An interview with RMX Global: A lot is changing with Last Mile in NYC
In an interview with Matthew Reingold, Regional Manager of RMX Global Logistics, we ask how logistics around the northeast has changed since COVID and how RMX, as a broker, is coping with the new normal. RMX Global is a logistics provider with a specialty division that focuses on perishable delivery solutions in and around the New York City area.
By Kelly Greenlee
Does it seem as busy as before the pandemic?
NYC has recovered a lot and is back in action. That means a lot of loads are moving but it is still different than before Covid-related shutdowns. The pace is a bit more manageable now. There was so much uncertainty during the pandemic. Food banks were even more in demand as people were out of work. The important work they are doing was even more needed and caused food delivery providers to work even harder to meet the demands. The frenzied aspect has lessened, but there is still a real need. Businesses and food banks are still having a good flow of traffic and facing capacity issues like everyone else.
What changes has the city seen?
Infrastructure has changed around the city during the pandemic and is still ongoing. There have been a lot of improvements from these changes, which also kept jobs going. But it is more and more difficult to make deliveries around the city during peak hours. The city is proposing to restrict traffic during peak hours, and this would be catastrophic for food delivery. Restaurants will have to receive their shipments at 1 am if this gets passed which would be a major change in how they do business.
How has price inflation impacted the NYC area?
Currently, the demand for shipping outweighs capacity in the freight sector. Therefore, every part of the freight sector has seen an uptick in prices, including trucking, parcel delivery, warehousing, etc. Rising fuel and equipment prices are a challenge for all freight management companies. And as fuel costs continue to climb, the 3PLs, carriers, and customers are being impacted by this added expense. And then the higher prices on goods and increased transportation costs are passed on to the end consumer.
How are shippers preparing for the ‘new normal’ in logistics?
As a broker, we have always had to be nimble and adjust to industry, economic, and regulatory changes. Customers are seeing that a trusted and established third-party logistics providers is invaluable when your logistics operations are stretched to the max and you are facing constraints on all sides. Even if you have your own trucks, it is smart to have a trusted 3PL company available to help you fill in the gaps. We are known for our expertise in the food industry and navigating, as a broker, in and around a metropolitan area. We take all the headache out of their delivery process into a major city and handle all their issues for them. By working with a 3PL, such as RMX Global Logistics, shippers are able to better manage through the new normal and stay ahead of the competition.
What measures has RMX taken to continue to serve the NYC area?
The Last Mile management team has over 50 years of experience and has served the perishable food industry in wholesale, logistics, and warehousing. We are strategically located in two locations: The Hunts Point Co-op Market in the Bronx, New York, and we outsource a facility in Carteret, New Jersey. This gives us immediate access to all five boroughs as well as major interstate highways and gives us a unique ability, as a broker, to navigate the challenges of final mile delivery in the northeast. This is what we do day in and day out so we are ready to help shippers with their needs in the northeast!