The semi-trailer market in Mexico began 2026 with Fruehauf as the manufacturer with the largest share during the first quarter of the year, concentrating 10.68% of the national market, according to results of the study by the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) .

The company also reported a 35% share in the dry van segment , one of the main types of equipment used in freight transport for moving goods in the country.

In a context of increasing competition for trailer and semi-trailer manufacturers , the company attributed these results to the demand for specialized solutions for different transport operations, including dry vans, platforms, tanks, hoppers, chassis and dollies.

“Being the number one semi-trailer manufacturer in Mexico again is a source of pride and, at the same time, a great responsibility. This result reflects the trust and preference of our customers, employees, and business partners, who drive Fruehauf’s growth every day,” said Rodrigo Arcos, the company’s commercial director.

The company stated that it will continue to focus on product development and strengthening its production and service capacity to meet the needs of the transportation sector.

Fruehauf operates a manufacturing plant in Coacalco, State of Mexico, where it produces various types of equipment for cargo transport, in addition to having a facility dedicated to the manufacture of dry vans in Kentucky, United States.

The company is part of a key industry for the movement of goods and the performance of logistics chains in Mexico.

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El cargo Fruehauf maintains leadership in semi-trailers during the first quarter of 2026 apareció primero en T21.

Thirty years ago, Mexican trucking operated under different rules. The roads, the fleets, and even the understanding of efficiency were different. Along the way, International  grew within a market that today demands technology, profitability, and increasingly precise operations, while the brand asserts that it has built its evolution by listening to customers and operators throughout the country.

Three decades after its arrival in Mexico, International took advantage of its 30th anniversary to send a message to the industry; the brand’s growth is not explained solely by new products or technology, but by the ability to listen to the customer and adapt to the transformation of the trucking industry .

During a commemorative toast held with clients, distributors and collaborators, Rafael Alvarenga, President of Latin American Operations at International, stated that the company is going through a key stage for its future in the country , marked by investments, renewal of distributors and new technologies focused on operational efficiency.

“We are sowing a lot for our future, hand in hand with our collaborators, clients and distributors,” Alvarenga commented, and highlighted that the brand is now experiencing results that it had not seen “for a long time.”

During 2025, International achieved a 24% share of the Class 4 to 8 commercial vehicle market in Mexico, in addition to registering a growth of 7.4% compared to 2024.

But beyond the numbers, the executive emphasized that International’s growth in Mexico has been driven by feedback from carriers and operators . From the company’s perspective, the next stages of the business must be built ever closer to the real needs of fleets.

“The next step doesn’t come from internal ideas, it comes from the ideas and suggestions of our clients,” he said.

During the event, International also brought together its network of distributors in the country and celebrated the second edition of its “Customer Day”, a space focused on listening to trends, operational challenges and new market demands.

This evolution, explained Cristina Perkins, Director of Marketing and Customer Experience for Latin America at International, has forced the brand to transform itself in step with the needs of its customers and the changes facing the freight transport industry.

“International brands and more are evolving with customer trends, their needs, and our customers’ businesses are changing and evolving. So, we at International are changing at that pace,” he commented.

For Perkins, today the company maintains a clear priority within its strategy in the region: to put the customer, the operation and the profitability of the fleets at the center of every decision .

“Our focus is on the customer, the operation, and the profitability of our clients,” he summarized.

Amid a market that continues to face pressure from operating costs, vehicle renewal and demand for greater efficiency, International assured that it will continue to invest in innovation, modernization of dealerships and technologies geared towards fleet performance.

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El cargo International celebrates 30 years in Mexico amid a new stage of transformation apareció primero en T21.

Sales of heavy vehicles continue to show no solid recovery, while some carriers postpone renewal decisions due to economic and political uncertainty, distributors are beginning to concentrate efforts on areas such as maintenance, spare parts and field service, commented Pablo Swaine, general director of Special Trucks .

Industry figures reflect the current challenges facing the heavy vehicle market. According to the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA) , retail sales of heavy vehicles experienced a year-on-year decline of 28.8% between January and April 2026, with 10,038 units sold. Furthermore, April of this year marked the fourth consecutive month of negative growth for the sector.

For its part, the  National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor-Trailer Producers (ANPACT) reported that, during the period January-April 2026, wholesale sales decreased by 10.6%, while production fell by 22% and exports by 21.5%.

