Reducing polluting emissions remains the biggest environmental challenge for freight transport in Mexico , but not due to a lack of regulations, but rather a structural problem: the age of the fleet
With an average age of nearly 19 years, thousands of obsolete units continue to circulate without real incentives to be renewed, which limits the environmental and competitiveness advances of the sector, explained Isabel Studer, president of the Global Sustainability organization .
Beyond the environmental discourse, records from the General Directorate of Federal Motor Transport (DGAF) indicated that as of the end of September 2025, the average age of cargo units in circulation remained practically unchanged , reflecting the structural difficulty in advancing an effective renewal of the vehicle fleet, despite regulatory adjustments and announcements on the matter.
The specialist explained that a significant portion of the emissions does not come from large companies, which have begun to incorporate environmental criteria due to efficiency and supply chain requirements, but from older vehicles operated by small owners.
These transporters, lacking financing schemes or specific support, keep 20 or even 25-year-old units in operation, as they represent their main source of income, he stressed.
The challenge becomes even more significant considering that trucking accounts for approximately 80% of the country’s land freight . Without modernizing its vehicle fleet, Mexico risks losing competitiveness to supply chains that already demand verifiable emissions reductions, regardless of the international political context or the fluctuations in the United States’ climate agenda.
While the ban on importing used heavy vehicles from the United States was a step in the right direction, Studer cautioned that the measure is insufficient without a comprehensive strategy. The problem isn’t solved simply by closing the door to obsolete vehicles, but rather by addressing what’s already on the road in the country.
From their perspective, more than two-thirds of older vehicles belong to small owners , so any solution must focus on scrappage programs accompanied by financing schemes for replacing vehicles. This requires specific resources and coordination that goes beyond the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) , also involving the Ministry of Economy (SE) .
The fleet modernization, he noted, would not only have environmental benefits but would also allow for the development of the domestic market for heavy vehicles , generating new opportunities for manufacturers established in Mexico. Representatives from the industry and sector associations have even expressed their willingness to participate in public-private partnerships that include the banking sector.
Currently, while commercial banks offer loans for the purchase of electric cars, there are no suitable financial instruments for heavy vehicles . This lack of credit options excludes small transport operators, who can hardly access more modern vehicles without financial support.
In this context, the adjustments made to NOM-044 , which allow the technological transition from Euro 5 to Euro 6 standards, represent a significant step forward. However, the expert noted that without a national fleet renewal strategy, even the best regulations will fall short.
“Modernizing the fleet not only reduces emissions, but also lowers operating costs,” he pointed out. The environmental problem of freight transport in Mexico, he emphasized, is not only technological or regulatory, but structural. Without a serious vehicle scrappage program, accessible financing, and clear tax incentives, the challenge will remain.
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