Trump’s tariffs cause a 20% drop in truck freight traffic

The tariffs imposed by Donald Trump on Mexican products have caused a more than 20 percent drop in truck freight traffic between the two economies, according to Miguel Ángel Martínez Millán, president of the National Chamber of Freight Transport (Canacar).

“We have seen a reduction in freight volume of around 20 percent between January and the first half of October 2025 compared to the same period last year,” he told Forbes Mexico.

According to the businessman, the tariffs imposed on several Mexican productive sectors have affected cross-border exports and imports, as well as those made through the ports of the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

The tariff policy implemented by the United States in 2025 revives protectionism, but the wavering trade positions of Donald Trump's administration have created uncertainty.

“If they are paying for vehicles, auto parts, steel, aluminum, and copper that do not comply with the national rule, that means they were using Mexico as a springboard to reach the United States. In the motor transport industry, we are indeed feeling the impact (of Donald Trump's tariffs), which is worrying for Mexican companies,” said the business representative.

With so much trade uncertainty due to the tariffs imposed on Mexico, export and import volumes have fallen significantly, according to the president of Canacar.

“There have been cancellations of licenses and visas for truck operators for not speaking English, but we do not have the number quantified,” he said of the damage caused by the measure imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The executive said that Canacar is not concerned about the issue of visas for drivers, but there is nervousness about the impact of tariffs, said Miguel Ángel Martínez Millán.

“The impact of the tariff increase is very worrying because it reduces the flow of goods. Exports and imports between Mexico and the United States have been greatly affected in the transport of cars, general cargo, and the domestic volume of goods,” he said.