Every day in New York City, goods move from warehouses to people’s front doors. That final step — known as last-mile delivery — is what gets groceries to working parents, medicine to seniors, and everyday essentials to families.
It may not always be visible, but it has become part of how our neighborhoods function.
I spent 23 years in the New York City Police Department. After retiring, I continued working in a community hospital. Service has always mattered to me. I also wanted to build something local, something rooted in the community. That’s how I entered the last-mile delivery business.
Today, I run a delivery company with my 83-year-old father. We started with about 20 employees and now operate across Brooklyn and Staten Island with around 150. Those are 150 New Yorkers with steady jobs. People who show up every day, support their families, and are part of their communities in Brooklyn and Staten Island.
One of the first employees we hired is now our operations manager. When people are treated like part of a team and given responsibility, they step up. We run bonus programs and recognize hard work, offer tuition reimbursement, and help support working families with subsidized childcare. When the team hits a milestone, I like to bring in food celebrations as a way of saying thank you. Celebrating wins together builds pride.
I’ve worked most of my life in professions where rules matter. In policing and healthcare, accountability isn’t optional. That perspective shaped how I approach this business.
Legislators are discussing how to address concerns about safety and working conditions in last-mile delivery. A bill (Intro 518) introduced in the City Council, would significantly change how last-mile delivery businesses operate, including how companies work with small, independent operators like mine.
At our company, safety is not an afterthought. We conduct regular driver safety trainings, maintain strict vehicle inspection standards, and enforce clear protocols for routes and reporting incidents. Concerns should be addressed thoughtfully and by elected officials who have all the information.
If the proposed changes move forward, the impact will not just be on business structures. It could mean small, locally-owned delivery companies losing the ability to operate independently. It could mean workers having fewer choices about where they work, leaving only big corporations operating. And it could mean fewer community-based jobs in places like Brooklyn and Staten Island.
My employees and others like them in this industry are trying to make a better life for themselves right here in our communities. They want to grow their careers, be more stable, and raise their families. When policies reshape how this system works, they affect more than procedures. They affect the workers who do the jobs, the neighbors who rely on deliveries, and the entire community.
I’ve spent most of my life serving New Yorkers. I believe in accountability. I also believe in protecting opportunities that allow people to build something for themselves and their families. As leaders consider what comes next, I hope the focus remains balanced, strengthening worker protections while also preserving the small, local businesses that provide these jobs.
Because behind every delivery is someone trying to make a living in this city. And those community jobs in Brooklyn and Staten Island are worth protecting.
Dennis Canale is a small delivery business owner in Brooklyn.
