I came home to build something. Last-mile delivery made it possible.

New Yorkers see delivery trucks, vans and couriers on their streets every day. Packages arriving at buildings, goods moving into stores, drivers working block by block. What most people don’t see is how that system actually works — or how many local jobs and small businesses it supports.

That system is known as last-mile delivery, the final stage of a much larger network that moves goods from regional distribution centers into city neighborhoods and to people’s doors. It has become a core part of how New York City operates. On any given day, millions of packages move through this system, connecting warehouses to walk-up buildings, storefronts, and homes across the five boroughs.

I’m a Marine Corps veteran. I enlisted at 19 and served multiple deployments, where I learned what it means to lead teams under pressure and solve problems in real time.  When I came back home to New York, I wanted to build a business and create opportunities in the communities I know. Today, my company supports over 100 workers, operates over 50 vehicles, and handles over 100,000 deliveries across the Bronx, Queens, and beyond.

Like many others in this industry, we hire from the communities we serve. Our teams of drivers, dispatchers and logistics workers keep goods moving every day, many in their own neighborhoods.

This is steady work with room to grow. People start as drivers or couriers and move into leadership roles. They build skills, earn reliable income, and support their families. I’ve seen people come in with no prior experience and, within a few years, step into management roles overseeing entire teams.

This industry gives people a real starting point. You don’t need a degree or years of experience to get your foot in the door. What matters is work ethic and reliability. From day one, our employees have access to benefits like health and dental coverage, paid time off, and even a 401k match. For someone looking to build a career or support a family, that kind of stability can be life-changing.

Beyond the jobs this industry creates and the reliability that it enables for our neighbors to access essential goods, we are also directly giving back to our communities. In my own business, we’ve supported efforts like delivering meals to veterans and community members in need, including through work connected to the Department of Veteran Services. Since 2023, that work has helped deliver more than 140,000 meals to veterans and military families across New York. We’ve been doing this week after week for the past couple of years, using the same teams and routes we rely on every day.

Right now, the city is considering Intro 518, a proposal that would significantly change how last-mile delivery businesses operate, including how small, locally owned companies like mine fit into the larger system.

If those changes move forward – without our legislators having a clear understanding of how this work actually happens on the ground – the impact will be felt quickly.

It could mean fewer opportunities for local businesses to operate. It could reduce hiring in communities that rely on these jobs. It could limit the flexibility that allows operators to grow, adapt, and invest in new approaches, including more sustainable delivery methods. For small business owners like me, it also raises real questions about whether we can continue operating at all under a completely different model.

The goal should be to improve the system without losing what it already provides. We should be looking for ways to strengthen safety, efficiency, and sustainability without shutting out the small businesses that make the system work.

Because last-mile delivery is not just about convenience. It’s part of the local economy. It’s jobs. It’s small businesses. And in many cases, it’s a pathway forward for people trying to build something for themselves and their families.

As the conversation continues, that full picture should guide what comes next.

Rudy Cazares is the owner of Cazar Logistics LLC, a Bronx-based small delivery business.