Salvador Munoz is the CEO and Owner of Best Express Inc., a trucking company based in El Paso. He breaks down the mechanics of the Juárez freight economy, from maquiladoras and tariffs to driver shortages and rising operating costs.This week&#x27;s episode is sponsored by Epay Manager, Goodship, Chain, and Highway.Interested in sponsoring our podcast? Send us an email at pbj@freightcaviar.com.

The Hidden Engine of North American Logistics: El Paso–Juárez

The FreightCaviar Podcast

Today we're coming to you from El Paso, Texas, where I sat down with Salvador from Vest Express, a regional carrier that's been operating in one of North America's busiest cross-border freight markets for the past 15 years. $2 per gallon is huge because it's nothing but cost. You can have the loads, you can have the equipment, you have the diesel, you don't have a driver, you're not going anywhere. We talk about why Juarez and El Paso are so economically intertwined, how the Mecleodora system actually works,

and why so much of the manufacturing behind products we use every day flows through this region. It was 10 minutes to come across. Yeah. Comes 9-11, they shut down the bridges and everything changed. We also get into the realities of running a trucking company today, from diesel prices and driver shortages to tariffs, cross-border operations, and the growing legal pressures to carry your space after accidents. Truckers are always at fault. You're not innocent until proven guilty, it's the opposite. You're always guilty because you're driving a truck.

If you've ever wanted to better understand the importance of cross-border freight and hear directly from someone living it every day, I think you'll enjoy this conversation. Here's my interview with Salvador from Best Express. What I found interesting, Salvador, is mention that you said if Juarez didn't exist, there'd be no freight in El Paso? Correct. Yes. I mean, both of these cities, they depend completely.

I mean, one from the other one. Because, and it's been when we have these times where the bridge has been shut down, I mean, everything stops completely. I mean, it's been terrible. It happened to us in September of 2024. And it was closed for about a week.

The Hidden Engine of North American Logistics: El Paso–Juárez

Read the full transcript

The candid version is on a podcast,
not the earnings call.

The Hidden Engine of North American Logistics: El Paso–Juárez

Read the full transcript

The candid version is on a podcast, not the earnings call.

The candid version is on a podcast,
not the earnings call.