In this context, the company continues to invest in new facilities and in strengthening its after-sales operations , despite acknowledging that the market is still going through a difficult period.

“Last year we were down 37%. So far this year we’re down 16%,” Pablo Swaine noted. He acknowledged that the market is still going through a period of caution regarding fleet renewal, although he is confident that activity will improve in the coming months.

The company is currently working on the renovation of its Vallejo facilities and the image update of the Cuautitlán branch , projects that are progressing while the market for new units continues to show weakness.

According to Swaine, the environment has led many carriers to limit purchases to only the essentials and extend fleet renewal cycles .

In response, the company is primarily seeking to strengthen its after-sales business , a segment that has become increasingly important for commercial vehicle distributors.

“The only way to have a long-term relationship with the customer is if I provide good after-sales service,” he stressed.

Currently, the company operates eight mobile workshops and two roadside assistance units to perform preventive and corrective maintenance, as well as off-site repairs . In addition to the metropolitan area, its services extend to states such as Querétaro, Puebla, Hidalgo, Morelos, and the State of Mexico.

The executive explained that the customer service approach has also changed compared to previous years, when customers went directly to dealerships to resolve any service or repair issues. “Today, we come to the customer,” he stated.

The operation also incorporates telemetry and remote diagnostic tools that allow faults to be identified before reaching the unit and the necessary spare parts to be prepared in advance.

Although he acknowledged that carriers already use monitoring and security technologies, Swaine noted that there is still room to leverage them more broadly within operations.

The company’s first stage was marked by the vision of Desmond J. Swaine , who championed the development of trucking in Mexico from scratch.

Subsequently, Roberto “Bob” Swaine spearheaded the growth and professionalization of the operation, strengthening internal processes and consolidating the name within the industry.

Currently, Pablo Swaine represents the third generation at the head of the business, with a strategy focused on strengthening after-sales service, incorporating new technologies, and developing the internal work team.

When defining what it represents today, Pablo Swaine summarized the essence of the company in a single word: reputation .

“We have been building it for 70 years,” the executive said, noting that the long-term relationship with customers and the trust within the industry have been a fundamental part of the company’s history.

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El cargo Special Trucks focuses on after-sales service in the face of market uncertainty apareció primero en T21.

For years, tractor-trailers were viewed by women from below. From a sidewalk, a gas station, a bus seat, or a car window. Enormous, distant, imposing. Vehicles that seemed to belong only to men.

But something changed for eight women who decided to stop watching the cars go by and start imagining themselves behind the wheel.

The Association of Daimler Commercial Vehicles Distributors Mexico (ADAVEC) , the Comprehensive Management Center (CEDEMI),  Daimler Truck Mexico and  Tecnomotum , together with the  Association of Women Operators (AMO) , celebrated the graduation of the first generation made up entirely of women operators in Mexico City, where eight participants completed five weeks of specialized training and passed with scores above 80 percent.

In addition to technical training , the graduates passed their medical exams and were ready to begin the process of obtaining or renewing their federal license.

The graduates of this first generation were Edith Gabriela Quintero Hernández, Brenda Melgarejo Morales, Erika Díaz García, Laura Cruz Álvarez, Elizabeth Cuahuizo García, Luz Anel Gil Desgarennes and Jocabed Reza León.

The ceremony was marked by hugs , tears, and testimonies where the operators themselves spoke of exhausting days, fears, simulators, maneuvers, and dreams they had kept for years.

Marcela Barreiro, president and CEO of Daimler Truck Mexico , acknowledged that this generation represents an important step forward for an industry where female participation is still limited.

“We love seeing how women are making these very important advances in this industry,” she said during the ceremony.

Beyond technical training, the project also seeks to create opportunities within a sector facing a severe shortage of drivers. Organizations such as the  National Chamber of Freight Transportation  (Canacar)   and the   International Road Transport Union (IRU)  have estimated that Mexico faces a deficit of approximately 99,000 drivers. 

Therefore, during the graduation ceremony, the opening of the second course exclusively for female operators in Mexico City was also announced, with registration beginning on May 25 and classes starting on July 6.

From the dream of a gas station to the wheel of a semi-truck

For Edith Gabriela Quintero Hernández, the dream began amidst the smell of gasoline, the roar of engines, and the endless coming and going of tractor-trailers she watched pass by during her shifts at a gas station. While many only saw enormous vehicles crossing the highway, she imagined something different: her hands holding the steering wheel.

