Background on Carla Suárez Flores and Relevance
Carla Adriana Suárez Flores, president of the Food, Beverages and Tobacco Commission at Concamin and director of Institutional Relations for Xignux, has highlighted critical challenges facing the logistics sector. These include road security issues, a shortage of approximately 100,000 certified operators, and the lack of harmonized regulations across federal, state, and local governments.
Key Challenges in the Logistics Sector
During a panel at the Global Transportation & Innovation Summit, Suárez Flores emphasized three primary challenges: road security, the shortage of certified operators, and fragmented regulations. She explained that truckloads carrying food products are frequently affected by road insecurity, which directly impacts product competitiveness and poses risks to consumers.
- Road insecurity disrupts the cold chain, leading to product quality loss, reduced nutritional value, bacterial proliferation, health risks, and significant economic losses.
- Fragmented regulations across federal, state, and local governments create inefficiencies for logistics operators who daily face the requirement of municipal permits.
Imperative for a Comprehensive and Systemic Agenda
The panel “Facing the Future: Challenges and Opportunities in Transportation,” moderated by Juan Pablo García Garza, director general of Caintra, discussed necessary public policies to address logistics challenges. In response, Suárez Flores stated that Concamin is advocating for a systemic agenda due to fragmented norms and insufficient integration in Mexico.
- Collaborate with the government on safety commissions, integrating more intelligence and technology into the National Road Safety Strategy with a multi-annual budget, regulation cost indicators, and infrastructure improvements like secure rest stops.
- Increase patrols, as it has proven effective in other countries. Implement mandatory geolocation and real-time monitoring.
- Seize the opportunity for Nuevo León 4.0 to develop technology focused on prevention.
- Establish secure logistics corridors with federal surveillance and refrigerated stations, as refrigeration is crucial. Certified operators would minimize food losses significantly.
Encouraging Women and Young Operators
Suárez Flores stressed the need for a federal training and certification program for operators. Concamin proposes incentivizing companies that hire or train women and young individuals with specialized unit handling skills using simulators.
- Only 10% of operators are under 25, and only 2% are women. This presents an opportunity to increase female operators.
- Canada’s example of differentiated licenses based on cargo type could inspire Mexico to professionalize its operators for critical tasks, potentially adjusting wages accordingly.
Harmonizing Regulations Across Governments
Suárez Flores emphasized the necessity for aligned regulations from federal, state, and local governments. She highlighted the need for qualified inspectors due to daily permit requirements from municipalities.
- Legislators have proposed banning “fulles” (double trailers) to prevent accidents, but the logistics industry argues that they transport 20-35% of national cargo and are vital for supplying raw materials and distributing goods.
- The focus should be on enforcing existing “fulles” regulations and establishing certification for companies to use them, given their logistical importance.
Key Questions and Answers
- What are the main challenges facing Mexico’s logistics sector? Road security, shortage of certified operators (approximately 100,000), and fragmented regulations across federal, state, and local governments.
- What solutions does Concamin propose for these challenges? A comprehensive and systemic agenda, including enhanced safety measures, a federal training program for operators, and harmonized regulations.
- Why is it crucial to address the shortage of certified operators? Only 10% of operators are under 25, and only 2% are women. Increasing their numbers will improve logistics efficiency.
- What is the stance on banning double trailers (“fulles”)? While accident prevention is essential, “fulles” transport 20-35% of national cargo and should be regulated through enforcement rather than outright bans.
