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Safe rest stops: the challenge is not advertising them, but getting them to the road

T21 Media — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 22:46:43 +0000

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

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OXXO Gas inaugurates first comprehensive safe rest stop for truck drivers in Chihuahua

T21 Media — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 21:31:50 +0000

MAJALCA, CHIH.- Fatigue sets in during a night’s journey. After hours behind the wheel and with the cargo still far from its destination, stopping to rest would seem logical, but for truck drivers, finding a safe place to do so remains one of the challenges on the country’s highways.

The problem combines two risks that coexist during the journey : fatigue accumulated from long hours of operation and the insecurity that can arise when stopping. Finding a place to pause also involves considering the driver’s safety, the security of the truck and the cargo, making rest a necessity that is not always easy to fulfill.

This is the reality that drivers constantly express, hence the need to create safe spaces for them. The private sector achieved this; on this occasion, it was OXXO Gas , which, in coordination with the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT), inaugurated the first OXXO Gas Safe Stop, a Travel Center with Comprehensive Services, in Majalca, Chihuahua, which had been announced in recent days by the federal government.

The space aims to concentrate in one place conditions for the safekeeping of units and goods, as well as services that allow operators to stop and rest before continuing their journey .

The need is not lost on those behind the wheel. During the inauguration, one of the operators recounted that he cannot stop just anywhere on his routes for safety reasons and recalled that he has even been the victim of assault and the theft of a truck.

“This project was designed to benefit the carrier, understanding the needs and challenges they face on the road,” explained Carlos Aguirre Quiroga, B2B director of OXXO Gas, in an interview with T21.

The executive pointed out that the objective goes beyond fuel supply, aiming to provide operators with the necessary services to rest and continue their journey in one place.

The complex required an investment of over 100 million pesos (MXN) , occupies more than 35,000 square meters (m²) , and is expected to benefit around 480,000 users annually . Aguirre explained that approximately 13,000 vehicles , including heavy trucks and light vehicles, pass through this area daily.

The rest stop has capacity for 37 units, including full configurations , in addition to six or seven temporary spaces for stays of between 30 minutes and one hour, intended for those who only need to use some service before continuing their journey.

This site offers rest areas, restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, food options, fuel, and mechanical assistance. During the tour of the facilities, it was reported that there are 10 showers, eight for men and two for women .

Resting is also part of road safety

Beyond the protection of the units and goods, the opening of the complex brought to the table another component of road safety: the conditions available for operators to comply with their rest periods.

“Rest is also part of road safety,” said Alex Theissen, president of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Private Transportation (ANTP) .

Theissen explained that a safe road depends not only on the conditions of the infrastructure, signage or vehicles, but also on having places that allow operators to stop, rest and then continue their journey in suitable conditions.

In that regard, Tania Carro Toledo, Undersecretary of Communications and Transportation of the SICT, recalled that NOM-087 establishes maximum driving times and mandatory rest periods for operators.

The official stated that compliance with these periods helps reduce the risk of accidents associated with fatigue and protects both operators and other road users.

But rest isn’t just about having a place to stop. The safety of the driver, the vehicle, and the cargo are the other components the rest stop aims to address.

In that regard, Carlos Aguirre also explained that the complex has access control, cameras, and private security. Furthermore, a barracks for the National Guard was built , with the intention of ensuring a permanent presence of its personnel on the premises.

These measures are complemented by private security patrols and video surveillance, while the parking facility allows cargo units to remain within the complex during rest periods.

The location also takes into account the area’s logistical flow . The project is situated near Federal Route 45, which connects Chihuahua with Ciudad Juárez, identified by the SICT as one of the main corridors for the movement of people and goods to the northern border, Aguirre explained.

More inns in the sights

The opening in Majalca is part of the actions announced days ago by the federal government to strengthen highway safety, including the implementation of the C4 Highway Command Center and the development of a network of 15 safe rest stops. The OXXO Gas complex is the first of these locations to become operational.

Carro Toledo explained that, after this first opening, the SICT has authorization to continue with the development of the executive project for nine other rest stops , while five additional ones are in the process of review, to complete the 15 contemplated.

OXXO Gas has not yet decided where its next project will be located. Aguirre explained that the company is analyzing its network of service stations and various highways to identify locations where the concept could be replicated.

“We are conducting analyses to understand what the next rest stops we could build might be,” he said.

For now, he added, the priority will be to ensure that the Majalca complex meets the needs of the transporters before moving on to other locations.

For Theissen, the need goes beyond a facility.

“Mexico needs a network of safe rest stops that supports the growth of its logistics activity and at the same time recognizes the fundamental role of those who travel our roads every day,” he said.

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

El cargo OXXO Gas inaugurates first comprehensive safe rest stop for truck drivers in Chihuahua apareció primero en T21.

Canacar outlines agenda focused on security, free transit and review of the USMCA

T21 Media — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 22:55:43 +0000

In an environment marked by the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the challenges of road safety, the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) will outline an agenda focused on crime prevention, institutional strengthening and free transit for freight transport, explained Augusto Ramos, president-elect of this organization.

Canacar participates in the working groups related to the review of the trilateral trade agreement, particularly in the so-called “fourth room”, where it maintains active representation.

Ramos commented that road transport moves 80% of the country’s goods and is present in 101 industrial sectors.

Theft concentrated in 10 states

Regarding security, he acknowledged that 96 % of robberies are concentrated in 10 states , with the State of Mexico, Puebla, and Veracruz accounting for more than 50% of the cases reported by members. Although official figures show a reduction of nearly 20% by 2025, transporters warn that the incidents continue to be localized.

Ramos explained that Canacar operates working groups with the National Guard , state authorities, and municipalities to address specific sections of the Mexiquense Outer Circuit . As part of a technological upgrade program, the installation of more than 200 smart cameras with remote identification capabilities is planned for strategic corridors.

He emphasized that nearly 50% of robberies occur when the units stop, for example, for drivers to rest, so there are plans to reinforce the infrastructure of safe rest stops in coordination with federal authorities.

According to information from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) , in Mexico there are only 13 safe rest stops where operators can rest in adequate safety conditions.

Ramos explained that the economic impact of the thefts stems from the high value of the vehicles. A new tractor-trailer can cost between two and four million pesos. In the event of a theft, the deductible can represent up to 20% of the vehicle’s value, not including the value of the cargo.

He acknowledged that the organization currently relies on figures from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP) to assess the scale of the phenomenon; however, he raised the need to generate its own statistics to measure trends and establish more accurate comparisons.

Regarding mobility , Augusto Ramos indicated that one of the key areas will be the harmonization and implementation of the General Law on Mobility in at least 15 states. He warned that restrictions on the transit of cargo vehicles not only affect carriers, but also the entire production chain.

“The merchandise cannot be stopped,” he emphasized. Any disruption in the transit of the units has an economic impact on industries that depend on timely distribution.

With this agenda, Ramos argued that freight transport must assume a strategic role in the country’s competitiveness, with greater institutional coordination and conditions that guarantee safety and free transit.

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

El cargo Canacar outlines agenda focused on security, free transit and review of the USMCA apareció primero en T21.