93.7% of passengers travel on these routes .
• Since approximately 2000, there have been more than 500,000 accidents and nearly 90,000 deaths in the country.
• Globally, the first decade of road safety action (2011-2020) accounted for 1.35 million deaths per year and between 40 and 50 million people injured .

The contrast was provided by Enrique González , of Grupo Valloran/Meta , who showed corridors equipped with fiber optics, control centers, and safe stops free of charge for operators.

Meanwhile, the National Guard , through Lieutenant Colonel Diego Damián Torres Martínez , head of the Balam Command and Control Center, stressed that accidents continue to be recurrent and that seatbelt and speed reduction operations are barely enough to contain a structural problem.

The panel made it clear that infrastructure is the weak link in road safety. Without resources for expansion and modernization, roads will continue to suffer from a backlog that translates into accidents, lost lives, and costs for road users.

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El cargo There’s no money to expand roads in Mexico: SICT apareció primero en T21.

The Fourth Transformation has generated an environment of chiaroscuro for the freight motor transport sector and the heavy vehicle production industry . The administration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, which ends on October 1, leaves more than pending issues and it is expected that they will be taken up by the incoming federal government, led by the elected president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.

During these last six years, the sale, production and export of commercial vehicles has progressively broken records, breaking the barrier of 55 thousand units sold in 2023 , while more than 222 thousand units were manufactured and in terms of export reached 177 thousand.

In the opinion of Alejandro Osorio, director of Public Affairs and Communication of the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor Producers (ANPACT) , the industry continues to be a world power in production and export, however, it is necessary to take actions necessary to preserve this place.

Although progress was observed such as the publication of the General Law of Mobility and Road Safety, it is necessary to continue addressing long-standing problems such as the renewal of the vehicle fleet with the help of financial instruments and tax incentives, promoting the decarbonization of transportation and the generation of renewable energy.

Likewise, generate reliable databases on the status of the fleet and maintain the conditions for attracting investments with legal certainty and accurate public policies, within a framework of the rule of law. Likewise, strengthen and facilitate foreign trade by streamlining customs procedures and having the necessary infrastructure to avoid bottlenecks.

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El cargo Fourth Transformation, “Foggy Zone” for Freight Transport apareció primero en T21.