SALINAS VICTORIA, NL – Aware of the shortage of qualified operators in the Mexican trucking industry and the need to generate added value for society, Grupo Directo Express (number 11 in the  Top 100 Trucking Industry ) launched the DX Institute, an entity that will enable the training of new talent aligned with the corporation’s objectives and, above all, committed to its environment and society.

While the reality is that there are more than 90,000 unfilled freight transport operator positions in the country, it is also evident that there is a lack of human capital that can be in line with the values of companies, a situation that Directo Express seeks to reverse by generating not only operators, but also people with ethics and responsibility who can face the daily challenges in their environment .

The objective of the DX Institute is to promote a new generation of highly qualified operators with an operational culture and social commitment from their training, based on the regulations established by the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) , guaranteeing their competence and professionalism.

The training includes both theoretical classes and field practice, ensuring comprehensive and useful preparation to face the challenges of today’s transportation. Additionally, thanks to strategic alliances such as Voluntarios México , community activities are carried out that strengthen the operator’s sense of social responsibility.

The DX Institute will have the capacity to train between 30 and 35 operators simultaneously , who can develop over 10 weeks even if they have no experience in the activity, thereby seeking to generate a pool of talent, and transform a vocation into a solid career.

“The DX Institute was born from our commitment to safety, operational excellence, and, above all, the professional development of those who are the backbone of our company: our operators. The program is designed to provide the tools, knowledge, and skills necessary to address any challenge they face on the road,” said Claudia Ramos, Commercial & OPEX Manager at Grupo Directo Express.

Among the values pursued by the DX Institute are responsibility, integrity, security, respect, discipline, professionalism, empathy and improvement .

“The DX Institute is a space for developing responsible, highly trained men and women who operate transport vehicles, aware of the way these vehicles interact with their environment,” said Sandra Montelongo, professional leader of Operator Development.

The DX Institute consists of four training classrooms, a medical office, which permanently provides training to operators, and a psychology area. In addition, there are sleeping areas for both men and women, as well as bathrooms, showers, and changing rooms for both genders. The goal is to provide students with an environment that fosters better results .

The training consists of 70% practical activities , which take place in a maneuvering yard in the municipality of Salinas Victoria, while 30% of theoretical instruction takes place within the facilities of the DX Institute.

With 15 years of experience in the market, Grupo Directo Express has a fleet of more than 1,300 tractor-trailers and 1,500 towing vehicles , providing dry van services for trade between Mexico and the United States, with door-to-door and international crossings, as well as a flatbed and finished vehicle division.

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AGUASCALIENTES, AGS. – In response to the growing shortage of operators in Mexico and with the goal of offering better service to its customers, Translíquidos Refrigerados López (TRL) acquired a driving simulator developed by APEX Simulation and Technology .  

This equipment will not only train new talent , but will also provide ongoing training to current operators, improving their driving habits and reducing road risks , which will strengthen retention efforts. 

“We are implementing this project to attract new operators and be able to offer more and better services to our customers. We want our drivers to have more training, more rest, and more time with their families. I am confident that, in the short term, we will see the fruits of this investment,” shared Agustín López, director of TRL. 

The initiative also seeks to address the small human errors that can lead to serious accidents.  

For Agustín López, it’s essential to develop good habits from the most basic point of view, such as fastening your seatbelt when entering the simulator.  

“These are small details that, when neglected, can turn into big problems,” he added. 

For his part, José Miguel Montoya , commercial director of APEX Simulation and Technology, explained that the simulator allows operators to face real-life road accident scenarios, recreating situations that have occurred in daily operations.  

This not only contributes to accident prevention, but also helps develop a pool of new drivers from scratch, addressing the country’s shortage of more than 99,000 drivers . 

“The simulator allows for training operators from entry-level, such as warehouse workers or forklift drivers, to fifth-wheel operators. It also helps companies reduce operating costs and prepare their drivers to operate units with the latest technologies, including electric models and specific configurations that our customers are acquiring,” Montoya emphasized. 

Meanwhile, Roberto Carrera, training and after-sales manager at APEX, explained that the simulator adapts to the needs of each company, recreating real accidents and complex routes with specific conditions.  

“We base our practice on two pillars: free practice and a structured training plan with 12 exercises designed to address common problems in Mexican driving, such as excessive clutch use or aggressive driving,” he explained. 

The APEX simulator also measures training effectiveness through efficiency and safety indicators , which rate operators using a traffic-light-type system and a letter scale, providing immediate feedback on their performance. 

In addition, the simulator allows for flexibility in training: some operators may dedicate nine to 12 hours per week , while others adjust their time based on daily operations. 

For TRL, this investment represents not only a solution to the shortage of operators, but also an opportunity to increase the professionalization of transportation, reduce accidents, and improve the quality of life of its drivers. 

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Translíquidos y Refrigerados López (TRL) was formally born in 2005 , but its history began long before, with a young Agustín López at the wheel of a truck provided by his father.

Today, celebrating its 20th anniversary , TRL has become a significant player in specialized transportation, with more than 200 tractor-trailers, a solid national operation, and three business verticals serving everything from the food sector to the automotive industry.

