Sometimes, it pays to examine the method of selecting a forklift. For example, does your business consistently select the same models for your dock work? If so, you could potentially miss out on a more effective truck. There might be other units existing on the market that provide less fatigue to operators and allow more to get accomplished. You may be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective way. By doing some evaluation and research, you could determine if you have the right equipment to suit your requirements. By reducing operator fatigue, you could significantly increase your performance.
When determining forklift models which address your specific problems some of the key factors to consider could include:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department only loads out a few box trucks or semi-trailers a week, then you probably won't need a pricey lift truck to complete the job. An inexpensive walkie-rider or walkie unit will be able to deal with the task if: You are not required to stack loads inside the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is enough. Lastly, you must think about whether or not the transition from the dock floor to the dock leveler and into the trailer is not too jarring for the operator as the small load wheels must travel over the dock plate.
If your shipping facility is always loading trailers on the other hand, a stand-up end control model may make more sense over a walkie model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts easily fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door. Their masts enable in-trailer stacking. These forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
Every company has a slightly different system for material handling. In some circumstances, some forklift operators not just load trucks in the shipping department, but replenish the manufacturing line, store inventory on racks, handle the paperwork connected with the cargo, scan and attach bar codes and other jobs. Generally, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their forklifts in their shifts find it less tiring and much quicker to exit a stand-up control model, as opposed to a sit down kind.