How to Pick a Mexican Trucking Company

If you engage in cross-border trade between the United States and Mexico, you need a Mexican trucking company to help you navigate the complex logistics and regulatory rules that govern your business. When selecting your transportation partner, look for someone who has a proven reputation for timeliness, efficiency, and reliability. Here is a guide to help you make a decision that will boost your bottom line on every trip.

Understanding Carrier Selection Criteria

While you could consider many factors when choosing a carrier for cross-border trips between Mexico and the U.S., there are some that are non-negotiable, due to the impact they have on your ability to deliver your goods in a timely and cost-effective manner. Here are the criteria we consider essential in any Mexican trucking company.

Reputation & Reliability

Don’t entrust your cargo to new and unproven businesses. Before hiring a carrier for your cross-border cargo, make sure that they have a long history that includes a reputation for reliability and timely delivery. Here are some of the steps you can take to look into a company’s background and past performance.

• Research the company’s history.
• Read customer reviews online.
• Get recommendations from past customers experienced in the industry.
• Look for overwhelmingly positive testimonials.

Safety Compliance

Theft, damage, and loss of goods costs carriers $50 billion every year in the United States alone. Your carrier should offer you concrete, modern practices and technology that reduce the chances of lost cargo during its transport across the Mexico / U.S. border. Here are some things to check about each Mexican trucking company you think about hiring:

• Vehicle age
• Vehicle maintenance practices
• Driver training programs
• GPS tracking
• Yard security protocols
• Compliance with Mexican and U.S. transportation regulations

Capacity and Area Covered

Before hiring a carrier, make sure that they can handle your volume of business in the areas where you operate. For example, if you are moving cargo between San Diego and Tijuana, you should look for a trucker located in and experienced in that area. Make sure that your chosen carrier can cover every route your cargo takes in order to prevent costly delays and the need to hire an additional trucking company to cover gaps.

Evaluating Transportation Safety and Compliance

One of the key factors to consider in a Mexican trucking company, as noted above, is their commitment to safety. The Mexican trucking company you choose should be as dedicated to the safety of your load as you are. Look for someone who can offer state-of-the art technology, best practices, and a genuine concern for your success.

Driver Qualifications

Every driver for the company should possess updated qualifications, including licensure and insurance. Look for a company that also provides experienced driver who have specifically driven the type of cargo you have, and succeeded in safely delivering it to its destination.

Ongoing Driver Training

Every driver in the Mexican trucking company you choose should receive ongoing training in safe driving practices. A current knowledge of the most up to date best practices will equip drivers to safely navigate any security challenges on the road.

Insurance Coverage

If something were to happen to your cargo, you need to know that your, and your clients’, losses would be covered. Your chosen carrier should have full liability and insurance coverage to protect your load against any mishaps.

Security Technology

Send your cargo across the border with confidence when you choose a carrier that possesses state-of-the-art security technology. This technology should make it easy to monitor and track your shipment from its origin to its destination. For example, GPS tracking will allow you to locate your cargo at any time to prevent theft and loss.

Yard Security

If your cargo has to stay or pass through a yard at any point, you should also evaluate the trucking company’s security at the yard. For example, at Mex-Cal, our yards include 24/7 surveillance monitoring, 21-point inspections of every load, and K-9 sniffer dogs for every inspection. Plus, we ensure that the right trailer leaves the yard at the right time, so there are never any costly delays or cargo mishaps.

Strategic Partnerships and Freight Brokering

The right Mexican trucker company for your cross-border travels will offer you more than OTR or cross-border transportation. Look for someone who has strategic partnerships that can support all of your supply chain logistics. At Mex-Cal, we offer customized, all-in-one solutions that cut out middlemen like freight brokers, save you money, and offer you services for all of your transportation and logistics needs.

Cost Management and Negotiation

Having exceptional cross-border transportation will mean little in the face of cost overruns and huge expenses. Your Mexican trucking company should demonstrate an ability to manage your costs and negotiate lower rates to keep your budget in check throughout the transportation process. Here are some of the steps your carrier should take on your behalf:

• Implementing fuel-saving driving practices
• Engaging in preventive maintenance for all fleet vehicles
• Operational efficiency
• Regulatory compliance to avoid fines
• Negotiation of competitive contracts and rates

Meeting Industry-Specific Requirements

Specialized goods (e.g. Perishable goods and hazardous materials) require specialized handling. Make sure the trucking company from Mexico that you choose has experience in handling specialized goods, as well as the equipment and know-how to remain in compliance with any requirements.

Choosing the right Mexican trucking company means carefully considering many factors, including safety and cost-effectiveness. If you need support in any stage of your transportation and logistics process, let Mex-Cal Truckline know. We offer a wide variety of services that support your business growth and ensure on time delivery of every load. Contact us today!