Governor Sherrill was elected on the message of making New Jersey more affordable for everyone. The logistics industry – which encompasses trucking, warehouses, distribution and shipping – plays a key role in keeping the costs of goods and services from going even higher.
Not all of these ways are obvious. In an age of escalating costs, though, it’s time to recognize logistics’ power.
Logistics — shorthand for the transportation, logistics and distribution industry — has a broad economic impact on New Jersey. Warehouses and distribution centers support more than 764,000 direct jobs and more than 1.35 million total jobs in the state, according to a 2025 study by the Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation at Rutgers University.
Credit: (Greek Real Estate Partners)The industry helps generate more than $112.8 billion in personal income, supporting a vast swath of New Jersey’s middle class.
What we’re also talking about is the industry’s impact on what we pay for government services and everyday goods. Logistics hubs support federal tax revenues of almost $22.6 billion and, at the state and local level, almost $11.3 billion — for about $33.9 billion in total, the study found.
These dollars represent a significant tax contribution, perhaps the biggest by any one industry in the state. Without this revenue for government, the local property-tax burden would rise further, depriving municipalities struggling to fund schools, public health, first-responder services and other worthwhile programs.
Every tax dollar collected from an industrial facility is a dollar less taken from New Jersey residents.
Less time, less money
Logistics keeps costs down in another less obvious way. Distribution centers’ locations throughout the state mean businesses are close to the goods and services we all need. Shorter distances for businesses means lower costs for them and consumers.
A gallon of milk in New Jersey does not have far to travel. A logistics-driven cold storage network means perishable goods are always a short drive away. This cuts down on energy costs, not to mention spoilage and long-haul trips for our nation’s truckers. That means lower costs and fresher food for New Jerseyans.
In the season of graduations and summer holidays, the food, presents and last-minute party supplies are all readily available because New Jersey’s logistics industry does its job. That might seem like a matter of just convenience, but it’s also one of cost: Finding these items locally saves both time and money.
These points often get lost in the public debate over warehousing, storage and trucking. People see a square building and often don’t connect — or are simply aren’t aware — that it brings economic and ease-of-life benefits.
Consider everything that arrived at your home over the last month, like groceries and medicine. New Jersey’s logistics network made sure those goods traveled the shortest, most efficient route.
We all yearn for affordability. New Jersey’s logistics industry has been delivering it for decades.
When it comes to driving down costs, logistics has been here — and will be here — to help.