Based in Jesús María, Aguascalientes, TRL operates a fleet consisting of 206 tractor-trailers, 48 3.5-ton units, 402 tanks, 50 refrigerated boxes, and 50 dry boxes.

70 % of its operations are focused on the transportation of food-grade liquids , primarily raw or processed milk, a specialty it has capitalized on over time.

“Most of our clients have been with us since the beginning. Thanks to them, we’re here,” said Agustín López, TRL’s general manager.

TRL’s main operation has been joined by two other companies: Tragcen , also focused on milk transport, and Altosa , a new venture focused on car transport .

These lines of business not only seek to diversify revenue, but also offer better working conditions and more rest for operators, thanks to the ability to rotate staff between different units and types of operations.

To address the operator shortage, TRL has invested in training technology . The company recently added a driving simulator that trains its staff every three months, seeking to reduce accidents and promote safety habits, starting with the basics: wearing a seatbelt.

“Seatbelt culture isn’t yet a common practice among all operators, but we want to establish good habits from the start,” López explained.

Although TRL has managed to expand nationwide—from Tijuana and Tecate to Cancún, passing through key locations such as Comarca Lagunera, the Bajío region, the State of Mexico, and Chiapas— road safety remains the biggest obstacle.

“The Bajío route to the south is complicated: Jalisco, Guanajuato, Puebla, Veracruz… all present risks. Even in areas that seemed calm, like Campeche, we’ve had incidents,” the executive lamented.

Despite the challenges, the vision for the future is to continue growing, expand business units, and train a new generation of operators.

“If there’s no human capital, we can’t grow. Our goal is to continue developing talent and offering better customer service,” Agustín López emphasized.

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Scania Mexico delivered a state-of-the-art Scania R 460 truck to the Institute for Training for Work (ICAT) in San Luis Potosí, a unit that will be used as a loan for the training of 120 fifth-wheel truck operators. This agreement is part of the Swedish automaker’s commitment to the development of the Mexican transportation sector and joins efforts to mitigate the shortage of operators that the country is experiencing.

“San Luis Potosí is a key region with significant logistical and economic dynamism. At Scania, we are convinced that supporting local talent is essential to strengthening the country’s value chains. In addition, this type of initiative allows us to advance in the introduction of more sustainable vehicles, aligned with our commitment to society and the environment,” explained Rodolfo Hernández Casanova, manager of Institutional Relations and Sustainability at Scania Mexico.

For her part, Estefanía Flores, general director of ICAT in San Luis Potosí, explained that one of the great challenges for training centers is the lack of tractor-trailers for practice , since these allow consolidating learning and improving safety standards for aspiring operators.

“Thanks to this agreement, the fifth-wheel vehicle operator courses we offer at our Technical Training Center in Logistics will be able to contribute to the training of professional and certified drivers in the region,” Flores added.

Currently, the country has 31 centers authorized by the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) dedicated to the training of operators.

For five years, ICAT has certified 133 heavy truck operators and in this time has stood out as one of the most competitive centers due to its facilities and educational level. It also has updated simulators, a maneuvering track, a dry box, a platform and a team of five qualified instructors .

With the arrival of the Scania R 460, the institution complements the tools necessary for the successful training of driving professionals.

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QUER{ETARO, QRO.- According to estimates by the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (Canacar) , in Mexico about 11% of the total fleet is stopped due to the shortage of operators. Taking into account that in its latest statistics the International Road Transport Union (IRU) determined that at the end of 2023 in the country there were approximately 56 thousand unfilled jobs in the trucking industry, although it is still early to make estimates of the behavior for 2024, the outlook is not positive .

The problem has a multifactorial root and it is clear that the risk of the profession discourages new generations from joining the ranks of driving transport of goods and merchandise.

It should be noted that at the end of July of this year, the National Association of Vehicle Tracking and Protection Companies (ANERPV) recorded 993 thefts of cargo vehicles nationwide. In addition, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), last year 163 occupants of heavy vehicles died due to road accidents on the highway network.

In this context and with the aim of sharing good practices to encourage the incorporation of new talent, as well as the loyalty of the work team, the National Association of Private Transport (ANTP) carried out the panel Recognition of the work of the driver , within the framework of the eighth National Congress on Road Safety , where the key was the involvement of companies in motivating the team of operators based on training and public recognition of their work.

“For Grupo Bimbo, recognition of the work of operators is not just about giving a certificate for good skills, it is more of a comprehensive system that focuses on continuous improvement,” explained Diana Torres, representative of Grupo Bimbo .

She added that an important part of motivating drivers is that their loved ones know that they carry out a risky activity every day. “ Recognition can increase drivers’ morale and motivation . Knowing that their work is valued encourages them to continue striving and maintain high performance standards,” the spokesperson explained.

For his part, Ángel Correa Lizarriturri, part of the Health and Safety team at Cemex , explained that for several years the company has implemented a recognition methodology for operators that has helped to have better collaborators.

“The most important thing is to create links with operators to generate loyalty and encourage the adoption of a zero culture: zero road and industrial incidents, zero speeding, zero damage to units and zero diesel overcharges,” Correa said.

It is also necessary for society to recognize the work of operators, and for there to be a healthy coexistence between users of the roads that use the various modes of transport . In this way, road accidents will be reduced and at the same time interest will be generated in performing the work of cargo transport operator.

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