Forklift rentals can be a saving grace for busy companies looking to add to their fleet without incurring the expense of purchasing a new piece of equipment. Whether you need to replace a broken forklift during repairs or add another machine to your fleet for a specific job, forklift rental can be a smart and money-saving approach.

However, unless you carefully evaluate your forklift rental before committing to it, you may inadvertently cost yourself significant time and money instead. Here are a few common forklift rental mistakes that you should avoid in order to minimize the cost of the rental and maximize the benefit you receive from it.

Forklifts, like any heavy machinery you own in your fleet, will require regular servicing in order to keep them in top working condition, and in order to prevent major breakdowns that could lead to costly accidents or downtime. Ideally, your machine came with a recommended maintenance schedule from the manufacturer that detailed what types of forklift service were required and when they should be completed.

However, sometimes, companies become confused by the different kinds of forklift service that their machine should undergo. For example, when it comes to maintaining your machine, there are two types of service you need to implement: Routine and preventative. Both of these types of service are important in keeping your forklift working well, but they do vary slightly from each other. Here is a look at preventative vs. routine forklift service.

A family-owned company for more than six decades, Darr Equipment Co. provides customized industrial equipment solutions to its customers. We believe in providing excellent customer service and always putting our customers first. In addition to these core values, we’re proud supporters of the local communities in which we operate. 

For the past 15 years, we’ve been honored to sponsor the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™. Rodeo Houston® is more than a community tradition -- it’s an event held in high esteem throughout the state of Texas and beyond. We’re especially proud to support an event that benefits the youth of Texas, with more than $475 million in scholarships since 1932.

Since we love Rodeo Houston so much, we want to share the top five things we’re looking forward to at this amazing event.

1. Providing Logistical SupportThe biggest reason we love the Rodeo Houston  is because we can see our equipment make a positive impact in the community. Through our partnership with Cat Lift Trucks™, more than 100 of our machines will work to make sure the rodeo happens. Our lift trucks are key to transforming the grounds, arena preparations for each event, product distribution throughout the event, and teardown. 

2. Giving BackFamily is central to the culture of Darr, which is why we love taking part in special events at the rodeo like Rodeo Acts of Kindness™ (RAK) and Armed Forces Appreciation Day. Watch for us on the grounds on RAK day (March 2). And, if you’re an active service member in uniform with a current military ID, or the spouse of one, you’ll get free admission to NRG Park on Armed Forces Appreciation Day (February 27). We thank you for your service to our great nation!

3. The FoodDarr will be participating in the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest (February 21-23), and we can’t wait! Over 250 teams will cook up some of the finest barbecue in the state. In Texas, we take barbeque seriously, so you can bet the competition will be stacked. In addition to the barbeque competition, the rodeo has its annual Gold Buckle Foodie awards. The creativity on display in these amazing food items is always mind blowing!

4. The Spectacle of Rodeo at its FinestIf you’ve been to another rodeo but not the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, you’ll find all the information you’ll need to get yourself ready courtesy of the Rodeo 101. You just can’t beat the pageantry of the Grand Entry and the pride of the National Anthem Salute. Perhaps our favorite event to watch is mutton bustin. Who doesn’t want to see five and six year olds hold on tight for a wild ride on the back of sheep? You won’t want to miss it.

5. Saying “Hello” to YouIn addition to providing equipment to support the event, Darr will have a booth at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. We’d love for you to stop by and say “howdy!” Also, we hope you'll participate in our #FindAForklift Challenge on social media. Take a selfie with a forklift while you’re at the rodeo, and post your photo to Facebook or Twitter. In the text of your post, you must include #FindAForklift and tag @DarrEquipmentCo on Twitter or @DarrEquipment on Facebook. After you post, you’ll be entered to win an official RTIC cooler. 

You can also enter to win an official RTIC cooler by stopping by our booth to take a photo with the Darr letters. Take a picture with the Darr letters while you’re at the rodeo, and post your photo to Facebook or Twitter. In the text of your post, you must include #WeAreDarr and tag @DarrEquipmentCo on Twitter or @DarrEquipment on Facebook. After you post, you’ll be entered to win. 

We’ll see you at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, February 25 through March 17, 2019! 

By entering in this contest, you agree to send your first name, last name, email address, phone number, address, city, state, ZIP code, and intent to purchase to Darr Equipment. The information collected is subject to our privacy policies and sweepstakes rules.