Apparel-Goods Movement Process

The apparel industry is New York Area's largest employer of blue-collar workers. The heart of apparel activity takes place in Manhattan's Garment Center; a 40 square block area located between 5th and 10th Avenues, and West 34th and West 42nd Streets. Trucking activity within the area is very concentrated and intense, probably greater than anywhere else in the nation. The substantial level of congestion is an important consideration in the operation of the apparel industry. The different elements of the apparel goods movement process are analyzed in this paper. The area's problems are manifested in the high volumes of vehicle and pedestrians, low travel speeds, and long delivery times. The difficulties experienced by the goods movement system can be ascribed to three major factors. They are: (1)The location of the area in Manhattan's Central Business District (CBD); (2)the physical character of the district's streets and buildings; and (3) the characteristics of the industry situated in the study area.