Every business owner wants to increase productivity. Here are six easy ways to get more from your forklift.

1. Request a service inspection be conducted regularly. See if a maintenance plan is right for you or help train and back up your in-house technicians.
2. Leave promptly and don’t idle. Don’t start the engine until you’re ready to go to avoid wasting fuel and turn off the engine if it looks like you could be waiting for more than a minute.
3. Don’t make sudden changes in speed. Maintain a steady pace, drive smoothly and accelerate gently. It will save fuel and reduce maintenance costs.
4. Train your drivers. Good training not only helps improve safety, but also trains your operators to approach a load correctly to avoid unnecessary maneuvering and make them more efficient.
5. Keep up-to-date with maintenance. This is extremely important to keep your forklift fuel efficient and running well.
6. Buy the right tires and check them often. If your forklift has pneumatic tires, make sure they are inflated correctly. Under-inflated tires increase fuel consumption and wear more quickly. If your application is primarily indoors on concrete, cushion tires are a better bet.