“I want to drive one,” he would repeat to himself every time he saw those trucks go by, which were almost always driven by men.

At 34, a single mother with two daughters, she decided to risk everything for the dream she’d been pursuing for over a decade. For five weeks, her days began before dawn . By four in the morning, she was already awake, preparing everything at home, taking care of her motherly responsibilities before heading out to Cedemi. She would take the Mexico City Metro in the early hours of the morning, and when she was still working, she would finish her classes and go straight to her night shift.

They were days of exhaustion, simulators, maneuvers, sleepless nights and doubts, but also of a conviction that had been growing silently for years.

“It’s a dream I’ve had for many years,” he told T21.

Today, after pursuing opportunities for more than 16 years, Edith looks at the diploma in her hands and sums up the entire journey with a single word: success.

“We transporters are the link between point A and point B”

For Brenda Melgarejo Morales, trucks were never just machines crossing the city. For years she drove them on deliveries, routes, and long days behind the wheel of three-and-a-half-ton vehicles , but an idea kept growing inside her, one that wouldn’t go away: she wanted to go further.

Because for Brenda, driving wasn’t just about following a route. It was about feeling free. It was about finding herself along the way.

“Personally, my passion is driving,” he shared.

At 45, after working for delivery companies and navigating streets where time always seems to move faster than traffic , he learned that behind the wheel lies an enormous responsibility. He speaks of discipline, safety, and a profession that silently sustains the daily lives of thousands of people.

“We transporters are like that main link between point A and point B,” he said.

But behind that dream was also a small voice pushing her forward . It was the voice of Sofia, her 12-year-old daughter, who became the most important driving force behind Brenda’s decision to take the next step and sit behind a fifth wheel.

“Mom, with everything,” she remembers telling him.

And perhaps there, in that simple phrase, the journey truly began.

Because while for years many women grew up watching tractor-trailers go by from the sidewalk, Brenda decided to cross that line that seemed to separate dreams from reality. Today, mother and daughter are part of a different story. One where the highways are no longer viewed only from the outside, but also from inside the cab.

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El cargo Eight women take the wheel and pave the way in the bus industry apareció primero en T21.

Although the start of 2026 has been slower than expected for some freight transport companies , at  Grupo MexAmerik (number 32 in the Top 100 of Autotransport®) the year is progressing with expansion projects, equipment renewal and a strategy to expand its operational presence in different market segments . 

After a first quarter marked by lower demand and a slowdown in some industries , the company has seen signs of recovery since April and is maintaining its growth plans for the rest of the year.

“2026 doesn’t seem to be progressing much further,” acknowledged Pablo Ocampo, CEO of Grupo MexAmerik  . He noted that some sectors experienced a decrease in consumption and freight demand during the first months of the year.  

Despite this context, the company will continue with fleet renewal, terminal expansion, and strengthening of its operational infrastructure . It is currently working on projects at its Monterrey and Guadalajara terminals, in addition to continuing the development of its logistics network throughout the country.  

One of the most significant moves this year will be the incorporation of  Transportes VIM  into the group, which will allow the expansion of the service portfolio and significantly increase operational capacity.

With this, the company expects to close 2026 with more than  800 units , which would represent an approximate growth of between 35% and 38%, according to Ocampo. 

The integration also marks the opening of four new specialized divisions : containers, refrigerated, specialized cargo and construction.  

In addition to growth in Mexico, the company also reports an upturn in its operations in the United States, a market where it also expects to increase its activity this year. 

Culture and operators, the axis of growth 

Beyond investments in infrastructure and technology , the company stated that its main focus remains on organizational culture and the development of its staff. 

“For many years we have focused primarily on the company culture,” Ocampo emphasized. 

The company also continues to invest in technology, artificial intelligence, terminals and equipment upgrades; however, it believes that the real differentiator remains the human factor. 

“The tools help, but people make the big difference,” he said. 

Currently, this company operates six terminals in the country , although only two operate under the “macro-terminal” concept: the State of Mexico and Querétaro. Monterrey is under construction using this model, and Guadalajara will be next.  

These facilities include spaces designed for operators and administrative staff, with rest areas, dining areas, and restrooms. The company stated that the goal is to provide suitable facilities and strengthen the sense of belonging within the organization. 

