Borderlands Mexico: US takes 76% of vehicle exports as September shipments plunge

Borderlands Mexico is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week in Borderlands Mexico: US takes 76% of vehicle exports as September shipments plunge; DSV expands US-Mexico freight operations with McAllen office; and Texas university seeks $772,700 for AI-powered Laredo freight project.

US takes 76% of vehicle exports as September shipments plunge More than three-quarters of Mexico’s light-vehicle exports were destined for the U. S. during the first nine months of 2026, underscoring the importance of cross-border automotive trade even as Mexican vehicle production and exports declined sharply in September. Mexico exported 1.

93 million light vehicles to the U. S. from January through September, representing 76. 4% of the country’s 2. 53 million vehicle exports, according to figures released Wednesday by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). The latest figures also showed that Mexico exported 277,369 light vehicles worldwide in September, an 11.

9% decline from 314,656 units during the same month last year. Vehicle production fell 15. 1% year over year to 301,803 units, compared with 355,589 in September 2025. The declines contrasted with stronger domestic demand. Sales of new light vehicles in Mexico increased 7. 9% to 129,274 units, up from 119,766 a year earlier.

The figures highlight a widening gap between Mexico’s domestic automotive market and its export-oriented manufacturing sector, which depends heavily on demand from the U. S. The U. S. accounted for 1,931,750 light vehicles exported from Mexico during the first nine months of 2026, followed by Canada with 314,185 vehicles, representing 12. 4% of the total.

Germany ranked third with 64,963 vehicles, or 2. 6%, followed by Brazil with 43,821 vehicles, or 1. 7%. Other international markets accounted for the remaining 173,904 vehicles, or 6. 9%. Through September, Mexico exported 2,528,623 light vehicles worldwide, down 1. 5% from the 2,567,172 vehicles exported during the same period in 2025.

The September decline was considerably steeper than the year-to-date contraction, with manufacturers shipping 37,287 fewer vehicles abroad than a year earlier. Mexico’s automotive manufacturers assembled 301,803 light vehicles in September, a decline of 53,786 units compared with September 2025.

For the first nine months of 2026, total light-vehicle production reached 2,946,943 units, down 2. 4% from 3,020,006 vehicles during the corresponding period last year. Light trucks continued to dominate Mexican automotive manufacturing, accounting for 79% of production through September.

Manufacturers assembled 2,329,189 light trucks during the nine-month period, compared with 617,754 passenger cars, representing 21% of production. General Motors produced 58,949 vehicles in September, down 27. 1% year over year, while Nissan production fell 26. 3% to 44,355 vehicles. Ford Motor’s production declined 16.

4% to 29,480 units, while Volkswagen reported a 5. 9% decrease to 27,475 vehicles. Stellantis was among the manufacturers reporting gains, with production increasing 4. 4% to 35,834 units.

DSV expands US-Mexico freight operations with new McAllen office Global logistics provider DSV has opened a new office in McAllen, Texas, expanding its operations along the U. S. -Mexico border to support growing demand for cross-border transportation and supply chain services, according to ProTexas Industry.

The office will provide transportation, logistics and cross-border support for manufacturers, freight forwarders and other companies moving goods between the U. S. and Mexico. The new location complements DSV’s existing border operations in Laredo, Brownsville, El Paso and Los Indios, Texas, as well as San Diego, California.

The expansion will strengthen DSV’s connections with manufacturers in northern Tamaulipas, Mexico, particularly maquiladora operations that depend on cross-border freight services, executives said.

DSV provides ground, air and ocean transportation, customs clearance, warehousing and supply chain management services across a global network spanning more than 90 countries.

Texas university seeks $772,700 for AI-powered Laredo freight project Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) in Laredo, Texas, is slated to receive $772,700 in proposed federal funding for a project that would use artificial intelligence to improve freight movement through one of the busiest U. S. -Mexico commercial gateways. U. S. Rep.

Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, announced the proposed funding Oct. 2 for TAMIU’s Port Laredo Logistics Ecosystem Project, which would establish a Digital Twin and Logistics Resilience Lab in partnership with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, according to the Laredo Morning Times.

The initiative would use AI, sensors and secure data systems to create a digital model of freight activity, helping researchers and transportation companies identify bottlenecks, anticipate disruptions and improve