Jorge Rodríguez y Rodríguez, vice president of the Querétaro Logistics Innovation Cluster, pointed out the need to improve operator salaries, as well as optimize staff training and ensure that they have adequate equipment to work.
Querétaro, Qro. The regulation of cargo transportation entering the city, along with the shortage of drivers, are significant challenges facing the logistics industry, explained Jorge Rodríguez y Rodríguez, vice president of the Querétaro Logistics Innovation Cluster (Cilqro).
These challenges arise in a context of growing demand for services in the sector, driven by the relocation trend.
In this context, the specialist suggested the need to establish specific schedules for the circulation of cargo vehicles, known as “windows”, to regulate their transit.
“It is important to regulate the entry of these vehicles now that the work on Paseo 5 de Febrero is almost complete and in operation, to determine what hours heavy cargo transport can enter, given that there is still a lot of industrial activity within the municipality of Querétaro,” he commented.
In August 2020, modifications were proposed to the Regulation for Mobility and Traffic in the municipality of Querétaro, which included restrictions on the circulation of cargo vehicles. The vice president of the cluster explained that with this regulation, industries would have to organize the entry and exit of goods more efficiently.
“These windows would undoubtedly help improve circulation and facilitate reorganization, since industries must also assume the responsibility of organizing the reception of goods. Sometimes it is the industry itself that contributes to the problem, since if it does not receive the goods on time, the transports are parked, further complicating traffic. Therefore, we need collaboration between society, industry, traffic authorities and transporters, including their drivers,” he said.
In this regard, he highlighted the progress achieved after the municipalization of a section of federal highway 57 that crosses the municipality of Querétaro, which, according to him, will facilitate the regulation of heavy vehicle traffic.
He also emphasized the importance of consolidating these initiatives, underlining the need for collaboration between all the actors involved.
“It is essential that companies, especially those responsible for purchasing or shipping, collaborate. It cannot be allowed to have 20 trailers parked outside the company, occupying lanes and causing traffic. It is not only a matter of the carrier, but also of who receives the goods,” he said.
Regarding the shortage of drivers, another important challenge for the logistics industry, Jorge Rodríguez y Rodríguez stressed the need to improve the salaries of operators, as well as to offer them better training and ensure that they have the right equipment to work.
“Given the shortage of drivers, it is crucial to improve salaries. Companies must understand that it is not just about competing for the price of freight, but also about having well-trained drivers, who avoid accidents and work with equipment in good condition. There is a great opportunity if we all collaborate,” he added.
Finally, he highlighted that Querétaro has a strategic location due to its connection to various logistics points, including several ports.
The connection with the port of Veracruz, as he mentioned, facilitates the exchange of goods with the European Union and even with the United States; in addition, he highlighted the advantages of proximity to the ports of Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, among others.
