The expansion works on the Manzanillo-Colima highway continue to affect freight transport , with congestion that keeps units stopped for between five and nine hours, higher fuel costs and a reduction in the productivity of operators, even though the works are about to reach four years since they began, said Yax Tzel Nolasco Gómez , president of the Manzanillo Freight Transporters Union (UTCM) and state delegate of the National Confederation of Mexican Transporters (Conatram) .
Since last July, T21 has documented the saturation of the port of Manzanillo and the disruptions that road construction was causing to freight transport operations. More than four months later, the problem persists, and carriers warn that the work continues without sufficient progress to meet the planned delivery dates.
“Unfortunately, the congestion hasn’t improved. The issue of the Manzanillo-Colima highway expansion continues to completely affect us, especially transportation,” Nolasco pointed out.
The road expansion project covers approximately 80 kilometers in each direction and is approaching its fourth year of construction, with the remaining stages still not completed, according to the leader.
Road construction delays continue to be a concern for truckers. Although a December 2026 completion date is projected, the industry considers it unlikely to be met due to the pace of work. In the case of the section known as La Salada , completion is now scheduled for the beginning of the second quarter of 2027, while the Tepalcates bridge is also experiencing delays, according to Nolasco .
“Unfortunately, they haven’t met the delivery dates. They have a date scheduled for this December, which we believe is completely unrealistic, because we travel along this stretch of highway every day and we don’t see any progress toward its completion,” he said.
The impacts are not limited to travel times. Congestion forces vehicles to stop constantly, increasing diesel consumption and reducing the number of trips operators can make during the week or month.
“It’s not the same for a vehicle to be moving continuously as it is for them to have to stop every seven, eight, ten meters and even be stopped there for around five to nine hours,” he emphasized.
Adding to these problems is the lack of signage at the affected intersections , a situation which, according to the UTCM representative, has caused accidents and prompted meetings with authorities to request better traffic conditions.
The first phase of the expansion, corresponding to the Manzanillo-Tecomán section, was contracted by the federal government, while the Colima government has the concession for the second phase, explained the leader, who assured that they will continue to request the intervention of the three levels of government.
Disruptions to the trucking industry persist even as the port of Manzanillo registers growth in container traffic. According to figures from the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo , between January and September 2026, 3,154,778 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) were handled at the port of Manzanillo , a 9.5% increase compared to the same period in 2025. During that time, export container traffic increased by 13.9%, while import container traffic grew by 2.2%.
Customs expands operations and opens an alternative to reduce waiting times
While road infrastructure continues to be one of the main obstacles to the transport of goods, the Manzanillo Customs Office began operating under a pilot program of 24-hour service, three days a week , a measure that has allowed for improvements in the processes of entry and dispatch of cargo, according to UTCM.
Extending the hours makes it easier for carriers to load goods and complete customs procedures during the night or the following early morning.
“This has given us very good results. Why? Because we manage to get in to load and we have the certainty and guarantee that we will be able to modulate, either that same night or the next day in the early morning,” Nolasco commented.
Following a recent meeting with the head of the Manzanillo Customs office, the sector agreed to conduct further exercises to expand operations from 24 hours to at least five days a week .
However, to take advantage of this measure, other participants in the port community will also need to adjust their schedules, particularly port terminals and customs agents, the leader warned.
In the case of the terminals, he raised the need to expand the availability of appointments for the movement of goods , while customs agents must guarantee staff to attend to inspections, reviews and cargo releases during the extended hours.
“Now, what do we have to do? Ask the other port stakeholders to also do their part,” he said.
Furthermore, the decline in transport operations presents another challenge for the sector . During 2026, local carriers have recorded a shortfall in operations of between 35% and 40% , according to estimates from Nolasco.
In terms of security, Colima does not have the same incidence of crimes against motor transport as other states, according to the leader, who identified problems of theft of units and merchandise in states such as Puebla, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Veracruz and San Luis Potosí.
He also warned about the theft of tractor-trailers to supply the illegal market for spare parts, a problem that, he said, has become relevant for the sector.
Currently, UTCM represents more than 200 members, with an estimated vehicle fleet of between 10,000 and 12,000 units.
Although the extension of customs hours is beginning to show favorable results for carriers in Manzanillo, the completion of road works and measures to address the congestion that UTCM has identified as one of the main obstacles to its operation since last July remain pending.
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