Three decades of operation 

With just a few units and operations starting from the State of Mexico in May 1996 , Grupo MexAmerik is about to celebrate 30 years in the freight transport industry .  

During that time, the company has gone from being a small operation to consolidating its presence in different regions of the country, expanding its network of terminals and strengthening its operation in the United States as well, while continuing to focus on reinvestment and internal growth. 

For Pablo Ocampo, much of that evolution has been marked by consistency and by maintaining a long-term vision, even in complex years for the sector.  

Alongside the growth in units and services, the company explained that one of its main differentiators has been building an organizational culture focused on both the customer and its employees. 

“Trust ,” Ocampo replied, summarizing in a single word what they seek to convey both inside and outside the company.  

That vision, he explained, is also reflected in the investments made in terminals, rest areas for operators, technology and equipment renewal, as part of a strategy that seeks to strengthen the service and keep the company in an expansion stage towards its first three decades.

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El cargo Grupo MexAmerik celebrates 30 years with operational expansion apareció primero en T21.

El cargo Tresguerras accelerates growth in 2026 despite economic slowdown and uncertainty apareció primero en T21.

Truck robberies, highway robberies, and violence against drivers are part of a reality that the freight transport industry faces every day.

Behind every journey are kilometers traveled under tension, operators who move forward looking beyond the road, and companies that try to keep operations moving while insecurity also circulates on the country’s highways.

Food and beverage products remain among the most vulnerable to highway theft, according to Overhaul . During the first quarter of 2026, this sector accounted for 25% of cargo thefts reported nationwide, while the central and Bajío regions accounted for 68% of the incidents. The states of Mexico, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Puebla, Veracruz, and San Luis Potosí alone accounted for 65% of the reported cases.

In addition, the criminals focused their attacks mainly on tractor-trailer trucks and double-trailer units, especially during nighttime hours and times when the operators were resting.

Given this scenario, the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) began meetings with prosecutors from various states to review files related to cargo theft and strengthen the follow-up of cases.

Augusto Ramos, national president of Canacar, explained to T21 that, in addition to the permanent meetings with the three levels of government, they have now also begun meetings focused on reviewing investigation files related to cargo theft.

He noted that three meetings have already been held under this scheme and announced that, starting this May, Canacar will replicate in Puebla the permanent security table that it currently maintains in the State of Mexico, because together with Veracruz they concentrate around 50% of the robberies of motor transport .

Ramos also assured that the weekly exchange of information on cargo theft continues with the National Guard and other organizations in the sector, such as the National Association of Private Transportation (ANTP) and the National Confederation of Mexican Transporters (Conatram) .

He also explained that Canacar operates a 24/7 call center to handle theft reports and support carriers in immediate communication with authorities and C5 centers.

One of the issues that most concerns the organization, he added, is the attacks against truck drivers. In April alone, Canacar identified four deaths related to cargo truck robberies, a figure that has begun to be included in the organization’s internal monitoring.

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El cargo Canacar holds meetings with prosecutors to address cargo theft apareció primero en T21.

“We are providing the services as part of the logistics carried out by the teams that will be here in Mexico,” María Guadalupe Mancera Pérez, the company’s general director, told T21.

The operation includes torton -type units intended exclusively for the transfer of luggage and materials from airports to hotels and stadiums, as well as the subsequent return movement to the airport once the teams’ participation is over.

“These units receive the luggage and materials brought by the teams, transport them from the airport to the hotel, from the hotel to the different stadiums, return them, and then, after a month and a half, return them to the airport,” Mancera Pérez explained.

The company will allocate 10 units for this operation : three in Guadalajara, three in Monterrey, three in Mexico City, and one more in Cancun.

In addition to the transfer of luggage and uniforms, Tresguerras is already participating in coordination meetings with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to learn about the operational restrictions that will exist during the matches and the controlled access around stadiums and concentration areas.

Mancera Pérez explained that the company has already identified the need to adapt its last-mile deliveries in light of road closures and restricted perimeters that will remain active even throughout the day on game days.

Logistics planning also takes into account possible impacts from traffic and massive concentrations of people in the vicinity of stadiums , so Tresguerras plans to reinforce its operational capacity by renting additional units if daily delivery productivity decreases.

“We also plan that if at any point, precisely because of the crowds or the excess traffic and the restrictions of zones, the average number of deliveries drops, we have planned to rent additional equipment,” he explained.

