Warehouse space in the DFW area is skyrocketing. One study estimates that the area will experience 46.3 million square feet of new warehouse space in the next two years. This rapid expansion is due largely to the dramatic increase in e-commerce spending by consumers, which has led to a steep increase in the amount of inventory that needs to be managed through warehouses.

As warehouse space increases, so do the forklift needs of these businesses. Being able to effectively and safely move inventory is critical to the success of these warehouses. Many businesses, however, struggle to minimize the money they spend on their forklifts while maximizing those machines’ performance. They may purchase a new machine when an old one simply needed repair, or spend time and money servicing machines that should be replaced.

This is where fleet management solutions come in. The right solution can help businesses effectively track their forklift maintenance and know when to keep a machine and when to replace it. Here is a look at some of the specific ways in which fleet management solutions can support successful fleet maintenance.

Fleet management solutions give business owners a look at the wear and tear on their machines.

The wear and tear a forklift experiences will depend upon a number of factors. For example, a forklift used outside on a construction site will probably experience more wear and tear than will a forklift used inside a warehouse. This difference in wear and tear will exist even if the number of hours each forklift is used is the same.

In addition, the amount of use a machine receives in terms of loads carried and hours run can also affect how much maintenance it requires. For example, a machine that you use around the clock for managing heavy loads will run down much more quickly than will a machine used for one shift a day for lighter loads.

Fleet management solutions help you achieve the right level of forklift maintenance for each of your machines by helping you see how much use they each get. With the right solution, you can get a clear picture of the amount of wear and tear on each machine.

This information helps you make smart choices about how to maintain your forklifts. You can devote more resources toward servicing or replacing your workhorse forklifts, while saving money on machines that do not require as much maintenance. You do not need to guess about what maintenance tasks need to be done for each machine, and that can save you time and money in the long run.

Fleet management solutions contribute to forklift maintenance by tracking accidents.

Accidents happen, even in the most well-run of warehouses. When they occur, they require prompt evaluation and response, because accidents can damage forklifts and shelving units. Even seemingly small dents or scratches, for example, can require repair or even replacement of shelving units and machines.

Accidents also require the storage of a great deal of data. You may need to record details like the date, time, location of the accident, who the driver was, what the damage was, what steps were taken to repair the damage, when repairs occurred, conversations with those involved, and more.

This data allows you to track how the accident was handled, what repairs were made, and whether or not there are patterns to accidents (i.e. Blind spots, untrained operators, etc.) that you can address in order to prevent further problems.

Fleet management solutions allow you to track accident data in one convenient location. This data makes it easier for you to stay on top of repairs due to accidents. It also allows you to identify times when a forklift may be failing repeatedly, indicating a need to replace the machine. Thanks to these insights, you can more effectively keep your forklifts in good working order, or know when to replace one of them with a new model.

Fleet management solutions can encourage pre-shift inspections.

One of the bedrocks of effective forklift maintenance is the pre-shift inspection. These inspections catch small issues before they become major problems. They can also prevent accidents by catching issues (like worn out tires or failing brakes) before those issues lead to a catastrophic breakdown of the forklift (i.e. brakes that fail and lead to a crash).

Ensuring that these inspections take place is not always easy, however. That is where fleet management solutions help. These solutions remind operators to complete their inspections, record whether inspections occurred or not, or even shut down machines that fail inspections.

By encouraging these inspections, fleet management solutions contribute to forklift maintenance by increasing the number of small issues that are identified before the shift occurs. These issues can then be addressed immediately, and major issues can be minimized.

Maintaining your forklifts is a critical step in running a fleet that can effectively keep inventory moving through your warehouse. As warehouse needs expand, and as warehouse space grows, keeping costs low by getting the most out of your machines is increasingly important.

Fleet maintenance solutions can improve forklift maintenance, reduce the number of major issues you deal with, reduce costly downtime, extend the length of your machines, and help you track when machines should be replaced and when they should simply be serviced.

Darr Equipment provides fleet management solutions that work for your warehouse. We can tailor the solution to your needs and your budget. We can also provide you with maintenance plans that help you to keep your fleet in good working order over the long-term.