The importation of used trucks from the United States has become one of the main points of concern for the heavy vehicle sector in Mexico.

During the AMDA Commercial Vehicles Forum 2026, distributors, transporters and financial institutions agreed that the entry of these units not only affects the marketing of used vehicles, but also impacts road safety , fleet productivity and the competitiveness of formal companies.

The discussion took place at a table dedicated to the secondary market for heavy vehicles , where participants pointed out that the pressure generated by imports has complicated the placement of domestic used units and has distorted reference prices in the market.

Miguel Ángel Bres, president of the Board of Directors of B&G Capital Group , stated that the problem goes beyond a commercial impact.

“It is not in your best interest as distributors to have scrap metal entering our country, nor is it in the best interest of us as transporters, nor is it in the best interest of the public; it is indeed a matter of national security,” he stated.

The executive revealed that the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar)  is in talks with federal authorities to promote measures that discourage the entry of these vehicles.

“We at Canacar, together with the Ministry of Economy, are working to reduce the tariff on imported vehicles to 50% because what they are doing is truly shameful,” he emphasized.

According to the participants, the problem is exacerbated by the price difference between imported used vehicles and units sold through authorized dealers , who carry out inspection and certification processes and, in some cases, offer warranties and financing schemes.

Jorge Martínez Madero, CEO of Grupo Fultra , explained that competition becomes particularly complex when market reference prices are affected by imported units that enter under conditions different from those of the formal market.

“The biggest problem is the friction that the take-off price generates with our customers,” he commented.

He added that while distributors seek to market certified units with technical support, many of the imported used vehicles arrive without the same quality standards, creating unfair competition.

The concern also extends to the operational level. Alejandro Gómez, Operations Director at GRUVER , pointed out that many of the imported units were designed for conditions different from those of the Mexican market.

In his opinion, this situation contributes to the deterioration of the infrastructure , increases the risk of accidents, and affects the productivity of fleets.

“What a trucker used to do from point A to point B in five hours 10 years ago, now takes seven hours,” he said, referring to the saturation of highways and toll booths.

From a financial perspective, José Ojeda, CEO of PACCAR Financial Mexico , acknowledged that the massive influx of used vehicles has also affected the behavior of the pre-owned market.

The executive noted that the industry went from sales of approximately 34,500 tractor-trailer trucks in 2023 and 40,000 in 2024 to around 25,250 units in 2025, in an environment marked by trade uncertainty and the growing presence of imported used vehicles.

“We have nationally recognized transport companies, where buyers used to line up to acquire these units, and now it is taking them months or more than a year to move them,” he emphasized.

Given this scenario, participants considered it necessary to strengthen mechanisms to regulate the market . Among these, they highlighted updating reference prices for imports, increased customs controls, financing schemes for carriers, and tools to help professionalize the secondary market.

Guillermo Rosales, executive president of the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA) , recalled that the sector has promoted before the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) the creation of estimated prices for imports, with the aim of combating undervaluation practices.

He pointed out that there are currently cases of imported units with invoices declared in amounts that do not correspond to their real value, which directly impacts competition within the national market.

Beyond the commercial differences, the participants agreed that the discussion should focus on modernizing the vehicle fleet and building conditions that allow for balanced competition among the various actors in the sector.

“We need to dignify our industry, and to achieve this we need to stand together,” Bres concluded.

According to the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor-Trailer Producers (ANPACT) , the importation of used units skyrocketed in 2024 to reach almost 29,000 vehicles, three times more than the average recorded between 2018 and 2020.

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

El cargo Trucking industry hardens stance against importing used trucks apareció primero en T21.

The importation of used trucks from the United States has become one of the main points of concern for the heavy vehicle sector in Mexico.

During the AMDA Commercial Vehicles Forum 2026, distributors, transporters and financial institutions agreed that the entry of these units not only affects the marketing of used vehicles, but also impacts road safety , fleet productivity and the competitiveness of formal companies.

The discussion took place at a table dedicated to the secondary market for heavy vehicles , where participants pointed out that the pressure generated by imports has complicated the placement of domestic used units and has distorted reference prices in the market.

Miguel Ángel Bres, president of the Board of Directors of B&G Capital Group , stated that the problem goes beyond a commercial impact.

“It is not in your best interest as distributors to have scrap metal entering our country, nor is it in the best interest of us as transporters, nor is it in the best interest of the public; it is indeed a matter of national security,” he stated.

The executive revealed that the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar)  is in talks with federal authorities to promote measures that discourage the entry of these vehicles.

“We at Canacar, together with the Ministry of Economy, are working to reduce the tariff on imported vehicles to 50% because what they are doing is truly shameful,” he emphasized.

According to the participants, the problem is exacerbated by the price difference between imported used vehicles and units sold through authorized dealers , who carry out inspection and certification processes and, in some cases, offer warranties and financing schemes.

Jorge Martínez Madero, CEO of Grupo Fultra , explained that competition becomes particularly complex when market reference prices are affected by imported units that enter under conditions different from those of the formal market.

