Cargo security escort (custodia de carga) covers the security measures that protect goods in road transit: satellite tracking, planned routes and stops, alarm monitoring and, when justified, escorts. The global reference standard is TAPA TSR (Trucking Security Requirements) from the Transported Asset Protection Association.
What the cargo security standard requires
The current version is TSR 2026, published in September 2026. It has three levels, from most to least protection: 1 “elevated”, 2 “moderate” and 3 “basic”. It requires, among other things, an annual risk assessment of routes and stops, secure parking planning, covert tracking on tractor and trailer with periodic reporting, alarm monitoring and response, and a panic button the driver carries. Escorts, armed or unarmed depending on local law, are an optional enhancement. Certification lasts 3 years.
How it affects imports from China
When cargo is high value or easy to resell, such as electronics, auto parts or equipment. The leg from port to warehouse is the most exposed. For such loads, combine GPS tracking, monitoring, escort and cargo insurance that covers the road leg.
The common mistake
Hiring the cheapest truck for valuable cargo and trusting that “nothing ever happens”. Also mistaking GPS for security: tracking only works if someone monitors and responds. Ask your carrier which security level it has and how it acts on an alert.
Moving high-value cargo in Mexico? We plan it with monitoring in our ground transport service.
What to ask your carrier: whether it holds TAPA certification and at what level, how often the GPS reports, who monitors outside office hours and what protocol it follows after a route deviation or an unscheduled stop. The answers say more than the freight rate. For recurring lanes, agree on these points in writing so every shipment follows the same protocol.
Source: TAPA, Trucking Security Requirements (TSR) 2026. Current as of October 14, 2026.