Mancera indicated that prior experience with large-scale events was one of the factors that allowed the company to be considered for the World Cup logistics . Among that experience, he mentioned transportation related to music tours, exhibitions, and other high-profile mass events.

“We have practically moved the high-level events ourselves. So, that’s where the recommendation to FIFA comes from,” he stated.

According to the directive, the approach was made through organizers with whom the company had previously worked on special operations.

Currently, Tresguerras operates a fleet of 3,400 highway trucks (more than 90% tractor-trailers) and around 1,200 last-mile units, in addition to a network of 214 terminals in the country.

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El cargo Tresguerras and his logistical plan to mobilize teams in Mexico for the 2026 World Cup apareció primero en T21.

The truck has reached the end of its lifespan, but it remains on the road . Not because there aren’t options to replace it, but because stopping it (even to replace it) poses a greater risk. 

In the trucking industry, taking a unit out of operation is not just a technical decision; it is a move that can affect the entire chain: revenue, customers, and continuity of service . 

That’s where renewal stops being a goal and becomes a calculation. 

For micro and small businesses , that calculation rarely adds up. It’s not a lack of intention, it’s a lack of margin. “It’s not that we don’t want to renew; we’d all like to bring in new units,” explains Wendy Cano, administrative and logistics manager of Transportes Calesa , a small family business. 

The problem, he adds, is sustaining it: paying for the operation today while the income continues to arrive late. 

Renew, yes, but not at any cost

While carriers immediately cover diesel , tolls , maintenance, and drivers , payments for their services can take up to 120 days to arrive. In that scenario, taking out a loan ceases to be a solution and becomes a risk. Added to this are the operational delays: “It’s not just about buying the truck,” warns Eduardo Mendoza, CEO of CM Logistics , pointing out that procedures such as permits, license plates, or registration can take up to four months. 

Access to financing is also a problem. For many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), meeting credit requirements is simply not an option. 

The result is reflected in the fleet : with an average age of 20.38 years , the vehicle fleet of the motor transport sector in Mexico is not only aging, but doing so faster than it can be renewed. 

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El cargo Renew or resist: the decision that holds back small transport operators apareció primero en T21.

CALPULALPAN, TLAXCALA – The automotive transport sector in Mexico is experiencing a period of reduced activity. The economic slowdown, increased operating costs, and reduced exports are beginning to impact fleets, with car carriers idled and more cautious investment decisions by transport companies, acknowledged Xavier Augonnet, General Director for Mexico at Lohr .

“The economy is very slow, we know that. The decisions of the American president, the wars, the increased price of diesel, the significant drop in exports from Mexico… there is a market contraction,” the executive stated.

The impact is already being felt in the sector’s daily operations. According to Augonnet, some fleets dedicated to automotive transport have reduced activity, particularly those linked to exports to the United States .

“All our clients come through here, but they are all experiencing significant slowdowns in activity, with their businesses at a standstill,” he commented.

Despite this, the French company maintains its growth plans in the country and seeks to strengthen its participation in the national market, where it currently concentrates around 10% of the segment .

The company’s strategy aims to develop more robust local operations, both in manufacturing and in after-sales services and maintenance , with the goal of directly serving Mexican carriers from its plant in Calpulalpan, Tlaxcala.

“It doesn’t make sense for customers to buy a unit in the United States and then have to import it themselves. We’re here, we have operations, we have a repair center, and we’re going to develop more services,” Augonnet emphasized.

The executive explained that a year ago the company only worked with two clients in Mexico and now operates with eight, while the goal is to continue expanding its presence in the national market.

“I was hired to develop the Mexican market. I hope that tomorrow we will have 12 or 15 clients. The point is to capture the market,” he said.

Lohr ‘s investment in Mexico is also part of a broader regional strategy. François Lhomme, president of the Lohr Group, stated that the operation in Tlaxcala serves as the company’s industrial base for North America.

“Mexico is strategic for Lohr because it represents our industrial base for all of North America,” he stated.

From this facility, the company seeks to serve not only the Mexican market, but also the United States, Canada, and later other South American countries .

“We want to use this industrial base to serve all other countries up to Brazil,” Lhomme added.

Currently, the plant maintains around 200 employees, although the company expects to continue expanding capabilities and personnel in the coming years as the regional market develops.

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El cargo Lohr maintains its commitment to Mexico despite the contraction in automotive transport apareció primero en T21.