“The biggest problem is the friction that the take-off price generates with our customers,” he commented.

He added that while distributors seek to market certified units with technical support, many of the imported used vehicles arrive without the same quality standards, creating unfair competition.

The concern also extends to the operational level. Alejandro Gómez, Operations Director at GRUVER , pointed out that many of the imported units were designed for conditions different from those of the Mexican market.

In his opinion, this situation contributes to the deterioration of the infrastructure , increases the risk of accidents, and affects the productivity of fleets.

“What a trucker used to do from point A to point B in five hours 10 years ago, now takes seven hours,” he said, referring to the saturation of highways and toll booths.

From a financial perspective, José Ojeda, CEO of PACCAR Financial Mexico , acknowledged that the massive influx of used vehicles has also affected the behavior of the pre-owned market.

The executive noted that the industry went from sales of approximately 34,500 tractor-trailer trucks in 2023 and 40,000 in 2024 to around 25,250 units in 2025, in an environment marked by trade uncertainty and the growing presence of imported used vehicles.

“We have nationally recognized transport companies, where buyers used to line up to acquire these units, and now it is taking them months or more than a year to move them,” he emphasized.

Given this scenario, participants considered it necessary to strengthen mechanisms to regulate the market . Among these, they highlighted updating reference prices for imports, increased customs controls, financing schemes for carriers, and tools to help professionalize the secondary market.

Guillermo Rosales, executive president of the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA) , recalled that the sector has promoted before the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) the creation of estimated prices for imports, with the aim of combating undervaluation practices.

He pointed out that there are currently cases of imported units with invoices declared in amounts that do not correspond to their real value, which directly impacts competition within the national market.

Beyond the commercial differences, the participants agreed that the discussion should focus on modernizing the vehicle fleet and building conditions that allow for balanced competition among the various actors in the sector.

“We need to dignify our industry, and to achieve this we need to stand together,” Bres concluded.

According to the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor-Trailer Producers (ANPACT) , the importation of used units skyrocketed in 2024 to reach almost 29,000 vehicles, three times more than the average recorded between 2018 and 2020.

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

El cargo Trucking industry hardens stance against importing used trucks apareció primero en T21.

Fleet renewal remains one of the biggest challenges for the trucking industry in Mexico . For carriers, the decision to replace vehicles is not only driven by the operating cycle or contractual obligations, but also by an environment where price, mechanical reliability, and legal certainty don’t always go hand in hand.

For small and medium-sized business owners , the pressure to keep their units in operation often leads them to opt for immediate solutions that may compromise their future performance, according to Alfredo Amador, CEO of Panamotors .

One of the factors that continues to distort the market is the importation of used trucks from the United States. Although these units are highly competitive in price, their mechanical and legal history is not always clear.

Despite the fact that the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) , the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor-Trailer Producers (ANPACT) , together with the Ministries of  Economy (SE)  and  Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat),  promoted the Agreement on Environmental Conditions in the Importation of Used Vehicles , which seeks to prevent the entry into the country of units more than 10 years old, the market for imported used trucks continues to represent a challenge for the sector , particularly due to the persistence of units with high operational wear and tear and legal and mechanical risks for carriers.

According to Panamotors, many of these vehicles arrive with over a million miles on the odometer, significantly increasing maintenance requirements and post-purchase costs. Added to this is the risk of improper import procedures, which can restrict their use on certain routes or create documentation problems for the carrier.

In this context, the challenge for the sector is not only accessing more affordable units, but also evaluating the viability of the investment in the medium and long term. For large fleets, the challenge lies in maintaining previously budgeted operating costs , where fuel efficiency and maintenance frequency become critical variables. For growing carriers, price remains a determining factor, but it is increasingly important to have certainty about the actual condition of the purchased unit.

Given this scenario, Amador explained that companies in the used truck market have focused their strategy on meeting a wider range of operational needs, from light trucks to tractor-trailers and vocational equipment.

This approach responds to a reality in the sector: carriers do not face the same challenges at all stages of their growth , and the investment decision is often conditioned by the lack of clear information about the history and actual conditions of the available units, the executive explained.

One of the main challenges for the used car market remains raising the standard of an activity that has historically operated with high levels of informality, he added.

The professionalization of processes, the traceability of units, and the certainty regarding the return on invested capital appear as key elements in an environment where the tractor-trailer continues to be a productive asset , whose value depends, to a large extent, on its ability to remain in constant operation.

In a context marked by economic uncertainty and financial pressure on carriers, the discussion surrounding used vehicles is no longer focused solely on the purchase price and is shifting towards factors such as operational continuity, risk management and the economic sustainability of the investment over time.

According to ANPACT, for every 100 newly assembled trucks, 61 used ones enter Mexico, representing a significant safety hazard on the country’s highways, as many of these vehicles have already reached one million miles. The organization reports that between 2022 and 2024, imports of these types of vehicles increased from 8,071 to 29,790, a growth of approximately 269 percent.

Comment and follow us on X:  @karinaquintero  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo Structural challenges in fleet renewal put pressure on the trucking industry apareció primero en T21.