Logistics in Mexico and nearshoring: last-mile challenges (CDMX and border)

El Nearshoring it is no longer a promise: it is a structural change that is reconfiguring logistics in Mexico, especially in states close to the border with the United States. Every new plant, industrial park or cross-border hub has an inevitable consequence: more merchandise movement... and more pressure on urban distribution and the last mile.

And this is happening in a context where Mexico has established itself as largest trading partner for U.S. goods UU., further reinforcing the “magnet” effect of the North American supply chain.

In addition, the demand does not come only from the industry: the Ecommerce continues to grow and requires faster, more traceable deliveries with a better customer experience. The AMVO reported growth of 20% in 2024, with a value close to 789 billion pesos.

Result: in Mexico, talk about route planner (Mexico route planner) and of logistics in CDMX (cdmx logistics) is no longer “pretty optimization”. It's operational survival.

Nearshoring: more factories closer to the border... and more last mile in cities

When production moves to regions near the U.S. In the US, logistics is growing in two directions:

1. B2B: supply to plants, movements between warehouses, cross-dock, regional distribution.
2. B2C: growth of the active population, services, consumption and e-commerce around industrial centers (and therefore, more residential deliveries and “neighborhood commerce”).

Firms such as BCG point out that demand is straining resources and infrastructure (including logistics) in industrial areas, especially near the border.

And here comes the big question: how to sustain the last mile in Mexican cities when the volume goes up, traffic squeezes and delivery equipment rotates?

Let's go to the 4 key challenges (and how each one translates into real costs).

Challenge 1: Traffic (and how to turn it into a “manageable” variable)

If you operate in Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Tijuana or any expanding metropolitan area, you already know: traffic is not an “incident”, it's part of the system.

To put it into perspective: in the INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard 2024, Mexico City is among the urban areas with the highest congestion in the world, with 97 hours of delay per driver in 2024.

What happens if you don't attack traffic in a planned way

• More hours per route → more cost per delivery.
• More kilometers and downtime → more fuel and maintenance.
• More variability → unreliable ETAs and more WISMO (“where's my order?”).

The practical solution: route optimization (for real)

This is where a route planner in Mexico makes a difference: it's not about “putting stops on a map”, but about optimizing with real restrictions:

• time windows,
• capacities,
• priorities,
• zones,
• service times,
• and re-optimization when something changes.

How Routal fits in (without magic, with method):

• Create optimal routes automatically in seconds (less km, less time, more deliveries per shift).
• Adjust on the fly when there are incidents (cancellations, delays, emergencies).
• It reduces the “invisible cost” of traffic by cutting exposure: less time on the road = less variability.

Challenge 2: shortage of delivery people and high turnover

With more volume, the first thing many operations try to do is to “bring in more people”. The problem: There aren't always enough, and when there are, onboarding becomes a bottleneck.

In the Mexican logistics environment, there is also talk of Shortage of drivers, fueled by factors such as working conditions and safety risks.

In addition, in the world of distribution by platform, Mexico has experienced recent regulatory changes (coverage and formalization), which can also impact costs and availability dynamics.

What happens if you don't solve it

• Planners spend the day “putting out fires”.
• New delivery people are taking too long to be productive.
• Quality drops (failed deliveries, errors, returns).

The practical solution: productivity with minimal training

When there's rotation, you need a system that does two things:

1. Standardize work (so that the operation does not depend on “the veterans”).
2. Guide the delivery person (so that someone new can perform from day 1 or 2).

How Routal fits in:

• Driver app with an orderly route, navigation and clear stop flow.
• Delivery instructions (notes, requirements, contact, evidence).
• Less learning curve: the system “teaches” the operation while it is running.

Challenge 3: lack of trust and need for control (without micromanagement)

This challenge is usually a consequence of the previous one: when there is turnover, operational risks grow. And in Mexico, in addition, there is a very real security component.

For example, logistics risk reports indicate that cargo theft is still a relevant problem and cite data from the SNSP where a very high proportion of robberies involving transporters involve violence (in a report it is mentioned 84%).

Note: cargo theft isn't exactly the “last urban mile”, but it does reflect the context: When the movement of goods increases, the need for visibility and traceability increases.

What happens if there is no traceability

• Questions about what happened (and when).
• Difficult to detect fraud or malpractices.
• More expensive claims (due to lack of evidence).

The practical solution: monitoring and evidence by event

The key isn't to keep an eye on people: it's Measure the process.

How Routal fits in:

• Track the route and status of each stop.
• Evidences: delivered/not delivered, incidents, tests (depending on configuration).
• Analytics by delivery/route: punctuality, stops completed, service times, deviations.

With this, trust ceases to be an “act of faith” and becomes data + process.

Challenge 4: Level of service (and why you win or lose the account here)

When traffic + rotation + poor visibility combine, the result is clear:

• ETAs that are not met,
• customers asking,
• incidents that are discovered late,
• and a reputation that erodes.

And in ecommerce, where Mexico continues to accelerate, the expected standard doesn't go down: it's up.

The practical solution: proactivity + real-time communication

A good level of service doesn't mean “zero problems”. It means:

• detect quickly,
• replan,
• and Communicate before the customer gets angry.

How Routal fits in:

• Share tracking/status (depending on the flow you use).
• More realistic updates and ETAs (because they start from optimized routes and real states).
• Incident management to respond judiciously: “what happened”, “when”, “what do we do now”.

Quick Checklist: What Your Last Mile Operation Should Have in Mexico (2026)

If you're experiencing the impact of nearshoring (or it's starting to hit you), this checklist gives you a practical guide:

• ✅ Route optimization with real restrictions (not just maps).
• ✅ Driver app designed for rotation (fast onboarding).
• ✅ Monitoring and evidence per stop (for trust and complaints).
• ✅ Analytics to get better every week (not “sensations”).
• ✅ Communication to the customer to reduce WISMO and protect NPS.

This “pack” is exactly the type of system that Routal seeks to cover from end to end: planning → execution → visibility → experience.

FAQ: Last mile + nearshoring in Mexico

Why is nearshoring increasing last-mile demand?

Because it concentrates industry and employment in new poles, increases local consumption, and pushes urban distribution (B2B and B2C). In addition, it reinforces Mexico—U.S. flows. Department of State and the need for faster logistics networks.

What is the biggest challenge for logistics in CDMX?

Congestion. In international measurements, CDMX is among the cities with the most traffic delays, which directly affects costs and punctuality.

How does a route planner in Mexico help reduce costs?

It reduces kilometers and total time, improves compliance with time windows and lowers operational variability (fewer delays, fewer reattempts, fewer overtime).

The last mile will be the “bottleneck”... or your competitive advantage

Nearshoring is bringing enormous opportunities to Mexico, but also a constant operational review: deliver more, faster, with less room for error.

If your operation depends on spreadsheets, routes “by eye” and calls to ask “how are you doing?” , growth becomes friction. If, on the other hand, you standardize with technology (optimization, driver app, traceability and communication), growth becomes scalable.

And that's where Routal fits in as a natural ally: plan better, execute better and demonstrate it with data.

Are we talking about how it can impact your business?

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